March 10, 2016
Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:38-42
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Questions for Reflection:
Jesus continues the pattern of challenging the thinking of his audience. What is the command that they had heard before? In the ancient Near East, like the Wild West, when an individual was wronged, they often retaliated. However, they didn’t believe in getting even; they wanted the offender to know greater pain. If an individual lost a finger, they would want the person to hurt them to lose a hand. With this in mind, what was the goal of the original command that Jesus quotes?
The idea of equalized justice seems commendable. How did Jesus challenge the idea? Jesus gives three illustrations to demonstrate his teaching. What does it mean to turn the other cheek? Roman soldiers of Jesus day could demand that a civilian walk with them carrying their supplies up to a mile. Oswald Chambers in his devotional, My Utmost for His Highest, writes, “The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is not – Do your duty, but – Do what is not your duty. It is not your duty to go the second mile, to turn the other cheek, but Jesus says if we are His disciples we shall always do these things.”
When Jesus commands his followers to “not resist an evil person”, he is offering a new view of what the world could look like. What would the world look like if we lived by the rule of “eye for eye”? Martin Luther King Jr has said, “The old law of an eye for an eye leaves everyone blind.” What would the world look like if we were willing to allow ourselves to be wronged in order to introduce people to the confidence and grace offered in Christ? What keeps you from acting that way more often? What needs to change in your heart to align it more with this Scripture?