Summary Notes
Say What?!
Jesus said to not resist an evil person and to allow
someone to slap you again if they did it once. He said this in contrast to ancient Jewish law that states a person found guilty of injuring another person must be punished in the same manner with which he or she inflicted damage. The punishment was an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
Why would He say this?
The context for punishing the guilty person was of judicial investigation and conviction. Jesus’ command to not resist an evil person has the context of personal application. I think that He points out how inappropriate it is for people to personally apply the “eye for eye, tooth for tooth” principle. The reason why is because the principle it is meant to be applied as a matter of law.
Jesus then addresses a person’s’ private attitude involving humility and meekness (power under control). Jesus is not stating that moral evil or oppression are to be ignored. Bible scholars say that the “evils” spoken of here are not necessarily morally evil but are difficult, humbling or uncomfortable. I think that in today’s culture slapping someone in the face is morally wrong and especially if that someone is an authority figure; but this was not always the case in the culture of Israel, a Roman vassal state, where Jesus was speaking. This command is about willing submission under authority even if it is painful or toilsome (but not wrong). This response is not my natural inclination – but the opposite!
There is nothing in this command to stop a person from creatively working to change the situation to make it better.
Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or Scroll down for my full notes
12 “…do not resist an evil person…”
13 “…turn the other to him also.”
Mt 5:39
RECIPIENT: To the disciples in the hearing of the crowds on the mountain:
Mt 5:1-2 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 2He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying…
CONTEXT: A continuation of the Sermon on the Mount:
Mt 5:38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.’”
COMMAND FULL TEXT: Mt 5:39 “But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.”
RESULT: No stated result except for two chapters later:
Mt 8:1 When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him.
MY COMMENTS AND NOTES:
The saying, ‘AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH,’ comes from Old Testament law.
Ex 21:23-25 “But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, 24eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.
Lv 24:19-20 ‘If a man injures his neighbor, just as he has done, so it shall be done to him: 20fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; just as he has injured a man, so it shall be inflicted on him.
Dt19:18-21 “The judges shall investigate thoroughly, and if the witness is a false witness and he has accused his brother falsely, 19then you shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you. 20“The rest will hear and be afraid, and will never again do such an evil thing among you. 21“Thus you shall not show pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
In each of these Old Testament verses the context was of judicial investigation and proceedings. Jesus’ command in Matthew 5:39 has the context of personal application. He points out the inappropriate personal application of this matter of law. Jesus then addresses a person’s’ private attitude involving humility and meekness (power under control). Jesus is not stating that moral evil or oppression are to be ignored. I think that in today’s culture slapping someone in the face is morally wrong; but this was not always the case in the culture of Israel, a Roman vassal state, where Jesus was speaking. This command is about willing submission under authority even if it is painful or toilsome (but not wrong). There is nothing in this command to stop a person from creatively working to change the situation to make it better.
The “evils” spoken of here are not necessarily morally evil but are painful, humbling or uncomfortable for us. The responses that Jesus commands are not our natural inclination – but the opposite! This command is difficult for me to reconcile. It’s not human nature to tolerate an insult let alone an assault. Perhaps the idea here is to think first about what just happened and why before reacting to it.
DEFINITIONS: Key Greek words
(word: Strong’s # Greek pronunciation — definition)
evil person: G4190 πονηρός pon-ay-ros’ — hurtful in effect or influence but not evil in essential character, nor degeneracy
slaps: G4474 ῥαπίζω hrap-id’-ō — to slap with the palm of the hand
turn: G4762 στρέφω stref’-ō — to (literally or figuratively twist that is to turn quite around or reverse
MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and please share it
I must be mature by having the strength of character to consistently demonstrate a private attitude of humility. I need to think honestly about why this person is acting badly toward me and perhaps work to make situations better rather than just reacting with bad behavior myself.
© 2018 Christopher Carlson