Matthew 5:38-42
38“You have heard that it was said, ‘AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.’ 39“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. 40“If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. 41“Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42“Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.
This passage from the sermon on the mount is one that is most often misinterpreted and taken out of context.
It has been misconstrued to mean that Christians are to be “sanctimonious doormats”
It has been used to promote pacifism, conscientious objection to military service, lawlessness, and anarchy, all of which are simply not supported by this passage.
Jesus has already been careful to make it clear that he did not come to eliminate the law to even the slightest degree. The law of God includes respect for and obedience to human law and authority.
Now Jesus is first speaking against the unrighteous interpretation and practice of the Pharisees and scribes.
They had developed a tradition that had twisted God’s law to serve their own selfish purposes.
First let’s look at the law of God which the Pharisee’s were misusing.
Exodus 21:22-25
“If men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so that she has a miscarriage, yet there is no further injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman’s husband may demand of him, and he shall pay as the judges decide. 23“But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, 24eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.
Leviticus 24:19-20
‘If a man injures his neighbor, just as he has done, so it shall be done to him: 20fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; just as he has injured a man, so it shall be inflicted on him
Deuteronomy 19:15-21
A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed. 16“If a malicious witness rises up against a man to accuse him of wrongdoing, 17then both the men who have the dispute shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who will be in office in those days. 18“The judges shall investigate thoroughly, and if the witness is a false witness and he has accused his brother falsely, 19then you shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you. 20“The rest will hear and be afraid, and will never again do such an evil thing among you. 21“Thus you shall not show pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
Simply put, the OT required that punishment matched the crime.
The purpose first was to curtail crime.
Deuteronomy. 19:20 …then the rest will hear…
The second purpose of this law was to prevent excessive punishment based on personal vengeance or retaliation.
Punishment was to match but not exceed the harm done.
So this law was both just and merciful.
God’s intent for the law was to limit punishment. The Pharisees used it as a mandate for vengeance.
They viewed it as a license for revenge.
Jesus is speaking against personal resentment, spite and vengeance.
It’s the same truth that Paul was teaching in his letter to the Roman Christians.
Romans 12:17-21
Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. 18If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 19Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. 20“BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.” 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Jesus establishes the principle of not allowing personal resent or spite to build up in your heart.
Over reaction is a natural response of sinful human nature.
American society has always held high the principle of personal rights. Our Declaration of Independence states the value we place on “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
Now the “rights” claimed by people continues to expand. Movements develop for civil rights, women’s rights, children’s rights, prisoner’s rights, so on and so on.
There never has been a society more concerned about “rights” than ours is.
People want what they think they’ve got coming to them. They want what’s theirs to have.
In the process of protecting what is his own, a person is likely to wreak considerable havoc on anyone who tries to take what is his.
Retaliation becomes a natural extension of selfishness and self interest.
Inordinate concern for one’s own rights comes from inordinate self centered-ness and ultimately leads to lawlessness.
Hitler in Germany 1930’s was obsessed with regaining what Germany lost in the end of WW I – He felt like their rights had been taken from the treat of that was established at the end of the war.
When self interest dominates, justice is replaced by vengeance and retaliation.
James 4:1-2
What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel.
Then he gives 4 basic human rights to illustrate the principle of non-retaliation.
First the basic human right of dignity. Being treated with proper respect and dignity. Matthew 5:39
A slap on the right cheek was an act of utter disdain. You would be insulted to the maximum.
Jesus teaching says don’t retaliate.
It is his example.
When it came to defending God’s honor, or the rights of others, Jesus reacted and resisted rather forcefully. See John 2.
However, when he was insulted he did not retaliate.
1 Peter 2:20-25
For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. 21For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; 23and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 25For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
In Matthew 5:40 Jesus is not speaking of robbery.
Exodus 22:25-26
If you lend money to My people, to the poor among you, you are not to act as a creditor to him; you shall not charge him interest. 26“If you ever take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, you are to return it to him before the sun sets, 27for that is his only covering; it is his cloak for his body. What else shall he sleep in? And it shall come about that when he cries out to Me, I will hear him, for I am gracious.
Legally, they couldn’t demand the coat. But you could give it voluntarily. That is what Jesus is suggesting here.
Jesus is saying that we should be willing to offer even more in order to show our regret for any wrong and to show that we harbor no ill will against the one who sued us.
It was this principle that Paul was speaking to in his letter to the Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 6:1-8
1Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and not before the saints? 2Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts? 3Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? 4So if you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church? 5I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you one wise man who will be able to decide between his brethren, 6but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers?
7Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? 8On the contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud. You do this even to your brethren.
Better to forfeit what you are due than to become vengeful.
The right to liberty. Matthew 5:41
Roman law gave a soldier the right to force a civilian to carry his pack for a mile.
Jesus taught to do that and then do it again.
When deprived of a basic liberty, be willing to surrender even more of it rather than retaliate. When we do that we honor God and testify to His righteousness.
The right to property. Matthew 5:42
Possessiveness is another characteristic of human nature. We dislike being deprived of that which belongs to us.
The teaching here is in reference to a need. This is not saying that we should respond to every foolish, selfish request. Sometimes it is more of a disservice to give in response to selfish and foolish request. For example, a person with a drug or alcohol problem asking for money is not going to be helped in the long run by us if we give them what they ask.
Jesus is calling for a generosity that wants to meet the other person’s need. An attitude of going beyond mere tokenism that simply placates the conscience.
With these four examples and statements, Jesus calls for the people of the kingdom to be non-defensive, non-vengeful, not be the kind of people who fight for their rights.
To fight for one’s own rights is to prove that self is still on the throne of the heart.
George Mueller wrote, “There was a day when I died, utterly died to George Mueller and his opinions, his preferences, and his tastes and his will. I died to the world to its approval and its censure. I died to the approval or the blame of even my brethren and friends. And since then I have studied only to show myself approved unto God.”
The proper resisting of evil is not what Jesus is speaking of in Matthew 5:38-42
Jesus is rebutting the false righteousness behind the misinterpreting of the law by the Pharisees.
Scripture allows for the proper resistance of evil.
Example:
Governmental Authorithy Is Giving To Resist Evil
Romans 13:1-4
Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. 3For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; 4for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil
1 Peter 2:13-17
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. 15For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. 16Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. 17Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.
For the sake of God’s righteousness and for the sake of human justice, believers are obligated to uphold the law and to insist that others do as well.
When God is forsaken, His righteous standards are forsaken and His law is forsaken.
Jesus Stood Strongly Against Evil
John 2:14-16
And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. 15And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; 16and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.”
Christian’s Should Stand Against The Evil In Their Own Lives
James 4:7
Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Resist evil even when it occurs in the church
Matthew 18:15-17
“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16“But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. 17“If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
1 Corinthians 5:9-13
I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; 10I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. 11But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 13But those who are outside, God judges. REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES.
