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 an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the
other to him also. If anyone wants to sue and take your shirt, let him have
your coat as also.
"Whoever forces you to go one
mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from
him who wants to borrow from you."
INTRODUCTION
As I stated from the beginning of our
series on the Sermon on the Mount, the key verse for the entire Sermon is found
in Matthew 5: 20, “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses
(exceeds) that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the Kingdom of
heaven.”
Jane
Vajnar tells this true story: “My friend’s four boys were young and bursting
with energy, especially in the church. But the sermon her minister preached on
turning the other cheek got undivided attention. The minister stressed that no
matter what others do to us we should never try to get even. That afternoon the
youngest boy came into the house crying. Between sobs he told his mother he had
kicked one of his brothers, who had kicked him in return.
“I’m sorry that you’re hurt,” his
mother said. “But you shouldn’t go around kicking people.” The tearful child
replied, “But the preacher said he wasn’t supposed to kick me back.”
Why is it so easy to pay others back
in the same coin? Why is it so easy to seek revenge and hard to forgive and let
go? Let’s talk about “What to Do When You Are Wronged.”
I. THE PRESCRIPTION OF THE LAW OF RETRIBUTION V. 38
Jesus
quotes this passage from the Old Testament as recorded by Moses in Exodus
21:23-25; Leviticus 24:19-20; and Deuteronomy 19:21. This principle was wider
and most widely recognized than the Mosaic Law. This principle of proportionate
retribution was found in the code of Hammurabi (18th century B.C.)
with the same emphasis on an eye for eye, and a tooth for a tooth. While
this law sounds severe to us, in its time it set guidelines against what may
have been escalating vendettas among people. This principle of retribution, lex
talionis, gave judges a formula for dealing with crime. In other words,
this law was established in order to discourage the practice of personal or
private revenge. The judges were compelled by this law to “Make the punishment
fit the crime.” This law limited vengeance and helped the court administer
punishment that was neither too strict nor too lenient. It is similar to the
laws here in the United States. Here in the United States when a person kills
your relative, you cannot just go and pull your gun and shoot that person in
retaliation. That is why we have police officers and judges who administer
justice. However, sometimes justice is not served in such cases, but this is
better than “the law of the jungle.” The law of the jungle permits you to do
whatever you want to another person who hurts you, a friend, or a brother. In
such countries laws don’t work and anarchy is the order of the day. People
still try to excuse their acts of revenge by saying, “I was just doing to him
what he just did to me.” Jesus says that His disciples are not and must not do
that if they are to be a part of His Kingdom.
II. THE
COMMAND OF JESUS AGAINST PERSONAL REVENGE V. 39.
When someone hurts you, often the
first reaction is to get even. That is the natural human instinct. Instead,
Jesus says you should do good to those who wrong you. Instead of keeping score,
you should love and forgive. This is not natural; it is supernatural. Only God
can give you the strength to love as He does. To clarify the command against
personal vendettas or vindictiveness, Jesus offers four illustrations.
Jesus teaches us to offer
non-resistance to an evil person v. 39. Many Christians have mistranslated and
misapplied this imperative of Christ. Jesus is not saying that we are not to
resist evil. Jesus is not commanding us not to resist evil in the abstract.
Neither is He teaching that we are not to resist the evil one that is the
devil. This would be a compromise with sin and Satan. The Bible impels us to
submit to God and resist the devil and he will flee from us. The Bible also
teaches us to eschew every form of evil. What Jesus forbids us to resist is an
evil person, one who is evil, or one who wrongs you. Jesus does not deny that
such a person is evil. Jesus does not ask you to pretend or condone that
person’s evil behavior. What Jesus does not allow is that you retaliate. In
other words, do not take revenge on someone who wrongs you. The first
illustration that Jesus offers has to do with personal physical abuse
(v. 39b). Not only does Jesus command against “getting back” at someone
physically but He also commands against getting back by any other means.
A slap on the right cheek was
literally a blow from the back of another person’s hand. This is an act that
even today shows the greatest possible contempt. A person who slapped another
in this way was giving that person a great insult. According to the Jewish law
the one who slapped another faced punishment and a heavy fine. Thus the law was
on the side of the victim, and the victim would have every right to take this
offense to a court of law. Jesus says to His disciples not to take the legal
channels, however, but to offer the other cheek for a slap as well. Jesus does
not ask His followers to do what He would never do. In fact, Jesus Himself
received such treatment and did as He commanded (Matt. 26:67; see also Isaiah
50:6; 1 Peter 2:23). Jesus wants His followers to have an unselfish attitude
that willingly follows the way of the cross instead of the way of personal
rights. We should entrust ourselves to God who will one day set all things
right. Jesus focuses on the attitudes of His disciples when dealing with evil
individuals. I have often said it many times that the measure of your faith and
your spiritual maturity is not determined by how eloquent you pray, not the
tongues you speak, or the reputation you have, but the attitude you
demonstrate, especially when you are under pressure. For when you are under
pressure what you are in the inside will definitely come out. The world
advocates getting even, looking for yourself, and protecting your personal
rights. In Africa and the United States some will hire a hit man to carry
justice for them. In Africa some would go to the witch doctor to seek vengeance
on someone who has really hurt them. Some too would place a curse or spell on
you to get back at you. Jesus’ disciples, however, are to hold loosely to our
“personal rights,” preferring to forgo those rights for the sake of being
witness to the gospel and the kingdom. Being willing to set aside your personal
rights does not mean that you have to sit passively while evil goes unhindered
(Acts 16:37: 22:25; 25:8-12).
Jesus’ teachings were offensive to
many of the Jews. Any Messiah who would turn the other cheek was not the
military leader they were expecting to revolt against Rome. To a large degree
that was part of the reason they rejected Jesus as the Messiah. The Jews were under
Roman oppression and they wanted retaliation against their enemies whom they
hated vehemently. But Jesus offers a new radical response to injustice. Instead
of demanding rights, give them up freely! According to Jesus it is more
important to give justice and mercy than to receive it.
In the face of human dilemma of
injustice and hatred, Jesus proposes a better way, the radical response of
love. Jesus’ standard is not an attack on the necessity for justice. Rather,
Jesus is presenting a practical, rational, and holy way to deal with personal
conflict and offense. This teaching on the Sermon on the Mount shows us that we
cannot generate love and forgiveness, but to rely on the supernatural power of
Christ, that is the person of the Holy Spirit for help to carry out the
teachings of Christ. Rely on the Holy Spirit to enable you to do what does not
come natural.
The second illustration has to do with
legal matters (v. 40). Under God’s law, no one could take a person’s
cloak (Exodus 22:26-27). The cloak was a most valuable possession. In those
days they did not have clothing manufacturing companies as we do today.
Therefore, many people made clothes themselves. It was difficult and
time-consuming event. Consequently, cloaks were expensive, and most people owned
only one. A cloak could be used as a blanket, a sack to carry things in, a pad
to sit on, a pledge for a debt, and of course, clothing. In this case the
person was suing for the tunic, an inner garment worn next to the skin.
Today it could be the shirt that some of us wear. It could also be an athletic
T Shirt that we wear before we put on our shirt. Jesus says you are to let the
person take the shirt and the coat or jacket as well. Jesus once again focuses
on our attitude as His disciples. In effect He is telling us to hold our
possessions loosely. I told you a story about a man who was attacked by an armed
robber. The arm robber demanded, “Your wallet or your life.” The guy said, “I
am praying about it.”
The third illustration is forced
labor. As I shared with you in my introduction to the Sermon on the Mount,
I said that Israel was under the control of the Roman Empire. Therefore, there
were Roman soldiers placed in various parts of the Empire to curb rebellion and
to enforce Roman rule. The Roman soldiers could force the ordinary citizens to
carry their loads to a certain distance (one mile, thus a term for
thousand spaces). The Jews hated this law because it compelled them to show
their subjection to Rome. Yet Jesus said to take the load and willingly go not
one mile but two miles. Jesus calls for a serving attitude, which He Himself
demonstrated throughout His life. For He said, “The Son of Man came to serve
but not to be served” (Matt. 20:28). Jesus’ statement in this verse
probably shocked His hearers. Most of the Jews expecting a military Messiah,
would never have expected Jesus to issue a command of non-retaliation and
cooperation with a hated Roman Empire. By these teachings Jesus is revealing
that His disciples belong to a different kingdom. The disciples of Jesus need
not fight against the Romans as did the Zealots (one of Jesus’ disciples was
Simon the Zealot). The disciples of Christ are to work on behalf of God’s
kingdom. If this meant walking an extra mile carrying a Roman soldier’s load, then
that is what a disciple should do. The Christian life is a radically
transformed life. And until we live this radically transformed life, we cannot
attract others to Christ. There are several biblical examples of the spirit
which Jesus commends in this passage. First is Abraham who rushed to the rescue
of his nephew Lot, though Lot had proven to be greedy and covetous (Gen.
14:14ff.). Second is Joseph who forgave his brothers who had treated him with
cruelty (Gen. 37:18-28; Gen. 50:19-21); and third is David, who twice spared
the life of his pursuer King Saul. David could have killed Saul in each of
these two occasions but he spared his life (1 Sam. 24, and 26); and finally,
Stephen who interceded for those who stoned him to death (Acts 7:60).
The last illustration is about a
generous spirit. Jesus commands us to have a generous spirit. Because you
and I hold loosely to our personal rights and possessions, we can freely give
when the need arises and won’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow.
This does not mean that some Christians should become full time beggars, going
around begging fellow believers for money and other personal effects.
Christians are commanded to work with our hands so that we can give to those
who have legitimate needs. This calls for the spirit of discernment. While you
should not blindly give away your possession, the Book of Proverbs speaks about
this; see Proverbs 11:15; 17:18; 22:26). Jesus illustrates the heart attitude
that He expected of His followers. You must willingly put others’ needs before
yours and others rights before your own. Even in the Christian community people
most often give their junks to others. When Jesus says, “Give to him who asks
of you” He is not saying that give your leftovers or your junk.
As I conclude I would like you to
listen to this story:
Paul Harvey’s broadcast (11/22/95)
shared this insight.
The Butter Ball Turkey Company set up
a hot line to answer consumer questions about preparing holiday turkeys. One
woman called to inquire about cooking a turkey that had been in her freezer for
twenty-three years! The operator told her it might be safe if the freezer had
been kept below 0 degrees the entire time. But the operator warned the woman
that, even if it were safe, the flavor had probably deteriorated, and she
wouldn’t recommend eating it. The caller replied, “That’s what we thought.
We’ll just give it to the church.”
I would like to warn you before you
do, the church does not want your garbage. The church does not want your junk.
Don’t bring anything you will not use in your own house as a gift to the
church. In fact, if you are to give something to the church it must be the best
because the church is the bride of Christ. Give your best to the church and the
people of God. Have a generous spirit and reap the blessings of God in your
life.
*If the messages from this blog have been a blessing to you and you want to give to support this ministry, you can write your check to:
KENADARKWA LLC
Kennedy A. Adarkwa, PhD
6402 Redding Court
Arlington, TX 76001
*If the messages from this blog have been a blessing to you and you want to give to support this ministry, you can write your check to:
KENADARKWA LLC
Kennedy A. Adarkwa, PhD
6402 Redding Court
Arlington, TX 76001
