Treatment of Others

Intro:

TS: John MacArthur says of this morning’s text that “probably no part of the Sermon on the Mount has been so misinterpreted and misapplied as 5:38-42. It has been interpreted to mean the Christians are to be sanctimonious doormats. It has been used to promote pacifism, conscientious objection to military service, lawlessness, anarchy, and a host of other positions it does not support.”

Remember, before Jesus began His discussion of man’s righteousness vs God’s righteousness, He had declared that He had not come to abolish the Law.

Matthew 5:17–19 ESV

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

That Law clearly included respect and obedience to human law and authority.

The issue He is addressing is insistence of the Pharisees and scribes on demanding their personal rights and vengeance when they perceived a violation of those rights.

RS: We see a similar attitude today. As Americans, we love freedom. We love to demand our rights and insist others respect every perceived right we can imagine. If you violate them, then vengeance is often swift and universal. In fact, we have a rush to judgment today that seems to be forgetting due process. The mere accusation is enough to make you vilified, fired, and outcast by society .

You have heard

““You have heard that it was said, ‘A N EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH

punishment that fits the offense.’

Two aspects

Legal

One aspect is that this was the law of Israel.

Restitution was codified for them.

eye for eye

tooth for tooth

Exodus 21:24 ESV

eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

Leviticus 24:20 ESV

fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; whatever injury he has given a person shall be given to him.

Deuteronomy 19:21 ESV

Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

These are civil code and the government had the authority to enforce it.

The punishment was supposed to match the crime.

In Mosaic Law ans in teh Code of Hammurabi this principal had 2 purposes:

it deterred further crime.

Deuteronomy 19:20 ESV

And the rest shall hear and fear, and shall never again commit any such evil among you.

b. It set limits on punishment

Vengeance would lead to excessive punishment.

punishment was to match but never exceed the crime.

Personal

Human vengenace is never satisfied with justice. It always wants a pound of flesh for an ounce of offense.

It had grown into personal vendettas

They bypassed the trial and went straight to revenge

Made them savage and a dog eat dog society

This is why God reserved vengeance to Himself

Deuteronomy 32:35 ESV

Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.’

God always told the individual to live peacefully and love each other.

Proverbs 25:21 ESV

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,

Oral teachings had perverted God’s Law and justice.

each took the law into his own hands.

each fought for his rights at the expense of others.

Jewish tradition had twisted God’s restrictions on civil justice into a personal license for revenge.

I say

Jesus called on them to make a radical change. He calls them back to God’s righteousness.

Again, it is important to point out that Jesus is addressing personal relation, not saying we are to passively tolerate all manners of evil without standing for truth.

We must stand for truth

James 4:7 ESV

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

1 Peter 5:9 ESV

Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

We are to resist evil every way we can.

proclaim truth

Vote for truth

March for truth!

At times, fight for it.

I fully believe that the generation which stood up to the atrocities of Hitler in WW2 were doing a righteous thing.

They were ending a great evil.

They were ending a great evil.w teaching which says we are to passively sit by while Satan marches across the world through his emissaries destroying lives.

In speaking of the government, Paul wrote in Romans that it was a force to stand against evil.

This includes enacting laws, policing them, and carrying out wars.

Leaders answer to God for how well they serve that purpose.

Notice what Paul says,

Romans 13:4 ESV

for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.

BUT, personal violations of rights between people DO NOT give us license for retaliation!

Jesus is speaking of personal resentment and revenge

He had already said this:

Matthew 5:9 ESV

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Jesus was interested in elevating relationships

He says:

Do not resist an evil person

[someone who insults you or violates your rights];

In the name of peace, don’t retaliation

He goes into a few examples

First, an attack on our dignity

Matthew 5:39 ESV

But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

All humans have the right to be treated with dignity, respect, and consideration.

Sadly, it seems at times we are lousy at showing that.

To the Jews, a slap was one of the most demeaning things you could do to someone.

Jesus says in that case, show restraint.

The AMP Bible says it this way: [simply ignore insignificant insults or trivial losses and do not bother to retaliate--maintain your dignity, your self-respect, your poise].

Turning the other cheek symbolizes the non-avenging, nonretaliatory, humble, and gentle spirit that is to characterize disciples of Jesus.

Peter ties this to Jesus’ own reaction in

1 Peter 2:20–23 ESV

For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

When reviled, He did not revile in return

When He suffered, He did not threaten

Second, violation of our security

Matthew 5:40 ESV

And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also

Tunic- an inner layer robe worn

Cloak- Outer layer which would also be wrapped around them at night serving as a blanket.

Most people owned 2 or 3 tunics and only 1 cloak.

Jesus isn’t speaking about robbery, but about a legal claim against us, ( A lawsuit)

Jesus is advocating doing what it takes, even giving up one’s coat, rather than foster animosity with your adversary.

In many ways this is teaching us to pay our debts instead of avoiding them.

The court could not order one to surrender their cloak, but it could be surrendered to pay the debt voluntarily.

Jesus is saying it is better to be defrauded than to be resentful and bitter.

Third, an Infringement on One’s liberty

Matthew 5:41 ESV

And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.

And whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two

Although, God made mankind in His image and intended us to live in freedom, it is better to go the extra mile in such a case than to retaliate.

coerces

Much like when Simon was forced to carry Jesus’ cross.

There may be times when our liberty is infringed upon by others.

We have a choice in how we respond.

We can fight back in bitterness

We can show the Love of Christ by serving others willingly, for His glory.

Finally, A Violation of Property rights

Matthew 5:42 ESV

Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Possessiveness is a characteristic of fallen man.

we often reluctant to give away or loose what is ours

But is it really ours?

As children of God, we must always remember that he is the real owner.

We are stewards of what He has entrusted to us.

Sometimes our greed is based on forgetting who really owns it all.

When someone asks to borrow from us, we shouldn’t turn them away.

We are to meet legitimate needs of others.

This doesn’t teach we must assist them to engage in wickedness and support their habits

There is no obligation to respond to every foolish and selfish demand.

Scripture interprets Scripture:

2 Thessalonians 3:10 ESV

For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.

Discernment is not to be abandoned!

It is also implied we are give generously to meet needs even before being asked.

Conclusion:

Contrary to popular belief, Jesus is not teaching us to abandon civil and criminal justice. These teachings are about personal vengeance.

He is addressing our heart and whether we are open, kind, and generous with others, or we are demanding and selfishly fighting for ourselves.

If we fight for ourselves, we demonstrate 2 things:

we are still on the throne of our lives, rather than God

we don’t trust God enough to repay what needs to be repaid.

George Mueller wrote, “There was a day when I died, utterly died to George Mueller, and his opinion, his preferences, his tastes and his will. I died to the world, its approval, and its censure. I died to the approval or the blame of even my brethren and my friends. And since then, I have studied to show myself approved only to God.

References:

MATTHEW 5:38-42 AMP https://www.bible.com/1588/mat.5.38-42.amp