Jesus’ Teaching on Retaliation Matt. 5:38-42

Introduction

The sermon on the mount teaches us to live more like Christ, Jesus started this section of the sermon with teaching on murder and how murder isn’t just a physical action, but is a heart action as well, then he taught that adultery isn’t just an physical action, but it is a heart action as well. Last week we looked at oaths and how we shouldn’t have to swear in the lord in order to keep our word, This week we are going to look at retaliation and how Christians should react no matter how we are treated.

Redirecting Retaliation to Grace vs. 38-39

Here Jesus begins by quoting several Old Testament scriptures

Exodus 21:24 “24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,”

Leviticus 24:20 “20 Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again.”

Deuteronomy 19:21 “21 And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”

Again notice that Jesus is going to debunk another set of teaching that the Rabbis and Scribes had used for their personal gain.

We must remember that the Mosaic law was both civil and moral law. Exodus 21-23 deal entirely with God’s provision for Israel’s civil law. The teachings of Leviticus 24 and Deuteronomy 19 do as well.

The punishment was sometimes carried out by the victim, but the trial and sentencing were always the responsibility of duly appointed judges or of a large, representative body of citizens.

Deuteronomy 19:18 “18 And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;”

An eye for an eye was a just law, because it matched punishment to offense. It also protected society by restraining wrong doing, but it was also merciful because it never allowed a punishment to be more harsh than the crime committed.

On the opposite side, when we allow our selfish sin nature to get involved we always are tempted to get more than just even.

In the Old Testament we have many examples that vengeance doesn’t belong to us, it belongs to God

In Deut 32:35, God tells us that vengeance and recompense belong to Him

There is no where in the Old Testament that allows an individual to take the law into their own hands and apply it personally.

In a sense the religious leaders of Jesus’ day had turned this passage into permission to become the judge, jury and executioner when they were wronged in any way.

One commentary writes this about the Scribes interpretation of the law “the scribes and Pharisees evidently extended this principle of just retribution from the law courts (where it belongs) to the realm of personal relationships (where it does not belong).”

Like they had done with other commandments they had turned God’s holy law into a permission slip to do what they wanted to do as they interpreted it to be written in the Law.

Just as they thought as long as they didn’t kill any one, they kept the 6th commandment and as long as they didn’t have sexual relations outside of marriage they hadn’t committed adultery, or as long as they didn’t make a vow in God’s name they didn’t have to keep it, they also taught that its okay to wrong someone if they have wronged you.

Jesus here isn’t teaching that we should not stand up for ourselves, but he is rebuking the Pharisees for their retaliation in personal relationships.

We should resist the devil

James 4:7 “7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

We should resist evil in the church

Peter compromised with the Judaizers

Galatians 2:11 “11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.”

When their is immorality in the congregation

1 Corinthians 5:13 “13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.”

Jesus tells us how to handle it in the church

Matthew 18:15–17 “15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.”

One commentator wrote it this way “As long as the natural human heart exists evil will have to be restrained by law. Our crime-wrecked society would do well to reexamine and reapply biblical law. When God is forsaken, his righteous standards are forsaken and His law is forsaken.”

What does Jesus mean by turn to him the other also.

Jesus was the greatest picture of this as He was hanging on the cross and cried out father forgive them for they know not what they do.

In 1 Pet. 2:20-23 we see Peter sum up the Lords example

1 Peter 2:20–23 “20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:”

Redirecting Material loss to Generosity vs. 40

Jesus when he is speaking of being sued, it would have been for legitimate reasons, not as a robbery.

Often if someone didn’t have the money or other possessions to pay for the crimes they had committed.

The coat mentioned here would be like the base layer of clothing they had, while the cloke would serve as more than just a coat, and was often used as their blanket at night and could not be required by the courts.

Here Jesus tells them if they get sued they shouldn’t just give up their coat, but their cloak as well, rather than not pay the debt that you owe.

As Christians we should go above and beyond what is required

Redirecting Obligation to blessing vs 41

In Jesus’ day the Roman soldiers could require a civilian to carry his pack for a mile.

This law designed to relieve the soldier, not only caused great inconvenience to the civilian but was made worse by the fact that they were carrying the equipment and weapons of their oppressors.

Jesus tells them to not just take that soldiers pack a mile, but twain or two miles.

One commentator said this “In doing this we are obedient to our Lord and testify to his righteousness, knowing that in him we have dearer freedom that the world cannot take from us.”

Redirecting Requests to compassion vs. 42

Here we find another radical idea of Jesus in this sermon, Give.

For this principle we must remember that nothing we have belongs to us we are stewards or caretakers of the things that God has blessed us with.

If a person has a need we should meet that need to the best of our ability. The implication is that a person has a genuine need. we are not required to respond to every selfish request made of us. I heard it said that sometimes to give a person what he wants but does not need is a disservice doing him more harm than good.

Here Jesus is also talking to the heart of our giving. We shouldn’t give out of obligation or give begrudgingly, because God loves a cheerful giver.

Conclusion

Jesus here isn’t telling us to live a life where we are a door mat to society, but rather live a life in total surrender to him, believing that he will take care of us!

It is impossible to live for self and for Christ at the same time.

George Mueller said this “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.”

We see examples to live by in Abraham, giving his best land to his nephew, or Joseph embracing his brothers who had so terribly wronged him, or even Stephen as he prayed for those stoning him to death. We must live a life dead to self and alive to Christ.