Matthew 5:38-42
Here we see Jesus referring again to the Mosaic Law before going on to set a higher standard for His followers. He begins by quoting “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” (see Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21), a law that God had given to prevent violence or abuse escalating because of a victim’s natural desire for revenge. Under the Old Covenant, offenders were to receive a punishment appropriate to their crime.
However, Jesus’ kingdom standard must have astonished his listeners. He told them that if someone treated them badly, instead of fighting back they should give even more than was being demanded. If someone slapped their cheek they should offer the other one too. If someone wanted their tunic they should offer their cloak as well. If a Roman soldier ordered them to carry his load for a mile, they should go a second mile voluntarily. If someone wanted to borrow money they should offer more than was asked.
We need to be clear that Jesus was not saying here that Christians should be weak people who let others walk all over them. He was not advocating that we should allow others to treat us poorly because we are afraid of conflict. Nor was He suggesting that we must have low self-esteem and weak personal boundaries, or that we must always be nice to people no matter the cost to ourselves.
What Jesus was talking about was meeting evil with kindness. Rather than retaliating in the same spirit as an aggressor, or allowing abuse to break them down, He tells His followers to respond in the opposite spirit by giving back something loving and good.
Romans 12:21 “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
This is not a position of weakness but of strength. It is not easy to meet hostility with kindness but it is very powerful because it disarms the enemy and changes the spiritual atmosphere.
Proverbs 15:1 “A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.”
Jesus Himself demonstrated this principle in action during His arrest, trial and crucifixion. The Bible makes it clear that He could have called on an army of angels to rescue Him at any point but He chose to submit. He did not have His life taken from Him but chose to give it.
Isaiah 50:6 “I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.”
Isaiah 53:7 “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.”
When someone treats us badly our natural response is want to get even, to give as good as we get and make them pay for what they did. But as citizens of God’s kingdom we are called to break these patterns of strife by responding with gentleness, patience, and generosity. We cannot do this in our own strength. To be like Jesus requires us to allow His nature to work in and through us so that what comes out of us in difficult situations is the fruit of the Spirit, rather than our flesh. It is a huge challenge to our self-centredness, but what a difference it would make in our world if Christians behaved like this.
Prayer
Dear Lord God,
There are times when Your commands seem very hard and I have to wrestle with my flesh to even want to live as You say. Yet I can see how good Your ways are and how beautiful and powerful it is to meet evil with good as You do. So I pray that You would help me to overcome my fleshly desire to retaliate when people hurt me and cause Your gracious love to operate through me instead. Help me to be a person who breaks cycles of strife and ushers Your goodness into this world. I pray this that You might be glorified in my life.
Amen.
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