“Everyone has a plan until you get punched in the mouth.” This quote is often attributed to Mike Tyson, and if you’ve ever been punched in the mouth you know its true. There’s something that happens to us when we get hit in the face. We can have the best of intentions or the strongest of will power, but the moment we get hit we desire one thing, revenge and retaliation. Why does this happen? When the fall of man into sin occurred something broke deep inside us. God made us to look after others, to take care of others, and to honor one another because we’re all made in His image. Yet, our sinful and fallen nature doesn’t desire to serve others, we now naturally desire to be served by others, to domineer over others, and when another hurts us in any way, we desire to get even. Some believe themselves to be natural born fighters, and while that may indeed be true, I think this inclination goes deeper in us. Revenge, looking out for number one, and insisting on our rights, these are the things that now come far too naturally to us all.[1]
Today in our passage Jesus brings this O’ so human tendency before our eyes, and teaches us a better way. You heard the text read earlier. It easily divides into two headings. So see first…
Lex Talionis (v38)
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’”
Once again Jesus makes a contrast between His teaching and what the scribes and Pharisees, the Jewish religious leaders, were teaching the people. Here in v38 Jesus aims His sights on an ancient principle called lex talionis.[2] This principle was a normal part of ancient Israel’s culture as well as many other cultures in the ancient near eastern world. The principle of lex talionis taught the idea of proportional retribution. Those are big words, but here’s the gist. If someone injures or hurts you, you have the option to respond in like manner, but only in a manner fitting the crime. So as v38 says, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, etc. This principle existed to limit overreaction or exaggerated vengeance when harm occurred. Or to put it another way, this law existed to ensure that the injury inflicted is also the injury to be suffered.[3]
This law can be found in many places in the OT. Exodus 21:23-25 says, “But if there is harm, they you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.” Also Leviticus 24:19-22, “If anyone injures his neighbor, as he has done it shall be done to him, fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; whatever injury he has given a person shall be given to him. Whoever kills an animal shall make it good, and whoever kills a person shall be put to death. You shall have the same rule for the sojourner and for the native, for I am the LORD your God.” And finally Deut. 19:21, “Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
Now one very important thing to know is that the lex talionis principle was directed towards the judges and authorities in Israel and not to individuals. Meaning the only courts and those ruling within them were allowed to determine the manner and terms of retribution rather than individuals settling disputes and determining what the proper punishment should be on their own.[4] And for a long time this was carried out well. There were even books written to with the sole purpose to help guide judges in determining what the just punishment ought to be.
I’m sure it’s no surprise to you that many have critiqued the OT and the Law of Moses in particular for being severe, but I actually think the lex talionis principle is a good and just law. It would be unjust for one to gouge out both eyes of one who only gouged out one of yours, or whatever the situation is. This law is then not too severe, no, it ensures the punishment fits the crime.[5] The only thing that could ever go wrong with it is the manipulation of man.[6]
So while this law was good and served and helped many, by the time of Jesus this principle had indeed fallen prey to the sinful manipulation of man, in two ways. First, many people in Jesus’ day believed they should not get the courts involved at all when injury occurred, and that the matter should be handled personally. And when dealt with personally, some did choose a physical response, but many demanded financial reparations be made for the injury suffered instead.[7] So while its good no physical violence would occur in these situations, many would get hit with an outrageous financial obligation that would only create a debt to the other person. That was one way this law was misinterpreted and mispracticed in Jesus’ day.
Second, many others in Jesus’ day believed this principle to be nothing less than a green light to give free range to all kinds of personal vengeance.[8] An injury would occur, whether slight or grievous, and the party injured would feel a deep stirring within to carry out vengeance themselves, and not just in a response fitting the injury suffered, but more, sometimes death would even result.
So, both this tendency toward personal wrath and self-appointed vigilante action in revenge and retaliation that one felt they had a right to…and the financial abuses that occurred in the mispractice of this principle, this is what Jesus was taking aim at here in this passage.[9]
So we’ve seen the context with the lex talionis principle, now see Jesus in v39-42 teach…
A Better Way (v39-42)
“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. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”
Here we see Jesus’ teaching in v39a, followed by four examples to illustrate His teaching in v39b-42. The classic statement we’ve heard many times now, “But I say to you…”, is repeated here as His teaching begins. And when His teaching comes, and it certainly must have been as strange and surprising to those first hearers as it is to us today. When He says, “Do not resist the one who is evil” we are meant to understand that retaliation, retribution, revenge, even resistance is forbidden. And more, Jesus raises the bar by speaking of those who would intentionally wrong or injure us, when He adds nuance about the one who is evil, or the one who is truly intending to harm us. This raises the bar because that’s the very person who we would most likely desire to respond to in great vengeance. Sure some will harm us unintentionally, which is hard, but not as hard as being harmed from who means to do it! This is a high bar indeed.
So what is Jesus saying? Negatively we must reject and turn away from all that stirs up our desire for and the carrying out of revenge. Positively we must embrace and turn towards all that stirs up our desire to serve others, even those who mistreat and harm us.[10] This is Jesus’ better way.
Now, lest we misunderstand this I need to make one big clarification. Remember who Jesus is speaking to here. He’s speaking to His followers, to those who believe in Him, in other words He’s speaking to us, to Christians. So hear it Church, Jesus is not speaking to governments or authorities. There are other passages that give governments and authorities the explicit rights. Rights to rule over us, rights to punish the wrongdoer, and protect everyone else. Here in v39a, Jesus isn’t speaking to those authorities. And so He’s not speaking absolutely or comprehensively, as if pacifism were the virtue being taught, no. He’s speaking to us here, giving us guidelines on how we personally go about our lives. Christians then, are to be those who never carry a victim mindset, insisting on our own rights when we’re wronged, or fighting back when we suffer. That is a needed clarification lest we misunderstand this passage.
And Jesus helps us understand Him further, by giving us four illustrations about applying this in life.
First illustration, in v39b, turning the other cheek. “But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” In this famous illustration Jesus’ point is made crystal clear. But many misread it. You ever noticed the emphasis on the right cheek? Why is that detail included? It’s actually a very important detail that helps us understand what Jesus means. Here’s why. Most people in the world are right-handed, and if a right handed person try’s to hit the right cheek of someone in front of them with their right hand, it gets awkward, it can’t really be done well. But if the right handed person turns their hand around and backhand someone across the face, they hit the right cheek very hard. Follow me? Most everyone believes Jesus has this kind of back handed slap in view here. Which leads to us to then think, a backhanded slap carries far more meaning than just physical pain, doesn’t it? The very action of backhanding someone is meant to insult and demean them. This is true in our day, and it was also true in Jesus’ day. In fact, this was considered such an insult during this time that one was forced to pay a double fine for doing it.[11]
Apply all of this to turning the other cheek. Turning the other cheek is about so much more than someone just slapping you. It’s all about someone grievously insulting us and demeaning us, and then about what we do in response to such mistreatment. When this occurs do we respond in like manner, rendering evil for evil? Jesus would say no. Jesus would say we’re to bear it and endure it. Jesus would have us accept the insult without responding in revenge and turn the other cheek, that is, leave ourselves open to further insult. In a culture that took honor and shame way more seriously than we do nowadays, this would’ve simply been humiliating.[12] I think we can understand that well enough. This is what Christlikeness looks like. If we’re dishonored and disrespected like this, Jesus’ counsel is to be alright with being dishonored and disrespected. After all, life isn’t about us maintaining our honor and respect, but about us living to honor and glorify God. We must not think about how we want revenge and retaliation, but about how we can show Christ to this person, and what we can do to bring this person closer to Christ. That’s the first illustration.
Second illustration, in v40, the tunic and cloak. “And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.” Now Jesus brings up a legal matter to explain His teaching. It was common in that day during a grievance for a lawsuit to occur, and in the lawsuit people would often sue another for clothing. Clothing back then wasn’t like today. Most everyone wore simpler clothes. An undergarment, a tunic, a cloak over that, and sandals. The tunic was like an under shirt if you lost the lawsuit you’d have to give this shirt over, which would’ve been costly as missing it would’ve exposed you to colder temperatures. Jesus says if this happens to you, give them the coat as well.
The third illustration is similar to this one. It’s found in v41, “And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” This is referring to governmental authorities or military personnel here. They had the right to command anyone, at anytime, to drop what they’re doing, and force them complete a task, regardless how grueling it was. Simon of Cyrene is a great example here, he was forced to help carry Jesus’ cross all the way to Calvary. When this happens and one forces you to go a mile with them, Jesus says, go two.
Both of these illustrations get at the same point. We’re to go farther than what is required of us and lavish grace and kindness on our enemies. Jesus is saying these unjustified commands, even though they were often just a show of power, aren’t to be fought against but obeyed. And in obeying them, we’re to be people who go above and beyond what is necessary. Or perhaps we could say, in life we will face many unreasonable demands in many settings and in many places. What’s a Christian to do when an unreasonable demand is forced on us? We can fight back, insist on our rights, and think only of ourselves. That would be disobedience to Jesus’ teaching here. Rather, we’re to willingly go well beyond what is required of us.[13] That’s the second and third illustrations.
Fourth illustration, in v42, begging and borrowing. “Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.” Known as the beggar’s charter Jesus teaches us here to live with an open hand. So instead of being stingy and tightfisted with our money and possessions we’re to give to those who ask. Now of course this must be done wisely, because if we gave as much as people asked of us we would likely end up running out of funds very quickly. How then do we do this? St. Augustine gives good counsel here, “We’re to give to everyone who asks…not give everything to everyone who asks.”[14] A larger principle is at work here. In Christ’s Kingdom self-interest and our own rights must give way to the needs and interests of others.[15]
Conclusion:
Now, pause for a moment and consider these things. Do you feel that these are crazy commands? That Jesus is a bit of His mind to ask such things of us? How can He say expect this of us? To willingly forgo our rights, to willingly suffer, to willingly bear and endure harm when it comes…without responding in revenge? It’s natural to feel the rough edge of this, at first…until you remember this exactly what Jesus did Himself. Long before the vents of His arrest, His trial, and His execution, here in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus shows us what He will do, and commands the same of us. So not only is His teaching instructive, His life teaches us too. This is the better way! This is a gospel saturated life. Where we extend grace and mercy and love toward enemies that harm us, the same grace and mercy and love that we receive in the gospel.
When we face troubles in life, and we feel defensive, feel that we’ve been wronged, and disrespected, and that desire to lash out begins to rise up…ask yourself some questions.[16] Why does this upset me so much? Why does it hit me so heavy? What is the real concern here? Am I stirred up for godly reasons? Or am I so hurt because of wounded pride and my sense of self being injured in some way? Church, it is far too easy to justify revenge. Rather than giving freedom to self in these moments, we must ever deny self, and leave vengeance to the Lord.
Paul states it so clearly in Romans 12:17-21 “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Overcome evil, yes! That’s what we’re to do. But we don’t overcome evil by our own might. We overcome evil by doing good.
This is the life God calls His people to, and Christ Himself is the pattern.
[1] Leon Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew, PNTC (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1992), 126.
[2] R. C. Sproul, Matthew, St. Andrew’s Expositional Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2013), 101.
[3] R.T. France, The Gospel of Matthew, NICNT (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2007), 219.
[4] R. Kent Hughes, The Sermon on the Mount: The Message of the Kingdom, Preaching the Word Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2001), 136.
[5] Hughes, The Sermon on the Mount, 135.
[6] Hughes, 136.
[7] Donald A. Hagner et al., Matthew 1-13, ed. Bruce M. Metzger, David Allen Hubbard, and Glenn W. Barker, WBC (Dallas, TX: Word Books, 1995), 130.
[8] Reformation Study Bible, notes on Matthew 5:38, 1680.
[9] Craig L. Blomberg, Matthew: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture, NAC (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 1992), 113.
[10] Blomberg, 113.
[11] Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew, 127.
[12] France, The Gospel of Matthew, 221.
[13] Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew, 128.
[14] Augustine, quoted in, Blomberg, Matthew, 114.
[15] France, The Gospel of Matthew, 222.
[16] Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon of the Mount (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1981), 1:294.
