The Sermon on the MountNäide

Revenge

• Eye for eye was intended as a limit to revenge, not as a mandatory penalty to be imposed in retaliation (Exodus 21:23-25; Leviticus 24:19,20).
• Evil person is the one who has done wrong.
• Slapping the cheek is an insult and a challenge, rather than a mere act of violence.

Jesus advises against responding in kind, even if it means risking more insults. Many times, we say that we have "our dignity", but in reality, it is a form of pride. We have the example of Jesus, who showed high dignity before the Sanhedrin and Pilate without threatening (1 Peter 2:20-23).

• Shirt and cloak represent the comforts of life that someone could try to take away from us, perhaps with a false oath!
• One mile: Roman occupying troops were allowed to demand this help from the people (see Matthew 27:32).

The teaching here is to refrain from being legalistic and giving only the bare minimum.

It's crucial that we grasp the message Jesus is conveying to us through these examples. On the one hand, there is a connection to Matthew 5:25,26: our attitude should be to give, rather than claiming our "rights." The same principle can be found in 1 Corinthians 6:1-8. On the other hand, there is a connection to Matthew 5:43-48, where we find the right motivation for our relationships with others. If we understand and apply these teachings, we will not repay evil with evil (Romans 12:17-21).

There are those who believe that these verses teach us to remain passive in the face of injustice or violence in society. Jesus' words are about individuals rather than nations, and they should not be interpreted as denying a nation's right to defend itself against external attacks. While this passage instructs us to put our "rights" to the side, biblical teachings encourage us to defend the rights of others, particularly the weakest. Jesus drove the merchants out of the Temple because their presence hindered simple people from approaching God with the right attitude for a house of prayer (John 2:13-17; Matthew 21:12-16).

• How do you react to insults and injustice?
• By responding tit-for-tat and fighting fire with fire?
• Or are you willing to give up your rights in favor of those who are unable to defend themselves?