A Greater Righteousness (6)
The Kingdom of GOD • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 1:00:20
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· 16 viewsIn this series, we are looking at what it means to be citizens in the Kingdom of GOD. We take a look at how we should live and how we partner with the FATHER in HIS reign. This week we dig into the fifth case study in the Sermon on the Mount as we discover GOD's Wisdom beneath the command, "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth."
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Announce text: Matthew 5:38-42
Key Text: Matthew 5:38-42
Review
play BP video covering last week’s message
We
Comeuppance
Punishment or fate that someone deserves
Injustice in …
World
Society
Church
Personal
Ask for examples
Relationships
It always comes back to this, doesn’t it?
Friends
Husbands - wife says something
Wives
Parents
Kids
Siblings
Sense of justice
Problem we have—we’re really bad at administering justice
hearts are deceitful … desperately wicked … who can know it?
our perspective could be wrong—not always right in our thinking
So the scales we use aren’t GOD’s, there our own
GOD doesn’t seek justice the way we do
The reality is our scales are often really the scales of vengeance
I’ve been hurt
I’m going to make them pay
Not necessarily about what’s fair … it’s retaliation
“Do not repay evil for evil”
“‘Vengeance is mine’, says the LORD”
What do GOD’s scales of justice look like?
We’re going to see they are about sacrificial love
costly
short-term pain & gain
long-term results
peacemakers
forgiveness
overcome evil with good
Announce text again: Matthew 5:38-42
Scripture Reading
Scripture Reading
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.
Prayer for added blessing to the reading of the Word
Message
Message
Feeling Cheeky: Creative Paths to Relationships & Reconciliation
Feeling Cheeky: Creative Paths to Relationships & Reconciliation
The title of the message this morning is Feeling Cheeky: Creative Paths to Relationships & Reconciliation. That’s a bit of a mouthful, but I like it, so … BTW, haven’t we had some fun names in this SOTM series? Stay Salty, Get Lit, Feeling Cheeky … I love it! They’ve definitely been inspired—whether by HOLY SPIRIT or not, IDK, but they just pop in my head, I laugh, and I think, “Yah, let’s use that.”
Big Idea: Loving in the face of offense reveals the transformative power of grace, inviting us to overcome evil with good and embrace a lifestyle of reconciliation.
I worry sometimes about repeating some of these things so much, and honestly, I sometimes get tired of saying them, but I do think it’s good for us. Sometimes, we need repetition for things to sink from our head to our heart.
Righteousness in the Bible describes a world where individuals treat one another with dignity and respect, diligently resolving conflicts by doing right by each other. To discern this way of living, JESUS, in line with Israelite teachers, pointed to the ancient Scriptures—the Torah and Prophets, the Hebrew Bible—as the source of GOD's Wisdom. Meditating on the laws given to ancient Israel uncovers divine principles for relational harmony.
These timeless laws remain relevant today, to guide us, who are believers, in righteous conduct. In the Sermon on the Mount, JESUS exemplifies this by citing a Torah command and unveiling the deeper wisdom it embodies.
This morning, we are going to be looking at the fifth case study in which JESUS again quotes from the Torah words that will be very familiar to us, but it might have a little different meaning than what we think.
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’
There’s our phrase signaling we’re about to hear the part of the Torah HE wants to dig into ...
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’
Probably everyone here has heard that phrase before. If you’re like me, when I was growing up, I always thought it was a form of restitution with a dose of negativity mixed in. It sounds like, “You did this to me, so I get to (or I’m going to) do this to you.” In fact, this phrase is known as the law of retaliation, or in the Latin, Lex Talionis. Law of retaliation is probably a bad name because it sounds like legalized blessing on retaliation. We’ll look more on that in a moment, but for now, let’s begin by looking at the source or sources of the law.
Similar to last week, the phrase, “an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth” is found in three different Torah passages. Let’s take a look at these now from the TLV.
23 But if any harm follows, then you are to penalize life for life,
24 eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
25 burn for burn, wound for wound, blow for blow.
19 If anyone injures his neighbor, as he has done, the same is to be done to him:
20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. Just as he has injured someone, so it shall it be done to him.
21 Your eye must not show pity—life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
Now, as we read this, you might be thinking as I did in my younger years—this law of retaliation sounds brutal and vengeful, like it provides a license that allows me to hurt someone back for the hurt and pain they caused me. However, it’s more about limiting the harm that can be done than it is about a license to harm. It’s the old saying, “the punishment must fit the crime”. So, we find in these passages lists of equivalent harms—life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, fracture for fracture, etc.—serving as shorthand for fair restitution.
Now, was this law meant to be interpreted literally? Imagine a world in which this was the case ...
PJ’s Tree Service & Microburst of Dec 25 (now, I know next time)
That doesn’t make sense, right?
What’s interesting is this law actually predates the Torah, appearing in ancient Near Eastern codes like the Code of Hammurabi from second-millennium BC Babylon. In practice, it typically involved monetary compensation rather than literal physical retaliation, assigning value to injuries to restore balance without further harm.
The original purpose in the ancient world was to curb excessive revenge and prevent the escalation of violence. It established a ceiling on retaliation, ensuring that recompense matched the harm inflicted without spiraling into overcompensation (one eye becomes two) or generational feuds.
The intent was to address human shortcomings in administering justice fairly, as people often overcompensate or seek punishment beyond equity. It distinguished justice from vengeance, where the latter implies retaliation plus extra harm, leading to cycles of violence.
There is still a problem with this law, and it’s found in what we have already talked about the law as a whole. While it defines ways to live holy lives, it can’t produce holiness in us. So, while this law defines how to implement a solution to curb the escalation of harmful retaliation, it cannot create peace between the two parties. With what we have been learning from JESUS’ teaching in the SOTM to this point ...
quick review of where we’ve been
beatitudes
1st triad - a look at the unexpected places or states of being that JESUS identified as a state of blessedness
2nd triad - revealed who JESUS identified as the type of people GOD is forming - those who live in the KINGdom
3rd triad - looked at the cost of and reward for those citizens living in the KINGdom of GOD
images of what those citizens look like in the world
when live as citizens in the KOG, we should stand out
we become salt & light
now, we’re in sort of the application part of the message
case studies on how to be salt & light
… is HIS aim is peacemaking—charging into areas of conflict to make peace through sacrificial love. So, HE continues HIS revelation of GOD’s Wisdom underlying this law in the next verse.
39 “But I say to you, do not resist an evil person ...
Are we not to retaliate at all? That does seem to be what JESUS has in mind. I mean, HE wants us to become people who value and desire sacrificial love and peace more than we desire getting even—right? But if no one is ever held accountable for their evil actions, won’t harm continue to flourish? Won’t hope fade and be extinguished if nothing is ever done?
Are we to do nothing? It doesn’t seem right—just, fair—to do nothing.
Well, just as you might have viewed the original law differently before now, JESUS’ response here might surprise you, also.
JESUS is using a pun here—a play on words. So, from our command back in v.38, the Greek word for the word for is the word anti, and it has many meanings, but in this context it means, the thing that matches—eye matches eye. It means matching, same in kind. The Greek word JESUS uses for resist is a compound Greek word, the word antistēnai - anti & histémi, which means to stand. In this context, anti means against or opposite - like standing in front of a wall, my face toward the wall. So, antistēnai means to stand against something—to oppose, prevent from going forward. So, in this sense, it seems that JESUS is saying if someone is doing something negatively toward you, don’t stand against it.
39 But I tell you, don’t stand up against an evil person.
However, HE then gives three examples that are don’t line up with that meaning. Each example is a form of resistance. So, what many scholars believe—and the position I am presenting here this morning—is this is a pun, meaning this: the word anti is really being used in this sense—don’t stand against someone in a way that matches what they’ve done to you. Still take a stand—still respond, still do something—but not in the same posture; and that right there is the part we fail at so many times.
Paul later helps clarify this when he uses the same word anti, but changes the verb.
15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.
So, he quotes the words of JESUS but changes the word from resist to repay showing JESUS didn’t mean resistance in general. Rather, he meant not to stand against someone in the same way. Later, in Romans 12, Paul uses the word anti again.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men.
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.
We aren’t meant to be a proverbial doormat and allow the harmful, hurtful actions of others continue. When we look more closely at what follows, we find JESUS isn’t telling us to do nothing. Rather, HE provides three different examples in which HE advocates for creative, nonviolent responses that open the door for reconciliation and peace. So, what does that look like? First, let’s look at the latter part of v.39:
39 “... but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
All right, now, we need to look at the Greek again here to gain a richer, fuller, a more well-rounded understanding of what JESUS is saying here. Because we were addressing scenarios families can sometimes face, we need to address this now. When we look at the Greek word for cheek, siagōn (pr. see-ah-goan), we find this is for a part of the face or the jawbone. So, this is not the gluteos maximus, all right? (I told you there would be more Latin.) Husbands, this is not a running commentary on marital relations of the “sneak attack” variety in the home with intention of being in full view of your children to get a rise out of everyone. I know, everyone loves it—except your wife. BTW, grandkids really find it funny, too!
In the Greco‑Roman culture, delivering a slap to the right cheek with the back of the hand was a public gesture of domination and humiliation. Our natural reaction to such disgrace is to retaliate, yet Jesus teaches that revenge does not resolve the issue. Instead, He urges a person to remain firm and present the left cheek as well. By doing so, the aggressor would have to strike with an open palm, a motion that signifies an equal blow. Thus, “turning the other cheek” becomes both a modest and confident challenge, inviting the offender to treat the other party as an equal fellow human being.
This approach aligns with nonviolent resistance, as seen in the Civil Rights Movement, where marchers like those in Selma 1965 faced fire hoses and dogs without fleeing or fighting, advancing slowly to highlight injustice. Participants signed a pledge with "ten commandments" of nonviolence, emphasizing justice, reconciliation, love, and sacrificing personal wishes for collective freedom—retraining instincts to respond counterintuitively.
40 “If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also.
This second example in JESUS' teaching—"if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also"—explores similar dynamics of nonviolent resistance from a different perspective. In first-century context, standard attire consisted of two essential garments: an inner tunic (shirt worn next to the skin) and an outer cloak (coat, made of thicker wool for warmth and protection against elements). Most people, especially the poor or day laborers, owned only one set, making these items valuable and necessary for survival, particularly in Galilee's cooler nights.
This scenario assumes a legal suit, drawing on the Torah laws designed to protect the vulnerable from exploitation.
24 “If you lend money to any of My people, to the poor among you, you are not to act like a debt collector with him, and you are not to charge him interest.
25 If you ever take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, you are to return it to him before the sun goes down,
26 for that is his only covering, his cloak for his skin. What will he sleep in? When he cries out to Me I will hear, because I am gracious.
10 “When you make any kind of loan to your neighbor, you are not to go into his house to get his pledge.
11 You are to stand outside, and the man to whom you are making the loan is to bring the pledge outside to you.
12 If he is a poor man, you are not to sleep with his pledge.
13 You must certainly restore the pledge to him when the sun sets, so that he may sleep in his coat and bless you—and it is to be righteousness for you before Adonai your God.
These laws permitted taking a debtor's cloak as a pledge but required its return by sunset, as it served as their only covering or blanket. Suing for the inner tunic, however, left the person with just their cloak, highlighting an exploitative or wrongful claim—essentially stripping someone bare while skirting the law's intent.
JESUS' response—offering the cloak as well—results in handing over all clothing, standing naked in public. This act creates shock value, drawing attention to the injustice without violence. It exposes the hypocrisy of the legal system and the suer's motives, using generosity to subvert exploitation. The victim suffers humiliation but transforms it into a public demonstration that shames the oppressor, challenges the system, and invites conscience-shocking reconciliation.
This approach aligns with the principle of not resisting in kind: it involves active, creative response—sacrificing personal dignity to highlight wrong—rather than passivity or retaliation, fostering potential for mutual freedom from oppressive cycles.
41 “Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.
The third example in JESUS' teaching—"if someone forces you to go one mile, offer to go another"—illustrates subversive generosity in the face of oppression. The Greek term angareusei (pr. ah-n-groo-see) is the word used for the phrase “force to go”, and it refers to the Roman practice of compelling any citizen in the empire to carry a soldiers' heavy gear, including swords, armor, and packs up to a limit of one mile—a humiliating and sometimes dangerous experience. This is the same word used when Roman soldiers forced Simon of Cyrene to carry JESUS' cross.
In context, this act humiliated the subjugated, such as a father forced to serve in front of his family, reinforcing power imbalances. JESUS' response—offering to go a second mile—occurs after the first mile required by law, thus redefining the interaction. It shifts from treating the person force into labor as a pack animal to voluntary assistance, thereby regaining dignity and humanity in their choice to treat the soldier with generous kindness. This redefines the role, akin to helping a friend or loved one, as one might carry belongings for someone in need.
This nonviolent move uses generosity to challenge the relational dynamics, exposing injustice while inviting transformation. It aligns with blessing enemies, moving from humiliation to hospitality, and recognizing the oppressor's own entrapment. The approach fosters potential reconciliation, emphasizing love over retaliation, without endorsing ongoing unsafe situations. JESUS is teaching that this kind of attitude—while perhaps not resulting in much change in the short term—is what will bring long-term healing to the world.
42 “Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.
In this final example, JESUS instructs HIS disciples to respond generously to anyone who asks for help and not to refuse a person who wishes to borrow. Like the previous verses (40‑41), this teaching calls for an unconditional, self‑sacrificial attitude toward those in need. The “asker” evokes the image of a beggar on the street, while the “borrower” may request a larger sum, setting the amount himself; the lender—JESUS’ followers—must be willing to provide it. Thus, a life marked by self‑less giving becomes a hallmark of discipleship. Yet believers are also called to exercise wisdom when lending or giving: sometimes the assistance truly advances the recipient, while at other times it may leave the person no better off once the gift is spent. Discerning when and how to give ensures that generosity builds lasting benefit rather than temporary relief.
So, pj … What’s the point?
Conclusion
Conclusion
In this passage, JESUS redefines the principles of justice and retaliation. Instead of adhering to the law of ‘an eye for an eye,’ JESUS invites HIS followers to respond to injustice with grace and proactive kindness. This radical approach not only disrupts the cycle of violence but also challenges individuals to embody forgiveness and a deep commitment to love, putting relationship restoration at the forefront of their actions.
JESUS HIMSELF is the ultimate example of this teaching—no one endured greater injustice than HE, yet HE did not retaliate or seek to get even. Instead, HE exposed the wrong ("What did I do? Why did you hit ME?"), willingly offered HIMSELF like turning the other cheek, and gave HIS life in exchange for ours, reconciling the world's sins—past, present, and future, including yours and mine. Through HIS sacrifice, HE balanced GOD's scales of justice, fulfilling reconciliation on the cross and exemplifying nonviolence and forgiveness to create a culture of peace.
Where do you need to break the cycle of retaliation present in the interactions with your personal relationships? Where do we need to break the cycle of retaliation present in our communities? May we take time to reflect and consider how applying principles of grace in difficult relationships can lead to transformative healing and a stronger Christian witness.
Living out grace in our actions reflects the heart of GOD in the face of animosity. Embracing nonviolent responses is vital to embodying CHRIST’s Love, for they open channels for HIS grace to flow through us and transform our relationships.
Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon, which cuts without wounding, and ennobles the man who wields it. It's a sword that heals. The ultimate weakness of violent retaliation is that it's a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it through violence. You may murder a liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth. Through violence, you may murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate. So it goes, returning evil for evil, multiplies evil, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that. Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.
MLK, Strength to Love
Closing prayer & benediction
24 The Lord bless you, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face shine on you,
And be gracious to you;
26 The Lord lift up His countenance on you,
And give you peace.’
Scripture records the following words in v.27:
“So whenever they use my name to bless the Israelites, I will bless them.”
So, receive and go with the blessings of YAHWEH!
