[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”.
Acknowledgements and Introduction
I was greatly helped in preparing these notes by two sets of notes on this passage, both found on bible.org. Notes by Gregory Brown are found here. Notes by James Davis are found here.
In this teaching Jesus seems to be addressing the issue of our perceived personal rights. He is teaching his disciples to willingly forego their rights to retaliation for personal injury, to personal property, to our time and to our money – four areas which in our human weakness we tend to want to defend and safeguard.
Commentary and Discussion
[38] You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”
- See Exodus 21:22–25, Leviticus 24:19-21, Deuteronomy 19:16-21
- These laws were to be administered by a court. The principle was that the punishment must fit the crime.
- The intent was to execute justice while placing limits around retribution in cases involving personal injury or loss.
- Lamech (Cain’s great-great-great-great-grandson) boasted of the extent of his revenge. Genesis 4:23-24
- In Genesis 34, we read that when Jacob’s daughter Dinah was raped, her brothers exacted revenge by killing all the men in the culprit’s village.
[39a] But I say to you, “Do not resist the one who is evil.”
- Jesus was not proposing that legal justice be done away with. The New Testament is very clear that the state has a proper role in limiting evil by holding wrongdoers to account. Romans 13:1-7
- Jesus actively resisted evil by overturning the moneychangers’ tables in the account in John 2:13-17. However this was not personal revenge.
- Some argue that the Pharisees had taken the principle of an eye for an eye – a principle of retributive justice – and used it to justify retaliation for personal wrongs or grievances outside the court system.
- Jesus taught his disciples not to retaliate when wronged, but to exercise mercy as an reflection of God’s mercy towards us.
- Jesus taught that the righteousness of his disciples must exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees. Matthew 5:20.
- We might paraphrase Jesus’ teaching here as Do not strike back at someone who does you harm. This is very difficult for us in our flesh (fallen human nature) but we need to look honestly at what Jesus actually taught here.
[39b] But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
According to a commentary by Greg Brown on bible.org (see link above), to be slapped on the right cheek one would need to use the back of one’s right hand (if you are right handed), which in that culture was considered to be a deep insult. According to rabbinic law, being slapped with the back of the hand was twice as much an offense as being slapped with an open hand. It may have referred to being called a heretic and may have been an expression of rejection for those who chose to accept the teaching of Jesus. See Matthew 26:65-67
Jesus is teaching that we are to give up our right to retaliation when personally insulted or wronged. See 1 Peter 2:20-23.
- Have you ever been personally insulted?
- Consider the physical and verbal abuse heaped upon Jesus. How do we find grace to respond with mercy in such situations?
- Since the Bible also teaches the necessity of legal justice, how do we decide when to pursue justice and when to simply exercise mercy?
[40] And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.
In Biblical times a person might have many tunics but only one cloak. The cloak was used to keep warm in cold weather. In a lawsuit, if you had no other means to pay the required amount, you might be asked to pay with an article of clothing. However, the Law of Moses protects one’s right to the cloak. Exodus 22:25-27. If a poor person borrowed something from you and gave an article of clothing as collateral, you were not to demand his cloak from him.
Jesus seems to be saying that in our personal dealings, as his disciples we must be willing to lay down our rights in the area of personal possessions. Our possessions are to be held with an open hand. Everything that we say is ours comes to us from God’s hand.
A specific application is in the area of persecution. When persecution of believers is intense, one’s possessions might be taken. See Hebrews 10:32-35 for an example of how to respond to such mistreatment. See also 1 Timothy 6:6-8.
[41] And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
A Roman soldier had a legal right to ask a civilian to carry his baggage up to a distance of one Roman mile. The Jews, who at this time were subjects of Rome, hated these obligations and the Zealots wanted to overthrow Roman rule and establish a Jewish kingdom by force. Some wanted Jesus to be a Messiah who would bring in his kingdom by violence and overthrown the Romans. Jesus taught and modelled a different way.
Applying this to our own life, Jesus seems to be saying in our personal dealings, we are to lay down our rights in the area of personal time and convenience. When someone imposes on us or makes demands on us that seem unfair or unreasonable, we are to model His kindness, mercy and grace.
[42] Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
Begging was a common feature of life in the ancient world. The context here is compassion and generosity in personal dealings with people in need.
Jesus is not talking here about giving to illegitimate requests. We do need to use discernment. However, the point of his teaching is that if we have money, we are to be willing to share. See 1 John 3:17-18, James 2;15-16
Again the core issue is that nothing is really ours, we belong to the Lord and we are managers of what He puts into our hands.
For reflection
- What do you believe Jesus is asking of us in these teachings?
- What do these teachings demand of our hearts?
- How can we walk in these teachings?
