Dr. Bradford Reaves
Crossway Christian Fellowship
Hagerstown, MD
www.mycrossway.org
We have traveled through an incredible section of the Sermon on the Mount, immediately following the paradoxes of the Beatitudes, Jesus gets right to the heart of the issue behind what is wrong with this world and it is not Satan or the guy down the road. So really the Sermon on the Mount has first of all a negative intent, and that is to show people that they come short of God's standard. He tells his listeners that you don’t have to look any further than your own heart to see where the worst of sin emerges. Murder begins with anger, adultery begins with lust, divorce begins with hard-heartedness, and lies begin with oaths.
Our relationships are broken because the human heart - our hearts - are broken and we need the supernatural power of God’s redemption to change it. Just a quick glance at the headlines of our day reveals how far we’ve degraded. Murders, violence, political hit jobs, child abuse, child abductions, shooting, and school shootings are all on the rise. The mantra of our society is retribution, cancel culture, and more hate.
What Jesus says in our passage today is not only is evil evil, but how we respond to evil is just as important. We live in a world that demands justice, we want to stand up for our rights and give back to someone what is due to them. Even if we don’t physically retaliate, we can find ways to find retribution through holding grudges, retribution, and giving the cold shoulder. Truth be told we’re smug with those who we look down on. None of these things are compatible with the Christian life.
This brings us to the fifth statement Jesus uses to illustrate this:
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 “And if anyone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your garment also. 41 “And 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. (Matthew 5:38–42 LSB)
The term, “An eye and a tooth for a tooth” comes from the Old Testament writings of Exodus 21:24, Leviticus 24:20, and Deuteronomy 19:21. It was not about revenge, but to set guidelines for judges when deciding appropriate punishment or remuneration during court cases. “Eye for an eye” wasn’t a literal command, but a measure to maintain fairness. The punishment should never exceed the crime. The cure cannot be worse than the disease.
The problem came when people started using “eye for an eye” to enact their own justice. We might call that ‘street justice’ today. Rake them over the coals for everything they got. There is something that is satisfying about getting some justice for those who wrong us.
One summer evening in Broken Bow, Nebraska, a weary truck driver pulled his rig into an all-night truck stop. He was tired and hungry. The tough motorcyclist gang members decided to give him a hard time. They taunted him, as one grabbed the hamburger off his plate, another took a handful of his french fries, and the third picked up his coffee and began to drink it.
How did this trucker respond? How would you respond? Well, this trucker did not respond as one might expect. Instead, he calmly rose, picked up his check, put the check and his money on the register, and went out the door. The waitress followed him to put the money in the till and stood watching out the door as the big truck drove away into the night.
When she returned, one of the gang members said to her, “Well, he’s not much of a man, is he?”
She replied, “I don’t know about that, but he sure isn’t much of a truck driver. He just ran over three motorcycles on his way out of the parking lot.” (Credit: Jeffery Anselmi, Sermon Central)
Jesus never taught that we are to put ourselves, our rights, or our retribution first. In fact, look at verses 39 & 40:
“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 “And if anyone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your garment also. (Matthew 5:39–40 LSB)
Cease from anger and forsake wrath; Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing. 9 For evildoers will be cut off, But those who hope for Yahweh, they will inherit the land. (Psalm 37:8–9 LSB)
ho being reviled, was not reviling in return; while suffering, He was uttering no threats but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously. (1 Peter 2:23 LSB)
Justice for the Christian is never returning evil with retribution or more evil. We leave vengeance to God alone. Justice for the Christian is given through mercy and grace. Now in Jesus saying, resist not evil does that mean that we are to be permissive of evil? No, of course not. The Bible doesn’t tell us that we‘re supposed to be abused, walked over, and permissive of sin. People who take this approach miss the whole point.
Be subject therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7 LSB)
But resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished among your brethren who are in the world. (1 Peter 5:9 LSB)
But for those who are outside, God will judge. REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES. (1 Corinthians 5:13 LSB)
A prudent man sees evil and hides, But the simple pass on, and are punished. (Proverbs 22:3 LSB)
What Jesus is pointing out is not to be vengeful against people that have wronged you. Nowhere is Jesus saying that if someone is trying to kidnap your child you should just let them because you shouldn’t resist evil. The point of his teaching is to be a peacemaker, not a troublemaker. Forgiveness. If someone who has wronged you is thirsty, you give them a drink. If you see someone who is hungry, you give them food, regardless of who they are to you, friend or foe. Return hate with love.
Jesus uses a series of illustrations to demonstrate this point. First, if someone hits you on the right cheek, give them your left cheek.” (Verse 39).
The visualization here is being backhanded by someone. Some of us may respond by flattening their tires, knocking out their teeth, or whatever creative revenge we could find. The point that he’s saying is this: When you are demeaned and dishonored and your dignity is tread upon, don’t retaliate let God handle the wrong and you keep your poise. When someone treats you in a way that is wrong and you retaliate, you are going to do something that is going to discredit your relationship and ruin your testimony
There’s a second illustration Jesus uses.
“And if anyone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your garment also. (Matthew 5:40 LSB)
Now in Jesus’s day, a tunic was the undergarment. It’s like a shirt, only full-length. Instead of wearing a shirt and pants, men wore long undergarments that covered the ankles. The image Jesus is using here is someone being sued for the clothing on their back. They practically own nothing and so the court says if you don’t have the money to pay restitution, then you give the shirt on your back. Jesus said if that happens you give them your coat too.
Now to a Jew, this would be absolutely devastating. The cloak was a blanket-like outer garment that a man wore as a robe by day, and used as a blanket at night. Most Jews would have only one. Now it was actually the Jewish law that a man’s tunic might be taken as a pledge, but not his cloak. (Exodus 22:26, 27). The point is that by right a man’s cloak could not be taken permanently from him because this would leave him exposed in the cold.
This was not a call to be a doormat and let people sue you for your house, your car, and everything you own. Jesus is telling us that our relationships with each other are far more important than stuff. If someone takes you to court, don’t be bitter or retaliating. Show them your honor and not bitterness. Show them the love of Christ. That’s what Jesus means in verse 44 when he says love your enemies and bless those who curse you.
Thirdly, Jesus tells us to go the extra mile
“And whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. (Matthew 5:41 LSB)
In Jesus’ day, the Romans were despised, especially by the Jews. There was a practice among the Roman Army to commandeer civilians to carry their heavy military equipment. The law limited the distance a person could carry the equipment to the equivalent of a mile. So when Jesus tells his audience, don’t just carry a soldier’s pack one mile, carry it two, you can imagine how reviled they would feel.
The image here is not only would that be humbling, it would be hard. It would also be a means of testimony and being the salt and the light of the world. If your neighbor needs help, don’t just do the minimum, go and do above and beyond what is expected. Don’t be concerned with your liberty any more than you’re concerned with your security or your dignity. Let God give you that. You shine your light into the world and the only way to shine light on evil is with good.
The final illustration is Jesus tells us to be generous to those who are in need:
“Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. (??Matthew 5:42 LSB)
Simply put. When someone is in need and they ask you for help, you should help them. Be generous and give generously.
“If there is a needy one among you, one of your brothers, in any of your gates of the towns in your land which Yahweh your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor close your hand from your needy brother; (Deuteronomy 15:7 LSB)
Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows with blessing will also reap with blessing. 7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:6–7 LSB)
Hudson Taylor, dressed in a Chinese costume, while waiting for a boatman to take him across the river, stood on a jetty. Presently a richly dressed Chinaman came and also stood waiting. When the boat drew near this man not seeing that Mr. Taylor was a foreigner, struck him on the head and knocked him over into the mud. Mr. Taylor said the feeling came to him to hit the man, but God immediately stopped him. When the boat came up, the Chinaman looked at Mr. Taylor and recognized him as a foreigner. He could hardly believe it, and said, "What, you a foreigner, and did not strike me back when I struck you like that?" Mr. Taylor said "This boat is mine. Come in and I will take you where you want to go." On the way out, Mr. Taylor poured into that Chinaman’s ears the message of salvation. He left the man with tears running down his face. Such is the power of the Gospel of Christ. (Credit, Jeffery Anselmi, Sermon Central)
The point is, we have a powerful opportunity to be the salt and light of the world. In that, our response to evil should be dramatically different than that of the world. The world is inherently evil, so how it responds to wrongdoings is also evil. We serve the Creator of the Universe, who doesn’t retaliate against evil with evil. When it came to our own sin, he didn’t give us what we deserve, he gave us the only thing we need, forgiveness through His own son, Jesus Christ.
October 2nd, 2006 was a quiet and peaceful day in the rolling Amish farmlands of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. But that peace was shattered when the sound of gunfire was heard from inside an Amish school. When local police broke into the one-room Amish schoolhouse they found 10 Amish girls ages 6-13 had been shot by Charles Carl Roberts IV, who had then committed suicide.
The shooting took place at the West Nickel Mines Amish School, located about 12 miles southeast of Lancaster City. The school was a typical Amish one-room school with a school bell on the roof, two outhouses, a ball field, and an enclosed schoolyard. It was built in 1976.
Charlie Roberts was a milk truck driver who serviced the local community. Nine years earlier his wife Amy gave birth to their first child, a baby girl. However, the baby died after living only 20 minutes. He never forgave God for her death and eventually planned to get revenge.
On the morning of October 2nd Roberts said goodbye to two of his own children at the school bus stop, then drove to the West Nickel Mines Amish School. When he walked in the door, some of the children recognized him. When the young teacher saw his guns, she and her mother ran to a nearby house for help
Roberts had the 10 girls lie down facing the blackboard and he tied their hands and feet. Roberts told the girls he was sorry for what he was about to do, but "I’m angry at God and I need to punish some Christian girls to get even with him."
When the state police arrived, Roberts ordered them to leave the property or he would shoot. He told the girls, "I’m going to make you pay for my daughter." One of the girls, 13-year-old Marian, said, "Shoot me first." Roberts began shooting each of the girls before finally shooting himself. When the police broke into the school, two of the girls, including Marian, were dead. Naomi Rose died in the arms of a state trooper. Two more died at the hospital and 5 survived with serious injuries.
(Source: Michael McCartney, Sermon Central, Article from http://www.800padutch.com/amishshooting.shtml)
In the midst of their grief over this shocking loss, the Amish community didn’t cast blame, they didn’t point fingers, and they didn’t hold a press conference with attorneys at their sides. Instead, they reached out with grace and compassion toward the killer’s family. The afternoon of the shooting an Amish grandfather of one of the girls who was killed expressed forgiveness toward the killer, Charles Roberts. That same day Amish neighbors visited the Roberts family to comfort them in their sorrow and pain. Later that week the Roberts family was invited to the funeral of one of the Amish girls who had been killed. And Amish mourners outnumbered the non-Amish at Charles Roberts’ funeral.
Video: “Mother of Amish School Shooter Granted Unexpected Forgiveness” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uptsIngNxCY
Never paying back evil for evil to anyone, respecting what is good in the sight of all men, 18 if possible, so far as it depends on you, being at peace with all men, 19 never taking your own revenge, beloved—instead 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.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:17–21 LSB)
The Cross of Christ is the ultimate illustration of God overcoming evil with good. At any time he could have made us pay for the evil in our hearts and all the wrongs we have done. Instead, Jesus turned the other cheek and prayed "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34). He walked the extra mile for our salvation. He paid the debt we could not pay. He showed us grace when we deserved judgment. Will you come to him today?
