<< Previous | Index | Next >>"THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT" Taking Revenge (Mt 5:38-42) INTRODUCTION 1. As we continue our study of Jesus' "Sermon On The Mount," bear in mind that we are still discussing the "The Righteousness Of The Kingdom" 2. We have seen Jesus contrast this "righteouseness" to that of the scribes and Pharisees, in how they interpreted and applied the Law to such matters as: a. Murder (21-26) b. Adultery (27-30) c. Divorce (31-32) d. Swearing Oaths (33-37) 3. In this lesson, we shall consider what Jesus taught concerning "vengeance" [First, by comparing...] I. THE LAW OF MOSES AND "THE TRADITIONAL INTERPRETATION AND APPLICATION" A. CONCERNING THE STATEMENT: "AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH"... 1. It is found in Exo 21:24-25 2. A parallel passage is Deu 19:21 B. FROM THE CONTEXT, IT IS SEEN THESE STATEMENTS WERE ACTUALLY LAWS FOR THE CIVIL COURTS TO APPLY... 1. Notice carefully Deu 19:15-21; Exo 21:22-23 2. They were given to guide the priests in meriting out proper punishment C. IT APPEARS THAT THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES HAD... 1. Interpreted these statements so as to justify PERSONAL retribution! 2. Applied them by frequently taking matters of revenge into their own hands -- JUST AS MANY PEOPLE DO TODAY! D. BUT THE LAW OF MOSES REPEATEDLY FORBID "PERSONAL" VENGEANCE... 1. Consider Lev 19:18; Pro 20:22; 24:29 2. Both in the Old Testament and the New Testament, the matter of vengeance was to be left up to God and His duly appointed agents: CIVIL GOVERNMENTS - cf. Ro 12:19; 13:1-4 [Therefore, there is really no difference between what the Law taught and what we find in the New Testament; there is no place for personal vengeance in the lives of those who the children of God. Now let's examine more closely...] II. THE "RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE KINGDOM" AS TAUGHT BY JESUS A. JESUS PROCLAIMED TWO PRINCIPLES... 1. DO NOT RESIST AN EVIL PERSON (39a) a. Not only should you not take vengeance into your own hands... b. But don't even oppose (resist) the evil person when the evil is being done! 2. REACT TO THE EVIL BEING DONE, BY DOING GOOD! (39b-42) a. This principle is illustrated by Jesus with several examples... 1) Reacting to PHYSICAL ABUSE (39b) a) "Turn the other cheek" b) This may refer to offering the other cheek as an expression of love 2) Reacting to a CIVIL SUIT, by giving more than what the person is suing for! (40) 3) Reacting to GOVERNMENT OPPRESSION, by offering to do more than what is being demanded of you! (41) 4) Reacting to THOSE ASKING FOR HELP, by giving them what ask for! (42) b. In each case, the principle is the same 1) We are not to resist the person... a) Who would mistreat us b) Who would try to deprive us of our possessions 2) Instead, react in a positive manner... a) Demonstrate love towards them b) Do so by giving them freely MORE than they were hoping to gain by force, oppression, or manipulation! B. IS THIS TO BE TAKEN LITERALLY? 1. Why not? a. We have several O.T. examples... 1) JOSEPH, in forgiving his brothers - Gen 45:4-15 2) DAVID, in sparing the life of Saul - 1 Sam 24:8-15 3) ELISHA, in feeding the army of the Arameans - 2 Kin 6: 8-23 b. We also have several N.T. examples... 1) JESUS, our prime example - 1 Pe 2:20-23 2) STEPHEN, when he was being stoned - Ac 7:59-60 3) THE HEBREW CHRISTIANS, who "joyfully accepted" the plundering of their goods - He 10:32-34 2. If not, then how do we apply these words of Jesus? a. What does Jesus mean? b. Give some examples of how to apply these teachings... ??? C. ARE WE TO APPLY IT "UNCONDITIONALLY"? 1. I.e., must we decide who is "worthy" to receive this kind of treatment? a. Jesus does not give us any indication that we are to use "discretion" b. Paul does give some qualifying instructions (e.g., 2 Th 3: 10)... 1) But it applies to those who are Christians 2) And we have a responsibility to "judge" those in the church, leaving those outside to God - 1 Co 5:9-13 2. I find striking the attitude of the Christians of the second century, A.D.: a. "Do good, and give liberally to all who are in need from the wages God gives you. Do not hesitate about to whom you should not give. Give to all. For God wishes gifts to be made to all out of His bounties." (Hermas, 135 A.D.) b. "And he said to love not only our neighbors but also our enemies, and to be givers and sharers not only with the good but also to be liberal givers towards those who take away our possessions." (Irenaeus, 185 A.D.) c. "Do not judge those who is worthy and who is unworthy, for it is possible for you to be mistaken in your opinion. In the uncertainty of ignorance it is better to do good to the unworthy for the sake of the worthy, than by guarding against those who are less good not to encounter the good. For by sparing and trying to test those who are well- deserving or not, it is possible for you to neglect some who are loved by God, the penalty for which is the eternal punishment of fire. But by helping all those in need in turn you must assuredly find some who are able to save you before God." (Clement of Alexandria, 190 A.D.) -- These statements were written at a time when Christians were constantly mistreated, abused, and manipulated by others! CONCLUSION 1. Summarizing the teachings of Jesus concerning vengeance... a. Do not resist evil b. Respond to evil by doing good in turn 2. The teachings of Jesus in this passage are admittedly challenging, and opposed to what what we might call "human nature" 3. But we are called upon to be "partakers of the divine nature" (2 Pe 1:4); in other words, to be more like God than men 4. And as we will see in the next lesson, it is in order to be truly "sons of your Father in heaven" that Jesus teaches a standard of righteousness that far exceeds that of the Scribes, Pharisees, and most people today! At the very least, let us expend as much energy in seeing how we can apply this passage to lives, as many spend in trying to explain it doesn't really mean what it appears to say!<< Previous | Index | Next >>
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