The Gospel Of Matthew Chapter 5 Part 16 Jesus Shows A Right Response When We Are Wronged

Jesus continues to teach us about going beyond the letter of the law in order to see the spiritual application of it for our lives.

He has addressed adultery, anger, divorce, and taking God's name in vain by not telling the truth.

Next, Jesus addressed the issue of retaliation or seeking revenge on those who do us wrong.

Christ showed us how to respond when  someone does us wrong.

Matthew 5:38-39  Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39)  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Leviticus 24:19-20  And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him; 20)  Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again. 

This command is also found in Exodus 21:24;  and Deuteronomy 19:21. 

God gave this command as a rule to regulate the decisions of judges in civil matters.

They were to take eye for eye, and tooth for tooth, and to inflict burning for burning.

If one man hit another man then the judge would cause the aggressor to be smitten as he has smitten the innocent victim. 

As a judicial rule it is fair, just and is a deterrent to restrain crime. 

Greeks and Romans had the same law and it was strictly applied at Athens. 

A man who put out the eye of another man who only had one good eye, was condemned to lose both his eyes. 

Jews bypassed the judges and made it into a law authorizing private revenge. 

Usurping the court's authority by using this law to exact revenge, cultivated a vindictive spirit. 

Revenge was often carried out with harshness and more evil was meted out than what had originally been done to the victim. 

Much like other abuses of the moral law, the Jews perverted this one.

They considered themselves justified to inflict the same or worse injury on others than they had received. 

Jesus declared that this command did not authorize the practice of exacting private revenge. 

He showed His disciples that our private conduct is governed by different principles.

Jesus taught us to let God judge those who wrong us when we suffer for His sake.

Matthew 5:38-39  Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39)  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Jesus taught that we should resist evil, sin, and false doctrines.

He did not teach that we don't need to resist the Devil because we are commanded to resist him (See James 4:7).

Jesus Christ did not teach that we are to idly stand by as our families murdered, or be murdered ourselves with no resistance.

The law of nature and the law of God justify self-defense when life is in danger.

Jesus did teach that we are not to resist an evil man who has done us an injury.

Jesus forbids what is known today as responding in kind. 

If a Christian is mocked he or she is not to mock them back. 

If a Christian is smitten by a sinner for the sake of the gospel, we are not to smite them back.

Our modern culture demands vengeance very similar to the ways the Jews justified private revenge.  

We see such hateful harshness inflicted upon innocent people by radical Islamic regimes like Iran's.

Our entertainment industry promotes getting revenge upon one person who wronged another with the same hateful harshness. 

Thus, false religions and a corrupt media often promote vile values like the sin Jesus addressed.

Jesus taught us that two wrongs do not make a right. 

It is wrong if someone hits us and it is wrong for a believer in Christ to strike back, unless it is a situation where self defense is needed.

Jesus taught His disciples not to respond in kind when suffering for the sake of His gospel.

The first case is where we are smitten on the cheek. 

Rather than contend and fight back, we should take it patiently and turn the other cheek. 

Jesus taught us that not retaliating in this situation will put the judgment of God upon the aggressor.

The principle of turning the other cheek is connected with being converted to Christ.

Those who mourn shall be comforted and those who are meek shall inherit the earth.

Those who hunger for God's righteousness to prevail shall be filled.

Those who are merciful shall see God. 

Those who are peacemakers are called the children of God.

Those who suffer for the sake of the gospel shall receive a reward from our Father in heaven (See Matthew 5:1-12).

Peter struggled with responding in kind when Jesus was arrested.

John 18:10-11  Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. 11)  Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? 

Peter struggled with responding in kind as he took a dagger and cut off the ear of a temple officer when they arrested Jesus.

If a disciple who walked with Jesus for more than three years responded in kind after hearing Christ's teaching, then it is likely we will also struggle with this teaching.

Christ is our model and He gave us an example of how to rightly respond.

John 18:20-23  Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. 21)  Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said. 22)  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? 23)  Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me? 

We may insist that justice should be done us, as is evident from the example Jesus.

When Jesus was arrested and taken to the high priest, He was interrogated. 

They wanted to know what doctrine Jesus taught and His reply was that He taught publicly and they could easily ask those who heard Him what He taught.

At that point one of the temple police struck Jesus with his hand.

Notice Jesus' reply. He did not try to hit them back or explode in angry words.

Jesus said if He spoke anything that is evil then they must prove it or bear witness of it.

Otherwise, they were forbidden by God's law from smiting Him.

Thus, Jesus asked them in light of His innocence, "Why did you smite me?"

Jesus did not explode in anger when He was wrongly accused or smitten.

1 Peter 2:21-23  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22)  Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23)  Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously

Jesus is our model and we must follow His example. 

Remember that Jesus spoke to us through His apostles as He was seated beside the Father in heaven.

Peter was intimately familiar with the life and ministry of Jesus.

The apostle reminds us that Christ gave us an example of suffering wrongfully at the hands of others.  

Jesus did not sin nor did He ever lie.

When His persecutors reviled Him, Jesus did not respond in kind.

When they hit Him, lashed His back with a whip, when they beat Him and spit in His face, Jesus did not threaten them with swift judgment.

Instead, Jesus committed Himself to the righteous Father who will always do what is right and will always hold evildoers to account. 

Paul was guided by God's Spirit to warn us against responding in kind.

Romans 12:17-19  Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18)  If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19)  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 

Jesus saved Saul of Tarsus and changed him from being a Christ hater to a lover of the Son of God.

Saul was given a new name and as the apostle Paul, he was guided to write fourteen books of the New Testament.

Notice what Paul wrote to the church in Rome.

Do not respond by committing an evil act when someone wrongs us.

We are to live peaceably with all men as much as possible.

This means that we do so in a manner that conforms to how God wants us to live.

We never compromise the truth of scripture in order to live peaceably with others, for we are commanded to be light and salt in those situations.

Especially notice that the Spirit of God guided Paul to prohibit seeking vengeance on those who do us wrong.

Instead, we are to leave the fate of those who wrongly attack us in the hands of Holy God who will always judge righteously. 

Bob