YOU HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH A CRIME AND ONE OF YOUR CLOSEST FRIENDS HAS TESTIFIED AGAINST YOU. HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO WHAT HE HAS DONE?
YOU HAVE A FRIEND WHO IS CONSTANTLY ASKING YOU FOR MONEY. DO YOU GIVE EVRY TIME HE ASKS?
Matthew 5:38-42
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”
BACKGROUND
“In today’s study we are looking at retaliation, or revenge. In biblical times, an avenger was one who extracted satisfaction from or punished a wrongdoer. In the ancient Near East, reliance on avengers to ensure justice was evident when strong governmental authority was lacking. In some biblical texts, blood vengeance, the execution of a murderer by the avenger, is recognized as a custom sanctioned by God.
(Gen. 9:5–6) “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.”
(Num. 35:19) “The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death.”
The Mosaic Law had a system whereby there were six cities that were set aside where a person who had killed someone could flea for protection (Cities of Refuge). But he could only flee for protection if the killing was an accident. If he murdered a person in cold blood, then he could be avenged by the victim’s nearest relative.
However, this custom is to be limited by a sense of compassion and mercy.
In some texts, God’s people may be used by God to exercise vengeance against God’s enemies (Judges 12:3–6; 2 Kings 9:7; Joshua 10:13), but they are forbidden to take vengeance upon one another (Leviticus 19:18). Elsewhere, God is the avenger (Psalm 94)” — Harper Collins Bible Dictionary.
Justice operated differently in biblical days than it does now. Part of the reason is because of the influence of the Bible on the Western world. Jesus’ teachings of non-retaliation, along with a deeper understanding of the Mosaic Law, and the influence of Roman justice, has lead to our concept of innocent until proven guilty (Deuteronomy 19:15) that found its way into English Common Law, the Magna Carta, and finally the US Constitution in the 5th Amendment (due process).
When taking this passage as a whole, we should probably think in terms of retaliation against abuse. How do you respond when someone abuses you?
As Jesus addresses abuse he does so in personal, legal, military, and financial categories. In other words, there is no area of life where forgiveness, sacrifice, and peace should not reign in the Christian’s life. Let’s dig in.
EXAMINATION
(V.38) “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’”
Jesus is quoting Exodus 21, which was a principle of the law regarding equal justice. It is the idea that a criminal’s punishment must fit the crime he has committed. But it was also used as a principle of personal vengeance. The law was originally intended to be used in a system of justice, not as a means of personal retaliation.
What is interesting about the Exodus 21 passage is that it was given in the context of a miscarriage where the baby dies as the result of an attack. If the woman miscarried in that situation, the punishment for the attacker was death.
“But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe” (Exodus 21:23-25).
Jesus is addressing the misuse of the Mosaic Law to justify personal vengeance.
(V.39) “But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”
WHAT DO YOU THINK JESUS MEANS WHEN HE SAYS, “DO NOT RESIST THE ONE WHO IS EVIL?” IS THIS PERSONAL, LEGAL, OR POLITICAL?
Some have wondered if the “one who is evil” can be a reference to Satan. I don’t think so. The context here is what other people do. In addition, scripture says elsewhere to resist Satan (James 4:7). The point of not resisting someone is to demonstrate godliness. The Gospel is never spread through violence or violent response, only by persuasion.
Jesus’ immediate context is personal because he says, “If anyone slaps you on the right cheek.” This is a personal affront. Normally, most people, being right handed would slap on the left cheek. But here Jesus says right cheek, indicating a back-handed slap. This is an insult. In fact, it was shameful to be slapped. His response: let them do it again.
Notice, this happened to Jesus at his trial. He was slapped and suffered other abuses but never responded through resistance. He rebuked but didn’t resist.
HAVE YOU EVER LET SOMEONE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOU ON PURPOSE?
JESUS MADE JUDAS THE MONEYCHANGER OF HIS GROUP EVEN THOUGH HE KNEW JUDAS WAS A THIEF. AND HE NEVER SOUGHT TO PUNISH HIM. WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
“You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:18)
(V.40) “And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.”
Jesus’ first context is personal, but now he moves to the legal by mentioning a lawsuit. This is part of not resisting an evil person. The tunic was the undergarment a person slept in. The cloak was the outer garment that kept him warm. In other words, let him take everything you have. This is an extreme saying. But Jesus uses this kind of speech to make his point.
Notice, this happened to Jesus. His clothes were gambled for. When he was crucified he was crucified naked.
(V.41) “And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.”
Here Jesus moves to the category of military or political oppression.
Generally, this passage refers to two practices. First, was the Roman practice of a soldier forcing a civilian to carry his gear for one mile. Any person along the road could be pressed into service this way. Jesus tells his hearers to go beyond the requirement and go two miles. This was a real inconvenience for people living in Jesus’ day. Carrying a pack for a mile may have taken a 30-45 minute walk. So two miles might be 90 minutes or so. Then there would be the return trip. So, nearly three hours might be wasted.
Second, the language used here is actually of Persian origin. It referred to weigh stations along a road where a passerby could be pressed into service to carry a message or a load to the next station. Jesus’ instruction remains the same, go two.
Again, this happened to Jesus. He was forced to carry his cross, though he collapsed and Simon of Cyrene was pressed into service to carry it the rest of the way.
(V.42) “Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”
Now Jesus touches on the financial. We find it hard sometimes to part with our money, even faced with need. Do you give money to every panhandler on the street? No one does. Following Jesus requires generosity.
We used to keep a monthly budget for panhandlers, but it got to be too much. So we give in other ways.
We have someone in another country who is constantly asking us for money. His needs are legitimate, but the constant asking wears us down. When he asks we always give because we want to be generous. But one time we decided not to give toward a hospital bill. Our friend was arrested and put in jail for not paying his bill. While there he was badly beaten by the authorities. So we ended up paying the original bill, the court fees, a fine, and new medical treatment so he’d recover. Our refusal to be generous cost him great trouble and cost us even more money than he asked for originally.
This section of Jesus’ discourse is directly related to his next topic, loving your enemy. Not everyone who asks for money asks rightly. Why would you let people take advantage of you this way unless you loved them regardless of how they treated you?
Jesus ministry had funds that were used to help the poor.
ARE YOU WILLING TO EXPRESS FORGIVENESS AND PERSONAL SACRIFICE OF YOUR RIGHTS FOR THE SAKE OF SHOWING LOVE TO YOUR ENEMY?
“Members of the kingdom should cause utter amazement by the way they respond to being grossly insulted or unjustly used. There should be such a generosity of spirit about us that we give and give and give just as God has given to us” — Green, Michael. 2001. The Message of Matthew: The Kingdom of Heaven.
INTERPRETATION
Never retaliate a wrong done to you. The scripture makes this point many times.
“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them” (Romans 12:14).
“Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all” (Romans 12:17).
Notice the language Paul uses. Honor the one doing you evil.
“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord” (Romans 12:19).
“Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing’ (I Peter 3:9).
When we lived in Mongolia I was criminally charged with slander by a former employee. The charges were serious. I could have spent ten years in prison. After I was cleared my senior staff urged me strongly to file a criminal complaint against her for lying to the court. They said she should go to prison for what she did to me. It was within my legal right to do so. But I refused. I wanted to forgive and not retaliate.
APPLICATION
How have you been abused or offended by another party? What are you willing to do to express forgiveness and make it right?
When a relationship goes bad and you suffer loss, accept the loss as an opportunity to bless and forgive rather than take it back or punish the other person.
It should be noted that in scripture the standard response to abuse is not simply to forgive and let it go. Rather, the encouraged response is to forgive and then bless. Even, as Romans 12:17 says, to show honor. When someone abuses your relationship, purposefully, intentionally, and proactively bless the other person and show them honor. How do you feel about that?
This practice is modeled in scripture in Matthew 27:44 where it says, “The robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him.” These men mocked Jesus but one of them had a change of heart. Notice what Luke says.
“One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:39-43).
Jesus didn’t just forgive, he blessed him by telling him he would be with him. In this way he eased his suffering and blessed him with eternal life. This is the model of true forgiveness in scripture.
