Turn the Other Cheek
2001027
Subject: Hard Sayings of Jesus
Introduction:
A. How to you respond when someone treats you wrong?
1. react in kind? Treat evil w/evil?
2. or stand there & take it?
B. What is the proper response to evil?
1. In His sermon on the Mount – Jesus taught concerning the righteousness of the kingdom.
2. He declared what He expected of His disciples.
C. Perhaps no other subject of Christ’s teaching has been more widely debated/discussed.
1. His teaching here is frequently misunderstood – and often confusing.
2. Eldred Stevens: perhaps no other passage has generated more heat & passion than this verse given to curb heat & passion.
D. Many have turned to these verses and claimed:
1. serving in military or participating in a war is sinful behavior.
2. heard some say: resist not evil means that you can’t defend yourself if robber comes in & harms family & steals your property.
3. Is that what Jesus talking about here?
E. Hopefully after today’s lesson we will be able to have a clearer understanding of what Jesus’ point was.
1. We’re going to examine the OT law in this matter;
2. Get an idea of Why Jesus said what He did in this sermon
3. examine each of the points He makes in v. 39-42.
I. The OT Law in this Matter:
A. Commandment mentioned found in Ex. 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21
1. command given as a rule to delegate the decisions of judges.
a) they to take an eye for eye; tooth for tooth; burning for burning.
b) As a judicial rule – this is NOT unjust.
c) Given to demand justice; equality; equity under the law.
2. Main intent of this law was to control excesses of anger; violence; or revenge.
a) hit you? Inclination to hit back harder.
b) We have tendency to exercise wrath, anger, retribution or retaliation on those we dislike.
B. Problem in Jesus’ day:
1. although this law given to judges: Jews had extended it to private conduct – made it a rule by which they would take revenge.
2. This law had no reference to private revenge. Their private conduct was to be governed by higher principles.
3. Same in our day: w/our judges & courts. One can’t take law into his own hand – interpret for himself what ought to be done – and follow his natural impulse.
II. What is the point behind Jesus’ teaching?
A. Again – Pharisees of His day had made it a matter of personal application & gratification.
1. Pharisees viewed the law in a legalistic way – seems that they turned a negative law into a positive one – thus missing the whole spirit w/it.
2. There are certain rules of interpretation when deal with this passage: such as:
a) we need to consider the spirit of Jesus’ teaching.
b) We must not make the teaching appear ridiculous or absurd – or in contradiction to other plain passages of Scripture.
B. Should 5:39 be taken literally? Take it as it is – do not resist an evil person?
1. True? Would it be lawful to be police officer? Military? Lock door at night? Protect family/car/possessions? Capital punishment?
2. Remember: Jesus is talking to those who would serve Him.
3. Those who have been born again – and now hunger/thirst after righteousness.
4. Eldred Stevens: this teaching applies to the Christian only in His personal relationships. Such as:
a) Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Pet. 2:13-14 – relationship to government.
b) Col. 3:18-21; Eph. 5:21 – relationship to spouse; children; friends; brethren.
5. It involves the Christian’s reaction to the things that happen to him.
C. Primary teaching here: one’s attitude toward self.
1. one must become dead to self.
a) dead to our spirit of self defense when wronged.
b) Dead to our desire for revenge
c) Dead to our love of possessions.
2. No one can put to practice the contents of Mt. 5:38-42 – unless he is finished w/self.
a) person who is not finished w/self is primarily concerned about self interest.
b) We tend to look out for insults/injuries.
c) Some supersensitive to this.
3. George Muller: there was a day when I died, utterly died, died to George Muller and his opinions, preferences, tastes, and will: died to the world, its approval of censure; died to the approval or blame of even my brethren and friends; and since then I have studied only to show myself approved to God.
a) it is hard to die to the world.
b) It is hard to die to brethren & friends.
c) It is HARDEST to die to self.
III. What About Turning the Other Cheek?
A. 5:39 – what does this verse mean in light of the general principle?
1. one must rid himself of a spirit of retaliation.
2. one must rid himself of a desire to defend himself.
B. Jesus begins his teaching on a personal level;
1. man hits you – injures you:
2. Jesus: resist your natural impulse – asks us to remember: “Vengeance is mine.” Rom. 12:19; Deut. 32:35
3. Does not want us to be concerned with insults/injuries – physical or by word or look.
C. This teaching DOES NOT apply to everything!
1. defending law/order.
2. He not talking about restraining sin.
3. Albert Barnes: Christ did not intend to teach that we are to see our families murdered; or be murdered ourselves, rather than make resistance. It cannot surely be the intention to teach that a father should sit by coolly and see his family butchered by savages, and not be allowed to defend them.
D. Again: This = a personal word to each of us a/b personal insults.
1. 1 Cor. 4:3 – Paul’s example w/the Corinthians.
IV. 5:40 – The giving of our coat.
A. This teaching is aimed at the person who is litigious & is determined to take all the advantage the law can give him.
1. Jews wore two principle garments – inner/outer.
a) inner garment called coat or tunic.
b) Outer garment called cloak or mantle.
2. In this case: a man sues for the inner garment (Jewish law protected outer garment)
3. do not resist – give him the outer garment as well.
B. We have need to apply this principle – especially since we live in a society where everyone is concerned about their rights.
1. we can get caught up more w/our “rights” than our duty!
2. selfishness/self centered ness is what Christ is dealing with.
C. But…does this mean we can’t protest the breaking of the law when someone hurts us?
1. Jhn. 18:22-23 – Jesus protested His beating
2. Acts 16:37 – Paul protesting his beating.
3. Both cases: we see a rebuking of the breaking of the law.
4. Note: they did not take these things as personal insults that had to be avenged.
D. We are to be concerned about honor/law/justice/righteousness/truth
V. Go the 2nd Mile – 5:41
A. Refer to a common custom in the ancient world.
1. authorities were permitted to compel any person, or to press any house, boat, ship, or other vehicle to use in the transmission of official government business.
2. Jesus teaching: rather than resist a public authority requiring them to go along for a certain distance – go twice the distance w/o complaining!
B. Jesus concerned about one’s natural resentment of the demands made on us by the government.
1. legislation we don’t like – we vow not to honor.
2. court decisions we don’t like – we refuse to keep.
3. Remember: government in power – has right to make such commands.
4. 1 Pet. 2:13-15
VI. Lending to a Borrower – 5:42
A. Here again = practice of self denial.
1. He = rebuking those who always consider themselves.
B. Note: This – a general rule.
1. He not asking us to help a fraud; beggar; drunkard.
2. He talking, however, that we need to help those in need.
a) 1 Jhn. 3:17-18
b) it is a good thing to be in the habit of giving.
C. It is seldom, if ever, good to give a person who = able to work – 2 Thess. 3:10
1. Barnes: to give to such = to encourage laziness; to support the idle at the expense of the industrious.
D. But…where there is a deserving friend/bro in need – we should lend to w/o interest.
Conclusion:
A. It takes a new person to live this kind of life.
1. 2 Cor. 5:17 – teaching for new creatures in Christ
2. it deals w/our whole personality – down to the little practical details.
B. It involves a commitment to live for Christ from deep w/in our soul.
C. Mt. 16:24
D. I N V I T A T I O N
