If Paybacks are He## then Non-Paybacks Must Be Heaven
[38] “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ [39] 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. [40] And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. [41] And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. [42] Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. Matthew 5:38–42 ESV
This is still part of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus is elaborating on the real, deep and spiritual, aspects of the Law of Moses. God established that equal retribution part for a couple of reasons. In the Exodus, an entire country was forming out of scratch and they didn’t have any laws except for the practices they learned from 400 years of being slaves. To say “eye for an eye” was a protection that people wouldn’t upgrade on their revenge and mess up justice.
There are many cultures in the world that have the philosophy that if you do something to me, I’m going to do worse back to you until one of us surrenders – and it’s not going to be me! That kind of thinking is exactly what Jesus is up against in this section. So many of Jesus’ other teachings can stack up on this issue. Putting our own needs over others can create an opportunity for revenge. Not forgiving other people’s sins can build up our judgment and desire for retribution. Desiring wealth and earthly treasures or the unhealthy pride of approval can all make us fight for this kind of equal/upgrade payback justice.
Jesus was getting to the heart of the matter – the essence of letting the glorious life of God live in His people. This is how Jesus would live and accomplish the greatest feat of human history, the salvation of the world. Yes, the history of Christianity has its blemishes of violence, but many centuries involve more peace than violence from Christians. Even when the mainstream religion went with the crusades or inquisition, there were remnants that history has preserved as Christian peacemakers.
Today there are thousands of Muslim people who were raised in a peaceful way, taught that Islam is a religion of peace, and being confronted with the acts of Isis. Just like Christians that quit going to church because of a corrupt pastor or televangelist, Muslim people that look at Isis and say “That’s not my religion,” are leaving Islam by the thousands. The peaceful religion that is the most familiar is Christianity. They share prophets, and Islam carries a deep respect for Jesus.
And one of the greatest attractions of people that are hurt by violence and vengeance is Jesus’ teaching in this section. The side-effects of upgrade justice are orphans, widows, and aliens (foreigners without a country, not little green men). Jesus holds up a better way to us and says, “Even though widows, orphans, and aliens are my favorite people throughout scripture, I don’t want you to make more of them!”
Where you are reading this you might not be going to court to have someone’s tooth removed because they knocked your’s out, but most of us have some wish for retribution. Consider that Jesus took every sinful vengeance upon Himself already. Consider Jesus that willingly carried the weight of all of the vengeance and justice each one of us craves. Consider Jesus who’s life was taken as punishment for all of those who have taken lives and will call on His name.
And as you take that second slap, consider Jesus who will return someday, and take care of all evil once and for all in the best possible way.