Matthew 5:38-42
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Would you stand with me, as we read scripture: Matthew 5:38-42
“You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you, don’t resist an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt, let him have your coat as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to the one who asks you, and don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.”
Would you pray with me? slide and pray Go ahead and have a seat.
There is an infamous scene in the book Les Miserable (also a fantastic musical) that reveals the heart of Christ. The protagonist, Jean Valjean was arrested for stealing bread for his family. Jean escapes, and finds himself in the home of a bishop who gives him food and a place to sleep.
Jean Valjean, desperate, wakes during the night and steals the priests silver before leaving. He is caught by a guard and brought back to the bishop, bound, before likely being punished, and taken back to prison.
But what the bishop does next is insane. He says that he not only gave Jean Valjean the silver ware, but was frustrated that Jean forgot the silver candlesticks as well! And they were worth a lot! The bishop demands Jean Valjean be released, for the silver was a gift.
This bishop, demonstrates this scripture well. Jean Valjean meant for evil. But the Bishop didn’t resist. but gave MORE than was taken, and in the book, changes Jean Valjeans life for the good.
It’s a beautiful picture of the radical love of God.
As I’ve studied for this week - a quote by Mark Twain feels really fitting: He said this:
“It ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.” Mark Twain
It’s easy to debate Scripture and discuss and speculate about the Nephilim, the millenium, if the gift of tongues is heavenly language or earthly language, arminianism versus calvinism - And we do! And for some - we do this without actually listening to the basic things Jesus said, taking him seriously, and obeying him.
It feels safer to talk about those sort of deeper things that don’t really affect our day to day times, or don’t hit our values as much.
But Jesus isn’t interested in playing around on the periphery of our lives, he came to make a whole new kind of humanity from the inside out. Our lives aren’t lived often in the edge cases - it’s in the day in day out, hum drum, family, neighbor, coworker places. These are the places where it’s hard to hide - because it’s our true lives.
This week and next week, as we start advent, are some of the hardest passages of scripture in our daily lives. And they have been the points of serious disagreement within the Church: NOT because they are hard to understand - no but because they’re easy to understand, we just don’t want to obey.
These sections will challenge us in our daily lives.
They will challenge us in our values. In many ways we will see in the next two weeks the values of the Kingdom of God and of Heaven square off against our cultures Values.
This week is on non-resistance. And next week is on enemy love. Lord have mercy on us as we hear your words. Give us the grace to hear, understand, and obey.
Two things to recall as we begin our study - that’s Principles rather than particulars, and this is piece of the broader sermon.
First, Principles rather than particulars. Jesus again is giving us examples of the kingdom life. “the kind of righteousness will look something like this.” The righteousness produces this kind of fruit - we don’t do these to get righteousness. And He isn’t laying down some new law - he came to fufill the law. He’s giving us a new way to be human. So we need to read these seriously but not legalistically.
And This section - verses 38-42, come after Jesus has talked about anger, about fantasy and lust, about divorce, and about living honestly. The sequence matters - this is the fifth example in a series of 6! After Christ has talked about not being ruled by anger, by lust, and has instructed us to be for reconciliation and faithfulness and to live honestly, now he says this:
“You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
This is a direct quote from the Mosaic law from a couple verses, Exodus 21:24, Leviticus 24:20, and Deuteronomy 19:21. And it was revolutionary for the ancient world. It served as a deterrent of crime, and from escalation.
Knowing that the law provides proper consequences for actions serves as a deterrent. If I steal this - I will have to pay renumeration, that can give pause to a potential bad action. So this served an important deterrent function.
But more revolutionary was that it restrained escalating retaliation.
Have you noticed that retaliation rarely is the same as the offense? This is particularly pronounced in kids, right? Like one child pushes their sibling. Then the one who was pushed pushes back MUCH harder. Then the first one gets up and throws a fist!
It’s crazy how quickly and easily violence escalates.
This is true on a larger scale too, if someone from one tribe killed one of another - the “human” reaction is to go and not just kill one, but to kill three! To make sure they know how serious they are! Well these blood feuds escalate and escalate are rarely end well.
So in the Mosaic law, God instructed an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. In practice this meant pay back was measured and in kind. If you killed a neighbor’s sheep, you gave them one of your sheep.
If someone stabbed your brother and he died, they would be put to death - one life for one life.
It was to be fair - and also protect the society from breaking down to feuds and senseless violence.
Now remember - the Mosaic law was not God’s ideal. This was bringing some amount of order to chaos, and to point to the coming time where God will make everything right.
Jesus is that fulfillment. Where the mosaic law said eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, Jesus said, Verse 39a
But I tell you, don’t resist an evildoer.
Notice what Jesus doesn’t say. Jesus doesn’t say: don’t retaliate against an evildoer. That would be radical in and of itself. Jesus goes even further - don’t even RESIST an evil doer.
What is Jesus talking about? They’re evil - I’m not supposed to resist them? He then proceeds to give four different examples. Here’s the rest of Matthew 5:39
But I tell you, don’t resist an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
Jesus’ first example is well known - the turn the other cheek verse, but it’s actually fairly deep here.
For someone to slap you on the right cheek - and it’s safe to assume the one who is striking is right handed - that would make this a back handed slap.
To slap someone back handed in this culture was not just about the physical pain or abuse - but was according to many scholars a sign of contempt and hatred. One scholar wrote that is many cultures view striking with a back handed slap was the greatest possible sign of contempt and abuse.
It was a serious offense, and one that even carried a significant fine.
Jesus doesn’t say to strike them back. Jesus doesn’t say to sue them in court. He says to turn the other cheek to him also. To accept the insult, and be ready to take another strike.
There is perhaps a comical side to this, with some scholars saying that this would be a funny idea to such an insult. And I think that’s right, to an extent. Jesus is demonstrating a form of grace that is almost laughable, it’s ludicrous to accept such insult.
And yet that’s exactly how Christ responds in his life. When Christ is arrested before his crucifixion, he remained quiet offering no resistance.
When they were in the garden, and Judas and the guards come to seize Christ, Peter draws a sword to retaliate and defend. JEsus would have none of it. Instead healing the guards ear, and going without resistance even to his death.
This is a supernatural and totally non-normal response. We EXPECT when we criticize someone for them to defend themselves, for that is how we are tempted to act too.
And yet - Jesus demonstrates such patient grace that on the Cross while being tortured, praying: Luke 23:34
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided his clothes and cast lots.
People are changed when they encounter this sort of mercy and grace. It’s otherworldly, and satan, the world, and the flesh hate it for it exposes our sinfulness and selfishness.
Christ’s second example in Matthew 5:40
As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt, let him have your coat as well.
In this example - JEsus is saying that even when an opponent is eager in court to take your shirt, that the follower of Christ should offer the coat as well.
One’s coat was never to be allowed to be taken under the old testament law, as it served as a blanket and protection - it was inhumane to remove that from someone.
Don’t just give them what they want to take - offer even more to them.
Jesus is demonstrating a radical kingdom attitude of our right’s and property. We shouldn’t be quick to defend ourselves, or our property. Even when the opponent is an evildoer and wrong.
He ups the ante again, verse 41
And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two.
If the previous examples were challenging to the listeners, this one may make them down right angry.
the greek word behind “forces you to go” is a specific term that was used for a Roman soldiers right of commandeering civilian labour in an occupied country.
Roman soldiers were permitted to take civilians and legally force them to help carry the gear for, here it says a mile, but it was often said to be 1000 paces.
The civilian was required to do so. By an occupying military force.
It’s no secret that there was deep hatred of the romans by the jewish people. They were being ruled by pagans! And the romans were not kind rulers. They were brutal, and their tax collectors extorted the population to a cruel degree.
Being forced to work for them was such an indignity. And here Jesus is saying that they should go above and beyond. Not just do the required work, but to offer to help a national enemy.
This isn’t just a personal enemy, like the previous too, right? this isn’t just a deep personal insult. This isn’t just a private insult. This is a national enemy. This is the hostile occupying force.
Think of how offensive this would be! No Jesus, we don’t want to help them - we want to kill them!
Jesus is encouraging us to see the romans as people, as humans as image bearers. Even the national enemies we should go above and beyond in non-resistance.
Verse 42:
Give to the one who asks you, and don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Especially in these days around the holidays, it feels like asks for money and help are everywhere. Jesus example here feels so impossible! Remember principle rather than particular. Jesus is saying - we should be so generous, and not all about personal property.
The needs of others should be much more important to me than my own convenience. Talk about a counter cultural idea. Our American culture is all about personal rights, property, and convenience is a high ideal.
I think of all the times where I hope that no one notices me so I don’t have to have a conversation in public - you ever do this? Where you just want to get in and out without distraction?
Am I really concerned about others and their needs? What do my actions reveal about my heart in this matter?
Jesus is saying that the ideal of the kingdom isn’t just fair retribution - but non-resistant non-violent love for others, even when they seek to do evil to me.
This is the kind of love and righteousness that Christ displayed, and this is the kind of life and righteousness that those who are redeemed will demonstrate.
Before we get to our So What, we have to ask about what the logical conclusions are to a passage like this. For Willard is correct - this passage, and these four examples Christ gives, more than any other cause people to either throw their hands up in despair, or sink deep into a pit of legalism - why? Because these are familiar situations.
We have all been insulted. We have all been attacked on some level. We all have been forced to do something we would rather not do. And we are asked by many for money and things.
Remember, we are not talking about doing things things in order to be a Christian - but, in the words of Dallas Willard: “we are looking at how people who stand i the flow of God’s life now.”
It’s easy to not have regard for a human when we don’t see them as a human, as a person. An eternal soul. Instead they are just a cog in the wheel. A frustrating cashier. A slow driver. An obnoxious beggar. A dumb relative. But they are a human - known by God. Knit together by God in their mothers womb. And our battle ISNT against flesh and blood - but the spiritual rulers and authorities, and against sin.
As you know, our church is sending a team to Jordan here in less than two months. It’s a predominantly muslim country, and is filled with countless refugees.
A year and a half ago I was able to join our denomination and visit Jordan with a few other pastors. One of the first days the Team leader over there, Jared Ostlie, took our group down to this huge street market in Amman. I mean there were tens of thousands of people teeming around the streets. IT was fun, a bit overwhelming, and pretty sweaty.
IT was EASY to feel like I needed to push through the crowds to get to where I wanted to go. These people were obstacles in my way. Beyond that, I was young when 911 happened, and more than I realized, Arab people were just scary to me! Like Muslim extremists, bad. Arab, bad. That was the condition of my heart - and there were 10,000 of “them.” at least that’s how it felt in my heart.
But Dave Manske, an incredible man of God, works at the District OFfice, and was a missionary in brazil for many years, said something that wrecked me. As we looked over this sea of phases he said: “Each of those faces is a person. A Person who has a whole story, whom God desperately loves, and who desperately needs Jesus.”
That wrecked me. These were bodies in my way - these were sheep without a shepherd. These were crowds being led astray by the enemy. These were human beings in desperate need of love and compassion.
When we as humans have people who are antagonizing us - or who are coming against us - it’s tempting to make them into an enemy - to blow their intentions out of proportion, to dislike them and dismiss them.
Christ is saying that i shall not be that way in his Kingdom. No this kingdom is lead by a king who laid down his life for those who were still rebelling against him - all because of his great love for us.
So shall it be for us!
The implications of this passage and next weeks have been controversial throughout the two millenia of Church history.
For Jesus seems to be proclaiming non-violent, non-resistance, even to evildoers.
This has lead many Christians throughout the years to embrace some from of non-violence or pacifism
In fact, for the first several hundred years of Christianity - it was all but the rule for Christians to embrace non-violence completely with only a small few exceptions to that thought.
It wasn’t until Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity that the thought began to change. But prior to that, the idea of Christians serving in the military was completely foreign.
For they saw passages like this - don’t resist the evil doer. and next week - love your enemy. How can one fulfill these ideas all while killing our state enemies?
After Constantine you had voices like Augustine writing and theologizing on the concept of Just-War. The thought is that there is a time and a place for violence, and for it even to be justified under certain circumstances.
But for many people, and I mean for us American Christians - I would argue we haven’t wrestled with this concept enough. We think of pacifism as weak. We love strength. We want power. We actually would love to be able to take revenge on others.
I know way too many people who have articulated a desire for someone to break into their home, for then they would finally be able to use their gun and shoot the intruder.
Friend, let me humbly say this: a desire to defend your family is one thing, and I’d argue good - but a desire to do harm to another, to get retribution and then some is of the flesh, not of the Spirit.
We live in an us vs them world.
But Christ tells us the way of his Kingdom is different. We are to view even those who wish to do us harm, as image bearers of God, and we are to bless them. We are to go above and beyond what is required. We are to give them mercy and grace.
So What?
So what does this mean practically?
Dallas Willard is keen in his unpacking of this section. He writes in his book “Divine Conspiracy” that within the human order, the presumption is that we will return evil for evil. Harm for harm. That we will only do what legal force mandates us to do. And that we will only give to those who have a prior claim to us.
But the presumption is inverted when we stand within the kingdom of God. The presumption now is that we will return GOOD for evil and “resist” only for compelling reasons. The Presumption now is that we will do more than we are required in order to help others, and that we shall now give to people simply because they asked and we are able to give.
Right? the letter of the law - which the pharisees were all about, was getting what was theres - you hurt me, I will hurt you every inch that I can.
Jesus, in the kingdom value, is showing something profound - ALL of us have gone astray, ALL of us deserve retribution from GOD for our sin. And for those of us who have been forgiven for our sins - we need to be the first to forgive, and love, even those who would do us evil.
It’s important to note that in this passage, Jesus is talking about personal situations - not state level situations. Each of us is to be non-resistant to an evil doer. That doesn’t mean we don’t stand for others. IT also mean we don’t work towards change.
But we are to be meek, to be humble, and to be willing to endure pain.
The State, the government, even corrupt governments are appointed by God and have different rights then we do. We have to remember Romans 13:1-4
Let everyone submit to the governing authorities, since there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God. So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. For it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For it is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong.
Paul is talking about the oppressive Roman authority - and even they are instituted by God. And it’s up to them to carry the sword. And implication to bring justice and even make war.
LEt’s keep that in mind - and can we, in prayer and submission to God, desire a world of Peace? The desire of violence within are hearts which has been at times an ideal of masculine Christianity and Americanism needs to be submitted to Christ.
We are to live like Christ. To live holy lives - knowing that people will hate us for it, try to take advantage of us - and to love them in it and through it.
Just like Jean Valjean - by us loving and not resisting, by going above and beyond - God can and has used these methods to transform many hearts.
So the principle being laid down here, lest we get legalistic - is returning good for evil. Willard gives a number of examples here -
If someone takes something valuable from us through courts, we will, as appropriate give the opponent something else as they need - and still be willing to help them even afterward.
If someone from the government forces us to do work - again we can “as appropriate” assist even more than required. We shouldn’t respond: “This is all you can make me do” and drop the burden at the feet of the representative.
If there are people in our lives who would like to borrow something as they have a need - we should not avoid them and their request - and we should, again where appropriate, give to those who have no claim on it - other then their need and request. Is this not how God treats us? we have no claim or rights to his love, and yet he responds to us when we call out in faith.
The key word that is often debated is what is appropriate and what does that mean? And to be fair - this is different for different people and at different times. BUT we out to live as Kids of God in this world and let his love guide us - not our bitterness.
But where appropriate. Willard expands further with more examples: IF you are a heart surgeon on your way to do an important transplant - and someone forces you to go one mile - go one mile, but you should not go the second, for there are other things that you MUST do.
If you are in debt to someone - we are not at liberty to give THAT money away to someone who asks of it - it’s not yours to give.
And if turning the other cheek would mean that you would be killed, or that others will be put to great harm - we need to think about this in greater context. It’s beyond just our own personal pain and humiliation. That doesn’t mean that we just start shooting others first. But we need to in the fear of the Lord ask what to do.
But the grounds should never - no- can never and will never be personal retaliation if we are in the kingdom of God. That sort of thinking “I just want to get even” kind of thinking - is not of the kingdom of God.”
Remember the point isn’t for us to go thorough these five verses asking: “did I do all the specific things in JEsus examples” but rather - “am I being the kind of person that Jesus’ illustrations describe?”
We will flesh this out even more next week.
But friend hear the word for the Lord - you have heard that is was said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, but Christ tells us, don’t resist an evil doer.
The Lord, looked down at the earth - and sent his own son to live, and endure, and suffer, and die, for us, while we were still sinning.
Therefore, when others sin against us, would we be quick to forgive.
When others come against us, would we prayerfully endure the suffering so we can demonstrate the great love of the father.
And would God, in his mercy, root out the evil in our heats, and our desire for violence and to do evil. Would we be people who are quick to forgive.
