With the protests going on across the country, some peaceful and some violent, I was reminded of the words of our Lord in Matthew 5:38-41 “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.” As children of God we are not personally responsible for how others respond to injustice perpetrated against them, but we are responsible for how we respond and for the advice we give. Unfortunately, in a fallen world such injustices and inequities do exist and must be renounced as wrong and when applicable, legally dealt with. However, there is the Christian way to deal with those who wrong you and the way of the world. Regardless of how the world deals with it, we must learn to deal with it God’s way, and not get caught up in the passion of the moment!
What is God’s way? In this passage Jesus is dealing with retaliation and retribution, two things covered in the Law of Moses, which were being misrepresented by the leaders of Jesus day to justify their desire for vengeance rather than justice. God is all about protecting the innocent while justly punishing the guilty. As God’s children we should be standing up for the same, but that does not give us the right to respond in kind (violently, vengefully, maliciously) or in hate!
In the Law, God made a provision for those wronged to receive retribution from those who had mistreated them or their possession. God also made laws which protected the accused until proven guilty from retaliation at the hand of their accusers. And God set a limit on retribution not to exceed equal justice. In other words, you could never demand or take retribution above and beyond the degree you were wronged, hence an “eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth.” However, one could always choose to take less or the perpetrator to give more. Unfortunately, some leaders of Christ’s day chose to take every opportunity to exact retribution and take vengeance upon their neighbors for every little perceived injustice, slight or mistreatment (microaggressions in today’s vernacular)! This was not the intent of the law. The “eye for an eye” was meant to stop excess retaliation rather than encourage it, just as permitting divorce in writing was meant to discourage divorce rather than encourage it!
Christ takes it a step further here in Matthew and challenges His followers to choose not to retaliate in anger or hate but choose love and forgiveness. If someone strikes you, take it, and let it go, and in so doing you deescalate the situation, and you do show the love of Christ! If someone, unjustly sues you for $1000 give them more than what is required, not less and in so doing show the love of Christ! If a soldier demands you carry his armor for a mile, carry it for two and in so doing demonstrate the love of Christ. And never use the actions of others as a reason for doing what you know to be wrong. You do not have the right to vengeful retaliation in kind; you, child of God, have instead the opportunity to demonstrate you are different by your response, a peacemaker.
(Romans 12:17-19 “Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”).
Christ tells His disciples to treat others as you would have them treat you, not as they do treat you! (Matthew 7:12 “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets”). By so treating those who mistreat us, we do show the love of Christ and bring glory to the one who chose not to retaliate but to suffer for us!! Does this mean we allow ourselves or in particular our families to be killed or harmed without defending ourselves? No, there is a difference in defense and retaliation. Defend your family, those you love and your possessions, but do not excuse retaliating out of fear or anger or vengeance upon others. Let God deal with them!! This is the Christian way. Be careful not to get caught up in a moment or in a movement or in a cause. Our cause is Christ, the Gospel and the way of righteousness. Overcome evil with good, not with more evil!! (Romans 12:20,21 “Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”)