Matthew 5:38-48

August 23, 2024
La Valla

Matthew 5:38-48

The Sermon on the Mount: Revenge and Enemies

Text

38 You 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 evil. Instead, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn and offer them the other cheek as well. 40 If anyone wants to take you to court for your cloak, offer them your tunic as well. 41 If anyone presses you into service for one mile, go with them for two. 42 Give to whoever asks, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you. 

43 You heard that it was said, “You will love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be children of your Father in Heaven, for he makes the sun rise on the evil and the good, and feeds the just and the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what merit do you have? Do not tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brothers only, are you doing anything extraordinary? Do not Gentiles do the same? 48 Be whole, as your heavenly Father is whole.

Comments

Sometimes people think of the OT as being concerned with justice, while the NT is concerned with mercy, but this is a gross oversimplification. Lev 24.20 does say, “an eye for eye and a tooth for a tooth,” but that was meant to be taken as the maximum limit on retaliation, not the minimum. As an ideal, Lev recommends forgoing revenge entirely (19.18), but failing that, you are not allowed to do worse to your enemy than they did to you. When Jesus says “do not resist evil,” he is prohibiting violent retaliation against evil, not any response to evil at all. The three actions in 39-41 (turning the other cheek, giving one’s tunic, going the extra mile) are all provocative responses calculated to shame an aggressor. Jesus is advocating what a modern person would call non-violent resistance (cf. the US Civil Rights Movement in the mid-20th century).   

Jesus’ quote in 5.43 is half sarcastic: Lev 19.18 does say to love your neighbor, but nowhere in the OT does it say to hate your enemy. He is in essence saying, “Go ahead and hate your enemy, but don’t pretend it’s justified by the Scriptures.” Jesus then demands that his followers show love to everyone, even and especially to their enemies. The word “love” here translates the Greek agape, which refers to a concern for the wellbeing of others rather than an emotional bond (effective love, not affective love). Only by caring for everyone can we approach the wholeness of God.