40-35 Retaliation and a Better Way
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Matthew 5:38-42
Matthew 5:38-42
Aesop (died in 6th C BC) spent much of his early life as a slave before earning his freedom with cleverness. Aesop’s fables—cherished tales of moral instruction, have passed down thru the ages and you know many of them. One such fable concerns the Farmer and the Fox—it is a cautionary tale about the unforeseen consequences of taking revenge.
Once upon a time, there was a Farmer who owned beautiful vineyards and lush orchards. But he had a problem. Foxes would sneak in and destroy his precious fruits, causing much trouble to him.
One day, the Farmer finally managed to catch one of these tricky Foxes in a trap. He was so furious at the Fox for all the damage it had caused that he decided to teach it a lesson it would never forget.
He tied a piece of rope soaked in oil to the Fox's tail. Then he set the rope on fire and let the Fox run free. The Fox, terrified and in great pain, dashed off as fast as it could.
The terrified Fox raced through a large field. This field was filled with the Farmer's corn, standing tall and golden, ready for harvest. But as the Fox ran, sparks from his flaming tail flew off and landed among the corn stalks.
The dry corn quickly caught fire from the sparks. Before long, a strong wind blew, and the fire spread quickly throughout the entire field. The flames consumed all the corn, leaving the field in ashes.
When the Farmer saw his field destroyed, he was filled with regret. He realized that in his anger, he had caused more harm to himself than the Fox ever did.
Coming back to the SM—Jesus has been illustrating the impossibility of attaining to the standard of God’s perfect righteousness that He requires of every person. To enter the kingdom of heaven (vs 20) one’s righteousness needed to surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees (which was a tall order in the minds of every Jew in Jesus’ day). Even the scribes and Pharisees had fallen woefully short of God’s righteousness since God’s law not only reveals what transgression, but also discloses the condition of every heart—that it is fallen, corrupted by sin—rendering every person guilty before the most holy God.
The 5th illustration Jesus gives concerns the proper response when you have been wronged. Jesus is teaching how we should treat those who mistreat us. And the position of our Lord is far from what the flesh wants—which is to turn against each other in order to “get even.” That’s revenge/retaliation (lit “to pay back in kind”). It is the teaching of God’s Word that fighting back out of revenge is never to be part of the Xn’s character:
19 Never 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.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Paul says never… leave room (lit “give place tot he wrath”). One of the benefits of God’s wrath—Here is how Arthur Pink defines God’s wrath:
“The wrath of God is His eternal detestation of all unrighteousness. It is the displeasure and indignation of Divine equity against evil. It is the holiness of God stirred into activity against sin. It is the moving cause of that just sentence which He passes upon evil-doers. God is angry against sin because it is a rebelling against His authority, a wrong done to His inviolable sovereignty.”
The benefit of God’s wrath (b/c it is one of His divine perfections (like holiness, mercy, justice, faithfulness, power)—you never have to take matters into your own hand (to get even). God takes care of it.
35 ‘Vengeance is Mine, and retribution, In due time their foot will slip; For the day of their calamity is near, And the impending things are hastening upon them.’
There is no sin in the history of the world that will go unpunished.
6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience,
Justice might be met in your lifetime or it might wait for eternal/final judgment—but God will repay—so you don’t have to. That’s the biblical perspective on revenge.
1. The Instruction
1. The Instruction
Thruout the SM, Jesus makes His support for OT very clear (5:17-19). In the previous illustrations, the scribes and Pharisees continued to show their contempt for God’s law by focusing only on the outward acts. They said “as long as you don’t commit the deed, you’re not guilty.” However, Jesus shows the actual intent of God’s law reveals just how guilty each of us are—b/c these are heart issues. The scribes and Pharisees had terribly twisted God’s holy law to serve their selfish purposes and as Jesus indicates in these vv today—the instruction of these religious leaders kept centering on their personal rights and retaliation.
Once again, Jesus is not opposed to what OT taught: “you have heard…” (what scribes and pharisees taught). “eye for an eye…”
Remember—OT Law has 3 components: Moral (summarized 10 commandments Ex 20), ceremonial (dealt with temple, priests, sacrifices) civil (basically looked at how the 10 commandments were applied within society Ex 21-23). Jesus partially quotes from the Law:
22 “If men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so that she gives birth prematurely, yet there is no 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, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.
This principle was repeated
19 ‘If a man injures his neighbor, just as he has done, so it shall be done to him: 20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; just as he has injured a man, so it shall be inflicted on him.
This principle stated in OT represents the oldest law in the world—the law of retaliation (Lex Talionis). The earliest reference has been found in the Code of Hammurabi which dates to the 2nd millennium BC and the time of the patriarchs in the society of Old Babylon. This law has often been characterized as a savage, blood-thirsty law but it is actually a merciful legislation because it limits vengeance.
The Lex Talionis is foundational to all justice and a cornerstone of our own legal system today. It is crucial to understand to whom the OT instruction was given. Without this, we would surmise that payment back in kind is left up to each individual. This is not God’s design.
Dt 19:15-21 (Ex 20:21)
This instruction is given to judges of Israel who are set up by God to settle matters of disputes b/t individuals. Only courts were permitted to implement Lex Talionis.
So what is the purpose of this law?
Lays the foundation for understanding justice. Justice or righteousness (we’re talking about the same thing) pertains to what is right…morally, ethically, socially. B/c of the sin nature, humans are incapable of determining the standard of conformity—which is why God has revealed His truth to specify what is just, right. In this way God begins to define justice.
Specifies the punishment a wrongdoer deserves. Our understanding of justice is often warped. This is represented in the saying “It isn’t fair.” By defining what is just, the standard of punishment is set in the exact equivalent.
Limits compensation of a victim to exact equivalent. Jews recognized that maintain the literal approach could be unjust. For example, to remove a good eye when a bad eye was damaged would not be equivalent. A bad tooth for a good tooth would be injustice. The Mishnah devotes an entire section to assessing proper damages (Baba Qamma). By Jesus’ day, monetary damages had mostly replace the exact retribution: Barclay explains:
The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1 The Ancient Law (Matthew 5:38–42)
If a man has injured another, he is liable on five counts—for injury, for pain, for healing, for loss of time and for indignity suffered. In regard to injury, the injured man is looked on as a slave to be sold in the market place. His value before and after the injury was assessed, and the man responsible for the injury had to pay the difference. He was responsible for the loss in value of the man injured. In regard to pain, it was estimated how much money a man would accept to be willing to undergo the pain of the injury inflicted, and the man responsible for the injury had to pay that sum. In regard to healing, the injurer had to pay all the expenses of the necessary medical attention, until a complete cure had been effected. In regard to loss of time, the injurer had to pay compensation for the wages lost while the injured man was unable to work, and he had also to pay compensation if the injured man had held a well-paid position and was now, in consequence of the injury, fit for less well-rewarded work. In regard to indignity, the injurer had to pay damages for the humiliation and indignity which the injury had inflicted. In actual practice, the type of compensation which the lex talionis laid down is strangely modern.
Lex Talionis was given to restrain revenge. It is never given in Scripture that we are permitted to take the law into our own hands and apply it personally.
29 Do not say, “Thus I shall do to him as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.”
But this is exactly what the scribes and Pharisees were doing. The took the principle away from the courts and extended “eye for an eye” to their personal relationships which was strictly forbidden.
18 ‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.
2. The Correction
2. The Correction
Of course, that principle, Jesus says is the 2nd greatest commandment and the responsibility of each one of us to our neighbor (don’t bother asking who is your neighbor—that question will backfire). Contrary to our sin nature—at its core is selfish, self-centered, self-focused, self-promoting, self-caring…God’s Word exhorts the believer to selflessness. The correction Jesus gives shows how our relationship with others is to be based on love rather than justice. Our duty to others is not one of retaliation—but a better way (God’s way) thru the acceptance of injustice without revenge.
“Do not resist…”
Let me say there are some who take this verse and believe that Jesus is teaching absolute nonresistance under any circumstance. John Stott explains how Leo Tolstoy (Russian novelist) in his book What I Believe came to understand. While reading the SM he was going thru an intense time of soul-searching and reading the words of Jesus he came to a life-changing moment believing Jesus words were to be taken exactly as He commanded “do not resist an evil person.” It was Tolstoy’s position from that moment that a Xn should never be involved in the army, police force, courts of law. He believed this was absolute and unconditional. This is not my position. I don’t believe Jesus is addressing as some are convinced the issue of Xn pacifism.
Jesus is explaining the principle of non-retaliation in our personal relationships. The word “resist” lit means to stand opposed, or to be set against. This term is used in a variety of ways (doesn’t always have to do with physical response to violence):
Do not resist God
His will Romans 9:19 “19 You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?””
His Truth
8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith.
Alexander the coppersmith
15 Be on guard against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our teaching.
His Authority
2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.
Resist the Evil One
8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.
Resist evil in the church
This could be in the form of false teaching, or false living (living in unrepentant sin)
13 But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.
20 Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning.
What Jesus prohibits is personal resentment, spite and taking vengeance into our hands. He is referring to harm done to us personally by someone who is evil. MacArthur wrote
Matthew, vols. 1-4:The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: The Perspective of Divine Truth
For the sake of God’s righteousness, as well as for the sake of human justice, believers are obligated not only to uphold the law themselves but to insist that others do so as well. To report crime is an act of compassion, righteousness, and godly obedience as well as an act of civil responsibility. To belittle, excuse, or hide the wrongdoing of others is not an act of love but an act of wickedness, because it undermines civil justice and divine righteousness.
Jesus is not addressing the role of the government in punishing evil/evildoer. Rom 13 makes it clear that God has established authority over us for our good and this includes, police and courts. This is directed to us personally and involves our personal relationships—knowing those relationships are varied and complex—it leaves with practical questions about self defense, our attitude toward injustices around us and within the world and our attitude toward personal property.
First, there is a difference b/t action and reaction. Action is premeditated, thoughtful, planned out. Reaction is spontaneous.
How can a Xn approach the subject of self-defense? I’m reminded of “the crazy saint” that Luther refers to who took the words of Jesus to the extreme. He said he “let the lice nibble at him and refused to kill any of them on account of this text, maintaining that he had to suffer and could not resist evil’!
I believe the Scripture allows for the use of force in self-defense, especially when faced with imminent threats of violence but such actions should be measured and proportionate to the threat, avoiding unnecessary aggression or violence.
36 And He said to them, “But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one.
it is reasonable to be prepared for potential threats. However, Jesus later rebuked of Peter for using a sword to defend Him suggests that the use of force should be limited and not used to advance personal agendas or in situations where it would contradict the will of God.
2 “If the thief is caught while breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there will be no bloodguiltiness on his account. 3 “But if the sun has risen on him, there will be bloodguiltiness on his account. He shall surely make restitution; if he owns nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.
This passage states that killing a thief breaking in at night is not considered murder, implying the right to defend one's home when the threat is unclear. However, killing a thief during daylight, when the threat can be assessed, may incur guilt, suggesting that the level of force should be proportionate to the situation and potential danger.
8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Providing security against the threat of evil would certainly fall under what Paul is teaching.
I also have to keep in mind that my attitude toward injustices that I see around me in this fallen world should be met with the same measured and proportionate response as we stand for righteousness and truth. At the same time, we come back to the call of Christ to the Xn to love our enemies (5:44), seek to be at peace Rom 12:18 and as I read earlier, to never take our own revenge but give a place for the wrath of God.
I don’t think Jesus would approve of us taking extreme measures to secure our personal property—certainly not that of taking a life to protect it—since our property really belongs to the Lord and entrusted to us for the purposes of serving Him with it.
It is very easy to get into the weeds of these issues, but coming back to the correction of the Lord—don’t take matters of law, matters of justice into your own hands. Do not resist the one who is evil.
3. The Application
3. The Application
Like the master teacher He is, Jesus illustrates this lesson in 4 culturally specific areas that apply to followers of Christ in several ways today.
Responding To Insult
Responding To Insult
“if someone” 39b What Jesus is describing is not a physical attack but a calculated insult. To slap you on your right cheek would require him to slap you with the back of his hand. According to Rabbinic law to hit with the back of the hand was twice the insult as hitting him with the palm of the hand. It meant total disdain for the person—essentially attack the very dignity of the person. For you, this would be the insult that comes b/c of your faith in LJC—in essence to call you a heretic b/c you believe in Jesus. The Jew could seek damages according to the Lex Talionis but Jesus says—don’t do it. Today’s insult comes in multifaceted forms: intolerant, bigots, homophobes, etc… These insults don’t warrant a self-defense but simply prove your devotion to Christ in the way you bear the hatred of the world.
20 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. 21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;
Responding To Legal Attacks
Responding To Legal Attacks
vs 40
This is surely one circumstance (or one like it) that we might find ourselves in at one time or another. You could literally sue the shirt off someone. But no one had the right to take your cloak as a permanent possession.
The tunic was the basic shirt in Bible times and everyone (even the poor) had a change of tunics. This was the undergarment that would be worn under a cloak (coat) that would serve as a robe by day and a blanket at night. The Jew only had one of these. Jewish law was clear…you can take a man’s tunic as a pledge but not his cloak.
26 “If you ever take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, you are to return it to him before the sun sets, 27 for 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.
The radical teaching is that Xns don’t demand their rights, they don’t dispute about legal rights…might even not consider themselves to have any rights at all. This is hard teaching to the American way of life where rights are always being asserted. Our inalienable rights (bound by the constitution). Our first thought should never be our rights but our duties, not of our privileges but our responsibilities toward others.
Responding To Forced Labor
Responding To Forced Labor
In Jesus day, Israel was occupied by Roman Empire.
The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1 The End of Resentment and of Retaliation (Matthew 5:38–42 Contd)
The word used for to compel is the verb aggareuein, and aggareuein is a word with a history. It comes from the noun aggareus, which is a Persian word meaning a courier. The Persians had an amazing postal system. Each road was divided into stages lasting one day. At each stage there was food for the courier, and water and fodder for the horses, and fresh horses for the road. But, if by any chance there was anything lacking, any private person could be pressed, that is, compelled into giving food, lodging, horses and assistance, and even into carrying the message himself for a stage. The word for such compulsion was aggareuein.
The word would come to mean the use of force to compel service to the occupying power. Jews knew this all too well. Legally, you could be compelled to assist the Roman military like when Simon of Cyrene was called upon to carry the cross for Jesus (Mk 15:21). Sinclair Ferguson says “The Jews hated the practice because it publicly illustrated the humiliation of being a subjugated people. We can easily imagine how open to abuse it was.”
The phrase one mile (go the extra mile) is lit 1000 paces. That’s what a Roman soldier could force you to go—carrying his pack or weaponry or whatever for 1000 paces. Jesus says, when you reach the limits of Roman law—keep going. Don’t stop but carry the load another 1000 paces. You’re doing it then, not under compulsion but in service to the King of heaven. As someone stated it…obligation dictates the 1st mile, compassion dictates the 2nd mile. Amazing gospel ministry opportunities exist under those conditions when you give up that liberty and go the extra mile.
Responding To Borrowing
Responding To Borrowing
42
Jesus us calling us here to deep generosity. OT affirms that God’s people have responsibility to the poor:
25 “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.
7 “If there is a poor man with you, one of your brothers, in any of your towns in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand from your poor brother; 8 but you shall freely open your hand to him, and shall generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks. 9 “Beware that there is no base thought in your heart, saying, ‘The seventh year, the year of remission, is near,’ and your eye is hostile toward your poor brother, and you give him nothing; then he may cry to the Lord against you, and it will be a sin in you. 10 “You shall generously give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all your undertakings. 11 “For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land.’
27 He who gives to the poor will never want, But he who shuts his eyes will have many curses.
17 One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord, And He will repay him for his good deed.
Having a biblical view of your personal possessions will lend itself to the deep generosity that Jesus is commanding. “Give to him who asks…do not turn away.” Now, does this mean that we should give to every freeloader and panhandler that comes our way? I don’t think this is the Lord’s instruction but He is speaking about those who would try to hurt us by borrowing from us. This is how Luke presents this in a parallel passage to the SM in Mt:
35 “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.
Jesus is referring to those who are persecuting us—that we should be generous as it opens the door for us to live as Xns before our persecutors and gives opportunity for the sharing of the grace of God with them. Generous giving should be coupled with discernment and we shouldn’t be stingy with the things God has entrusted to us.
Jesus changes lives—and it should no longer be in our hearts to get even. There is a better way than retaliation.
Sermon on the Mount—The Message of the Kingdom Responding to Borrowing (v. 42)
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, who was for thirty years the great pastor of Westminster Chapel in London, preceded that ministry with eleven years in a place called Sandfields in Wales. His wife Bethan tells the story of the remarkable conversion of a man named Mark McCann. McCann was the meanest man in town, and he loved to fight. Although he was sixty years old, he was not known to have ever lost a scuffle. When he would go to a fair, he would always take two friends with him because when he got into a fight he would go so out of his mind that he would kill the other person if his friends did not restrain him. One time his wife fixed his dinner, and the dog got into it while McCann was washing his hands. He took a bread knife, took the dog into the kitchen, and cut his head off. Then that man met Jesus. He was barely literate, and as Bethan Lloyd-Jones tells the story, when he first saw the name of Jesus in Welsh in the Bible, he wept and kissed the name. He was completely changed from a vengeful, hateful, “these-are-my-rights,” Lex Talionis, law-of-the-jungle sort of man to a man who was loving and kind.
