Leviticus 24:17-23
17 “Whoever takes a human life shall surely be put to death. 18 Whoever takes an animal's life shall make it good, life for life. 19 If anyone injures his neighbor, as he has done it shall be done to him, 20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; whatever injury he has given a person shall be given to him. 21 Whoever kills an animal shall make it good, and whoever kills a person shall be put to death. 22 You shall have the same rule for the sojourner and for the native, for I am the Lord your God.” 23 So Moses spoke to the people of Israel, and they brought out of the camp the one who had cursed and stoned him with stones. Thus the people of Israel did as the Lord commanded Moses.
Romans 12:17-21
17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Matthew 5: 38-42
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
Wherever you turn these days, there is a lot of talk about injustice. All we see on the social media is discussions and videos on systematic social injustices particularly towards the marginalization of races, blacks and indigenous people of colour. In light of these events, that have really only brought to the forefront problems that have been hidden in plain sight for generations, the Presbyterian Church in Canada has released a statement condemning and calling for an end to systemic racism and violence, particularly against Indigenous peoples in Canada. The statement, which can be found at the end of this package, mourns the 9 indigenous individuals who lost their lives during police encounters between April 8 and June 19th. The statement includes the line: “God calls the church to seek and work for justice in the world which is seen when we strive to change customs and practices that oppress and harm others.”
As the church, the Bible tells us much about justice and particularly about how just God is. It invites us, because we serve a just God, to live justly. And in revealing to us that God is just, we are shown that it is in obedience to the laws of God that Israel were to show the world His nature. Today as we read in the Old Testament, God had very specific rules about justice and morality: A life for a life, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. This was a law that applied not just the Jewish people but to the alien and sojourner as well. And we can surmise that this was more about making sure that the punishment fit the crime rather than giving people the freedom to retaliate in any way they felt justified, thus leaving a risk to pay back a crime with a punishment too severe. This is important because it reminds us that God is just.
However, as we look closer to what Jesus is saying, because he seems to speak to us here
by elevating the laws people used to justify their actions in retaliation or in seeking restitution, and giving us a new standard. Because, as we have been learning, Jesus’ concern is always about what happens in the heart of the individual. Jesus says, whether you are wronged, forced, whether you have been struck on the cheek, that though the law may allow for retaliation, you are called to live differently, ultimately leaving vengeance up to God.
Why?
Because the heart of a person is fickle and wicked.
It’s actually a reality that is revealed to us all throughout the Scriptures. As a people, our hearts are too hard to be truly just. The Pharaoh’s heart, in defiance to God, was hard. The people of Israel in the wilderness after having been given the law, Moses says, were unable to keep the law because of the hardness of their heart. And Ezekiel says that if people were to ever obey the law, the Spirit of God would need to come and soften our hard hearts.
Jesus cares for more than just the morality behind our actions. But the heart behind, and under, and at the core of every action we make.
And with human nature, apart from Jesus who makes it possible for us to be obedient through his obedience… apart from Jesus who makes it possible for us to love through his love… From our hearts comes out nothing but our wickedness. Remember, Jesus says, to even call someone a fool or to be angry is the same as murder… To look at someone with lust is adultery…To make any oath beyond just saying yes or no leads to unfaithfulness…
It is our hearts, and the wickedness of our hearts, that Jesus is pointing to. And as virtuous as we may be on the outside, we know that inside we are often tempted to want to retaliate against others who do us wrong. Revenge is often on the mind of sinners.
In this day in age, even the legal system makes it so that retaliation has become a right. It seems like anyone can sue anyone for just about anything! And while often that judicial system will try to give the victim restitution in a fair way… This does not get to the heart of the matter. Because the heart of the sinner will worry less about the actual punishment or pay out that fits the crime, but will rather desire the quenching of our thirst for vengeance.
I’ve never been in a fist fight, but I have a friend who said that the only thing that matters to him in a fight is getting one good punch in. Regardless of who ‘won’ or not, that was enough for him. We as people have these weird standards and in our vindictiveness we do some silly childish things. Have you ever been upset at someone who honks at you and speeds passed you, then find yourself gloating over them when they end up getting stuck behind a slower car as you drive by? Our barometer for what is just and right is skewed at best, if not completely distorted.
And that is the concern that Jesus has for the persons heart. The laws themselves were perfect and just. But we, and sin, were twisting them to be about our own justification and to bring about our own satisfaction. And while sin has hardened our hearts in this way, Jesus’ is revealing to us that our hearts were created not to be hard, but to be soft. Where our old and hard hearts would be more concerned for my rights and my restitution and my wants and my needs…. Jesus is saying no.
To live as a child of God, a follower and disciple of Christ has a greater cost. It requires the great cost of humility and self-sacrifice. Jesus says if someone strikes you on the cheek, turn to them the other cheek. If someone takes your shirt, give them your coat as well. If someone forces you to walk a mile then go two miles with them. If someone begs then give and lend generously
This kind of living was, and is still two-thousand years later, radical. By the standards of this world it is illogical and absolutely crazy. But Jesus is saying to do this! That if someone strikes you on the face… To turn the other cheek! I’m sure you can imagine just how much resolve and how much will power this must take to not retaliate. I see it in my children all the time! Most recently, child A drew child B without an arm and child B got upset enough that he pinched child A who then proceeded to wail. If you asked me, this was not a just punishment. But what would it look like in this moment for child A to have turned the other cheek?
People say children are born innocent, but I have to wonder what kind of angelic children they have encountered. Because, at least in my household, revenge seems to be one of the hardest things to unteach them. Who taught them about it in the first place?!
Paul expands on Jesus words for us by letting us know that in the face of injustices, revenge is not the answer, and that retaliation is not our response. He pleads… beloved, never avenge yourself! For vengeance belongs to God. He pushes this even further by saying that If your enemy is hungry, feed him… Thirsty give him something to drink… And by concluding to not overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.
Serve the wicked.
Serve the evil.
Serve the abuser
The oppressor.
With good.
With love.
Turn the other cheek.
If they take your shirt, give them your coat as well
If they force you to walk one mile, go two.
Be generous to all. Even your enemy.
But as wonderful as this sounds, we must know this: To turn the other cheek is not the normal response. This is not an easy response. In fact it is an unnatural response. To do so goes against every fibre of our being!
This kind of a response is one that is loving, full of graciousness, merciful and forgiving.
And these are all the things that Jesus modelled for us in His life and ministry.
And then empowered us to live out through the Spirit of God that lives in us.
Yes, to turn the other cheek is unnatural for the sinner. But becomes our response when our very nature is transformed by the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit who was sent to soften and renew our hard hearts so that we may live in loving obedience to this grace giving God.
Amen.