stovebolts
Member
(Matt 5:38-42) You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' "But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have [your] cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.
I'd like to study this a bit if we can and find the true intent behind these words. I welcome your comments.
1. You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'
This section derives from Exodus 21:22-25 and it's original intent was to keep judgment fair. In other words, one could not be punished beyond the offence. For example, one could not be given the death penalty for stealing a loaf of bread. Now, there is much commentary on how to live this commandment out and in the days of Jesus you had the school of Shemi and the school of Hillel and both of them had differences views on their interpretation for these passages.
But I tell you not to resist an evil person.
Here, Jesus is making a statment that we don't need to treat others who mistreat us the same as they treat us, which was not the intent of Exodus 21:22-25.
But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
This is where understanding culture comes in. In that time period, it was permissible to back hand your slave upon ones own discretion. Slapping your slave with an open hand was not permissible and not tolerated.
To turn the other cheek, was to force the owner to recognize you as a human being, and not merely a slave. Jesus is saying that we don't have to tolerate being oppressed, and even a slave (just like the law states) is to be treated like a hired hand. (Lev 25:39-40).
If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have [your] cloak also.
I don't know the OT passage, but I know that suing your brother was wrong under the OT law. Paul affirms this OT line of thinking in 1 Cor 6:6-8. So, if anyone does sue you with disregard for moral right, then give him your cloak too.
Exodus 22:26-27 If you at all take your neighbor's clothing as pledge, you shall deliver it unto him by the time the sun goes down: For that is his only covering, it is his clothing for his skin: in what shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he cries unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.
By giving your cloak, it will be a daily reminder to the person who sued you of the wrong he has done you, and by the law, it forces him to acknowledge you as a person in the realm of compassion.
And whosoever shall compel you to go a mile, go with him two.
Again, culture helps us to understand this better. Under Roman siege, it was permissible for a Roman Soldier to force (compel) a person to carry their pack exactly one mile. So imagine your out in your field and a bunch of Roman soldiers come marching by and they grab you and force you to carry their pack for a mile, and under Roman law, this was legal? How would you feel? Probably not too good. But it was a reality of the times.
So, what happens if the soldier makes you carry the pack 2 miles? Under strict Roman law, that soldier was punished. So imagine for a moment how that soldier is going to react. Instead of how it began, "You, carry this pack!" all of a sudden he's back peddaling, "Drop the pack! Stop carrying it!" What's happening here? He is being forced to view you as a person, not an object.
All through the Bible we see this theme of the stronger oppressing the weaker, and it's not ok with God. As followers of Christ, it's our duty to not allow ourselves to be treated as objects of oppression, yet we are not called to strike back in violence. No, our tact is to think outside the box and figure out a way to show other people that we are not objects, but rather, we are living human beings.
I'd like to study this a bit if we can and find the true intent behind these words. I welcome your comments.
1. You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'
This section derives from Exodus 21:22-25 and it's original intent was to keep judgment fair. In other words, one could not be punished beyond the offence. For example, one could not be given the death penalty for stealing a loaf of bread. Now, there is much commentary on how to live this commandment out and in the days of Jesus you had the school of Shemi and the school of Hillel and both of them had differences views on their interpretation for these passages.
But I tell you not to resist an evil person.
Here, Jesus is making a statment that we don't need to treat others who mistreat us the same as they treat us, which was not the intent of Exodus 21:22-25.
But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
This is where understanding culture comes in. In that time period, it was permissible to back hand your slave upon ones own discretion. Slapping your slave with an open hand was not permissible and not tolerated.
To turn the other cheek, was to force the owner to recognize you as a human being, and not merely a slave. Jesus is saying that we don't have to tolerate being oppressed, and even a slave (just like the law states) is to be treated like a hired hand. (Lev 25:39-40).
If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have [your] cloak also.
I don't know the OT passage, but I know that suing your brother was wrong under the OT law. Paul affirms this OT line of thinking in 1 Cor 6:6-8. So, if anyone does sue you with disregard for moral right, then give him your cloak too.
Exodus 22:26-27 If you at all take your neighbor's clothing as pledge, you shall deliver it unto him by the time the sun goes down: For that is his only covering, it is his clothing for his skin: in what shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he cries unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.
By giving your cloak, it will be a daily reminder to the person who sued you of the wrong he has done you, and by the law, it forces him to acknowledge you as a person in the realm of compassion.
And whosoever shall compel you to go a mile, go with him two.
Again, culture helps us to understand this better. Under Roman siege, it was permissible for a Roman Soldier to force (compel) a person to carry their pack exactly one mile. So imagine your out in your field and a bunch of Roman soldiers come marching by and they grab you and force you to carry their pack for a mile, and under Roman law, this was legal? How would you feel? Probably not too good. But it was a reality of the times.
So, what happens if the soldier makes you carry the pack 2 miles? Under strict Roman law, that soldier was punished. So imagine for a moment how that soldier is going to react. Instead of how it began, "You, carry this pack!" all of a sudden he's back peddaling, "Drop the pack! Stop carrying it!" What's happening here? He is being forced to view you as a person, not an object.
All through the Bible we see this theme of the stronger oppressing the weaker, and it's not ok with God. As followers of Christ, it's our duty to not allow ourselves to be treated as objects of oppression, yet we are not called to strike back in violence. No, our tact is to think outside the box and figure out a way to show other people that we are not objects, but rather, we are living human beings.