Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount: No Paybacks, No Reprisals

Matthew 5:38-42, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’  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.  And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.  And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.  Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”

Jesus cites a passage from the Law of Moses that says, essentially, if anyone injures his neighbor, he should be given back as good as he’s gotten.  It says, “Fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; whatever injury he has given a person shall be given to him” (Lev. 24:20).

So, is Jesus contradicting the Law of Moses?  No, because what the Law is talking about here is judicial punishment, not personal retribution.  In other words, if there’s been an offense, take it to the authorities.  If it’s determined that the laws have been broken, that there has been violence done, then the offender should receive a punishment that fits the crime. 

This is not a license to take revenge.  But many took it that way.  Instead of seeing it in the proper context, people were getting into these tit-for-tats that almost aways ended badly.

Jesus again, is broadening and deepening the Law.  He’s correcting abuses.  If someone insults you personally, you do not have a license to strike back.  That’s what’s meant by “turn your other cheek.”  When Jesus says, if someone slaps you: This is a slap of insult.  This isn’t someone’s attempt to injure you.  If someone is out to get you, to smear your character, you don’t have free reign to do the same to them.  Now, that may sound unfair, but listen to this.     

Romans 12:19-20, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’  To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’”

When we forgo retaliation, it doesn’t mean that we are a party to injustice.  We’re God’s people; we love justice.  But it means that we leave the issue up to God.  If someone has hurt you, insulted you, take it to your Father in heaven.  He loves you.  And he cares what’s been done to you.  He will repay.  It’s not for you take care of on your own. 

I feel like I need to give you a couple of examples: What if someone at work goes behind your back and runs a smear campaign against you because they think you’re going to be promoted over them?  You’re going to feel pressure to right that wrong yourself.  You may want to go behind their back and do the same thing to them.  Jesus says, “don’t do that.”  That’s not your responsibility.  You’re just going to get into a mud fight.  Put it in God’s hands.  Trust him.  

Here's another example, and this one’s a little more common and not as complex: What if a family member just blasts you for some reason and it isn’t justified.  Well, there’s this inner struggle to want to blast them right back.  They’ve taken you down a list of wrongs that you’ve done (in their opinion at least), and you can think of quite a list for wrongs that they’ve done.  Do you give it right back to them?  No.  Jesus teaches us to hold our tongue.  We don’t have to go there.  God sees it all.  He knows your heart and he knows theirs.  Put it in his hands.  Trust him.     

Now, I want to talk about what this doesn’t mean so that there’s no confusion.  This doesn’t mean that we can’t defend ourselves in a court of law if needs be.  There are many examples in Scripture of Christians giving a strong defense in a court of law.  If someone is after you to take advantage of you, by all means, lawyer up and make your defense.  That’s the great thing about our country.  But what if a person has a legitimate case against you?  The answer to that is, you ought to pay back even more.  If you’re in the wrong, make restitution and then some.  Or, if there’s something being required of you by the local authorities, “go the extra mile.”  That’s what Jesus means by “if someone forces you to go with them one mile.”  If a Roman soldier stopped you on the highway and required you to carry their gear, by law you had to go with them.  Jesus says, “If the requirement is one mile, go with them two.”     

Ok, what about self-defense in terms of violence?  Somebody is actively trying to harm you or someone else.  By Jesus saying, “do not resist an evil person,” is Jesus saying we shouldn’t practice self-defense?  I’m going to say no.  There’s plenty of scriptural support for defending yourself and your family if you’re being attacked.  And if someone is actively harming someone else, or is even about to, if you are in the position to be able to protect someone else, I believe it may well be your duty to step in.    

We have to practice some spiritual discernment here.  But, what’s clear from what Jesus is saying here is, you shouldn’t be in the business of retaliating.  If someone has stolen from you, or harmed you in some way, we can (and in many cases should) call the authorities.  Don’t go out hunting.  Now, if it’s another believer in your local church who has wronged you.  If they’re not listening to you, follow the Matthew 18 pattern – take the issue to one or two other believers, then if need be, to the church.  The church has the authority to practice church discipline. 

At any rate, personal retaliation shouldn’t even be heard of among Christians.  Leave that up to God.  He’ll do a better job of it than you will.