Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | Next Book | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
NASB | Matthew 5:1 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 5:1 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and when He was seated, His disciples came to Him. |
Subject: Explain eye for eye/turn cheek? |
Bible Note: One thought on turning the other cheek was to show the other person that you were equal to him. They would slap on the right side of your cheek with the back of their right hand, showing they were superior to the one being hit, but when the victim turned his cheek, left cheek, this would not have the same effect, because it demostrated he was equal to the one hitting him. (38-42) Jesus interprets the law of retribution a. The Mosaic law did teach an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth (Exodus 21:24); but the religious teachers had moved it out of its proper sphere (a principle limiting retribution for the civil government) and put it in the wrong sphere (as an obligation in personal relationships) b. Jesus presents the fullness of this law: "the non-resistance of evil." i. This is a radical command, but not an absolute one: Jesus Himself resisted evil when He turned tables in the temple ii. This principle is also relevant to personal relationships, and not to the proper functions of government in restraining evil (Romans 13:1-4); I must turn my cheek when I am personally insulted (the cultural meaning of a slap on the cheek), but the government has a responsibility to restrain the evil man from physical assault iii. Jesus also displayed the principle behind the law in His trials before the Sanhedrin and Pilate: we are to let God defend our case, not ourselves c. Positively, we are told to take command of evil impositions by making a deliberate choice to give more than we are required i. Roman law commanded Jews (in their Judean occupation) to carry the pack of any Roman soldier, but only for one mile; Jesus is saying "go beyond the one mile required by law and give another mile out of a free choice of love" ii. This is how we change someone's attempt to manipulate us into our free act of love d. The only limit to this kind of sacrifice is the limit that love itself will impose; it isn't love to give into someone's manipulation without our transforming it into a free act of love; it isn't always love to give or to not resist e. Jesus clearly says that we are not to resist the evil person; "we are to resist evil itself at every opportunity." It has been said that Martin Luther King Jr. used this non-violent approach in his equal rights marches. Also, the thought of giving your cloak also when they ask for your coat, was to bring shame to those who ask, because under your cloak was your nakeness. God bless |