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s we have seen in our studies, each time Jesus says, “you have heard . . . but I say” He is about to correct a false teaching of the Jewish religious leaders. So it is no surprise that as we come to Jesus’ next “but I say . . .” we find a corrupted teaching from the Mishnah that He is addressing. Listen . . . “He who boxes the ear of his fellow pays him a sela . . .if he smacked him, he pays two hundred zuz. If it is with the back of the hand, he pays him four hundred zuz. If he (1) tore at his ear, (2) pulled his hair, (3) spit, and [the] spit hit him, (4) pulled off his cloak, (5) pulled apart the hairdo of a woman in the marketplace, he pays four hundred zuz. This is the principle: Everything is in accord with one’s station [in life].” (Mishnah Baba Qamma 8.6). This is why Jesus said,
You have heard that it was said, “AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.” “But I say to you, do not resist him who is evil but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also . . .” (NASB) Matthew 5:38-39 Eye for an Eye. Jesus starts by quoting from one of three Old Testament passages,
And the judges shall investigate thoroughly . . . Thus you shall purge the evil from among you. And the rest will hear and be afraid . . . Thus you shall not show pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. (NASB) Deut. 19:18-21 The other passages are found in Exodus 21:24 and Leviticus 24:20. All three passages deal with legal cases. God set up a judicial system with judges and principles of law or guidelines to be used in deciding various situations. Exodus 21:24 is about miscarriages,
And if men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so that she has a miscarriage, yet there is no further injury . . . he shall pay as the judges decide. But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. (NASB) Ex. 21:24 Since Matt. 5:21, Jesus has been correcting the false teachings of the religious leaders in the area of divorce, marriage, oaths, and vows. Now Jesus’ next target is their hard hearts and their selfish legal practices, “An eye for an eye . . .”
Offer your Left Cheek. So Jesus responds, “But I say, do not resist him who is evil . . .” Now does that seem right? Does it seem right not to resist an evil man? The Greek word for “resist” is ANTHISTEMI which means “to oppose,” “rebel against,” “stand up against,” or “stand your ground.” Did you notice the kind of person this is? Jesus calls him or her an evil person. Jesus says to not resist this person. Do not stand your ground, but if someone slaps your right cheek - turn your left cheek so he can slap that one too! This was the opposite of the teaching of the religious leaders. To a Jew, a slap was a personal insult. Their rules required death, money or some form of penalty for every wrong. The religious leaders had taken God’s legal principles and twisted them into principles of personal gain and vengeance.
I must have been about 13 years of age. I was in the school library. I do not remember the boy or why he was angry with me. All I remember is that he slapped the left side of my face. I remembered Jesus’ teaching, so I turned my face and encouraged him to slap my other cheek. He was shocked. He became very quiet and sat down. But this is not what Jesus was talking about. If we take Jesus literally and someone hits you in the nose, do you have another nose to offer? What do you offer if you are hit in the stomach? Jesus is saying, “Do not seek to get even,”
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| Sermon on the Mount | |||||