Hard Sayings XV
“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 the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Matt 5:38-39 (ESV)
I think one of the hardest things for us guys to do is to hold back on retaliation. We seem to take comfort in what we read written in the Book of Exodus chapter 21:24 and think it is okay to rest in it. But if you were to read the whole of the passage that verse 24 comes from you would see it in a different light. It is not a “permission” as much as it is a guideline. “When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman’s husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine. But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.” Ex 21:22-25 (ESV)
My Pastor gave me a book titled, “The Hard Sayings of Jesus” by F.F. Bruce. In chapter fifteen the author goes into a dialogue about what Jesus said during His Sermon on the Mount concerning retaliation. When you look at Matthew 5:39 we are being told to something which does not come natural to us. When an unprovoked attack comes our way and it was with a particular viciousness it is our nature to strike back either just as hard or even harder. The verse’s we read in Exodus do actually impose a strict limitation on vengeance but Jesus goes a step further and says, “Don’t retaliate at all” WHAT!? So if my neighbor comes over to me and just hauls off and back hands me with the back of his right hand and connects with my right cheek, let him have a shot at the left? Nah…that can’t be
Well it is really is an illustration of a bigger point and it falls in line with something that Jesus told His disciples; Not to harbor a spirit of resentment. If someone does commit an act of injury against or they put you in some sort of inconvenience, show yourself the master of the situation by giving them the advantage. Now that just blows me away because the only way I had, at one time, was if you needed to gain the upper hand on something you just go get a bigger hammer. But Jesus would have told me not to and that would have just held me in state of vexation. I can imagine Him saying to me at this point, “My child why voice a sense of grievance when it is better to perform an act of grace?”
As I read farther into this chapter the author made this point, “The admonition to turn the other cheek is given by Jesus to His disciples. It belongs to the sphere of personal behavior.” The apostle Paul went throughout his ministry repeating this teaching of Jesus. He regarded the act of retaliation as an act for the civil ruler, “For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.” (Romans 13:3-4 ESV) You have got to be kidding me, right?
There are many other hard sayings of Jesus in this book that Pastor Ort gave to me. And as long as he lets me hold on to this book (he actually gave me three on hard sayings) I will share with you what I am getting out of it. But this “turn the other cheek” statement has got to be one of the top ten if not in the top five of the hardest things Jesus taught us to do. And I have the hardest time with it. But there is great wisdom in the idea that one can master the situation by allowing the Holy Spirit to bring conviction rather than ourselves. I hope I can remember that the next time I go looking for a bigger hammer. – Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a regular Freedom Fighter contributor
Compass Pointers: “Remember that true firmness is gentle, humble, and calm. A sharp tongue, a proud heart, and an iron hand have no place in God’s work. Wisdom “sweetly orders all things.” Do you act this way? If you ever find yourself acting otherwise, humble yourself immediately. Uphold a godly standard, but admit when you uphold it in an ungodly way. No book or prayer will help you die to yourself as much as facing the humiliation of your daily failures.” The Seeking Heart Fenelon
Anchored to the Rock: Men who know their God are before anything else men who pray. J. I. Packer
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