LIVING WITHOUT REVENGE OR RETALIATION
Matthew 5:38-42
These
verses have been misunderstood, misinterpreted and misapplied by different
groups of people. Old-time Pharisees misunderstood verse 38 while modern-day
pacifists have misinterpreted verse 39. Not having “the Spirit of Christ”
(Romans 8:9), many people are misled as to the proper response to verse 40.
Reading and trying to interprete without “the mind of Christ” (1
Corinthians 2:16), there is much confusion on verse 41. Not controlled or
constrained by
“the love of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:14), the borrower and the
giver misuse verse 42.
It is necessary to have
the Spirit of Christ, the mind of Christ and the love of Christ in order to
properly understand and appropriately apply these messages in our lives. It is
of great importance also to study the life of Christ so as to learn how He
applied these words in His life. The life of Christ is a perfect
interpretation, a perfect commentary of this portion and every portion of the
Sermon on the Mount. It is also important and very helpful to know what Christ
has said in other passages of Scripture so as not to make Him contradict
Himself. The interpretation of Matthew 5:38-42 must agree with Christ’s
instructions in Matthew 18:15-17; Luke 17:3,4; Matthew 10:16,23; Luke 10:1-4;
Matthew 15:25,26.
1. MISINTERPRETATION OF THE LAW OF RETRIBUTION
Matthew 5:38; Exodus
21:22-25; Leviticus 24:19-22; Deuteronomy 19:15-21; Esther 3:5,6; Judges 15:1-8; 1 Samuel 22:9-19;
Leviticus 19:18; 1 Samuel 24:4-6,16-22; Job 31:28-30.
“Ye have heard that
it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” This
was given to the judges in Israel so as to maintain justice, law and order in
the nation. The main intent of this Mosaic legislation was to control excesses
and restrain crime. The punishment was made to fit the crime and not to be in
excess of it. This law, given to be administered in the proper courts of law,
worked far more equitably than the system of fines. The system of fines allows
rich men to offend with comparative impunity but this law was a great check on
the criminal tendencies of the poor and the rich alike.
The Pharisees and scribes ignored the fact that this law was
for the judges only. They made it a matter for personal application. They removed
the law from its context and setting and gave licence to their followers to
revenge and retaliate. We must remember that even the Old Testament did not
give this enactment to the individual, but rather to the judges. The vengeful
spirit is contrary to the Spirit of Christ. Christ demands that our personal
relationships be ruled by the spirit of love and not by the rule of law.
2. MANIFESTATION OF A LIFE
WITHOUT RETALIATION
Matthew 5:39; Proverbs 20:22; 24:29; 25:21; Romans 12:17-21;
1 Thessalonians 5:15; 1 Peter 2:20-23; 3:9-12.
“But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil.” It
is necessary to “rightly divide the word of truth” here. Just as
verse 38 is not given to individuals to take laws into their hands, so also
verse 39 is not given to regulate the relationships between citizens and the
government, children and their parents, learners and their teacher, disciples
and their master, employees and their employer or the wife and her husband
(Romans 13:1-7; Mark 7:9-13; Matthew 16:21-23; Ephesians 6:5-8; 5:28-31). Also
we need to understand that from the life of Christ, our perfect Example, to “turn
the other cheek ” is not to be interpreted or observed literally. “And
when He had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with
the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest Thou the high priest so? Jesus answered
him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, WHY SMITEST
THOU ME?” (John 18:22,23). Let us also note that “resist
not evil ” does not mean that we are to deliberately expose ourselves
to danger (John 8:59; Matthew 10:23; Acts 12:5-18).
In Christ’s teaching, “that ye resist not evil: but
whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also”,
He was directing us to be dead to self and not seek to retaliate or revenge
whatever persecutors or neighbours do.
3. THE MASTER’S MODEL OF LOVE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS
Matthew 5:40-42; 5:6,20;
1 Corinthians 6:1-7; Romans 12:19; Proverbs 3:27,28; Deuteronomy 7:3; 1
Kings 21:2-4; Matthew 7:6; 20:23; 1 Timothy 5:8; Luke 6:35,38; Galatians
6:9,10.
Matthew 5:40-42 instructs us to live a life of practical love,
peace and righteousness. It is God’s will and this is Christ’s way “that
we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (1
Timothy 2:2). God’s Word teaches the believer to maintain a life of
righteousness in his relationship to the government, to members of his family,
to brethren in the church and to neighbours and enemies in the world. These
different relationships are often addressed in different passages of Scripture.
If we take a verse of Scripture out of its context of controlling our attitude
towards enemies and persecutors and apply it to our family or fellowship
relationships, our interpretation would be false and misleading.
Matthew 5:40 relates to an adversary engaged in a law suit, not
a thief or a robber. Matthew 5:41 is not referring to a neighbour but an
officer with authority from the government (Matthew 27:32; Mark 15:21). Matthew
5:42 directs us to give of what belongs to us. We cannot give others what does
not belong to us. We are to give generously to the poor and the needy. There is
no encouragement here or in any other passage of Scripture to give anything to
a covetous man who is asking only to feed his lust.
Original post from
No comments:
Post a Comment