Be More Merciful Than the Old Testament Law

Be More Merciful than the Old Testament Law

             

“You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Matt. 5:38-39)

Once again, Jesus uses the wording, “You have heard that it was said…But I tell you…” And once again, Jesus takes the Old Testament law and raises the bar. It is not that the Old Testament teaching was bad – it was in fact quite fair as it limited the amount of vengeance that could be dished out in the name of justice. In other words, using an example from that day and age, if a person were to kill one of your sheep, then you had cause to go and kill one of their sheep. But you couldn’t go and kill the person, as some strong-tempered people would like to do.

So the Old Testament teaching had its purpose, and Jesus affirmed the Old Testament repeatedly, but in this case Jesus takes it a step further. He says that if you want to be blessed and happy, be a merciful man or woman who doesn’t resist the evil person but instead understands that the evil person is trapped in sin and in need of God’s grace and mercy. Endure the insult and pain of a hand-slap (a slap in the face was an insult in Jesus’ day), and maintain an attitude of love and forgiveness towards the person who is hurting you.

At this point I think all of us start to think of how hard that is to do and begin to make rationalizations of why we can’t or shouldn’t be that merciful – surely Jesus didn’t really mean that? If no one resists the evil person, we say, then what will become of society? What if no one ever stands up for what is right?

But if we our honest with ourselves, we are just rationalizing our way out of our responsibility to follow Jesus in this way. For if you look closely, Jesus is talking about an insult and minor injury, nothing life-threatening. And he definitely is not talking about standing up for someone else who is being abused or about making a policy for social justice. There is a place for self-defense or for standing up for righteousness on the behalf of someone else.

What Jesus is saying to his followers is that they will find themselves in a place of blessed happiness when they can get their own egos out of the way and look through eyes of mercy at those who are causing them harm. When they begin to see things through eyes of mercy rather than eyes tinted by egotistical emotion they can begin to see people as God sees them – as hurting individuals trapped in sin and in need of a Savior.

When one sees people in this way, his or her response becomes more godly, more like Jesus himself when he was struck in the face. He didn’t retaliate, but continued to talk with the officer who hit him. In fact, Jesus didn’t stop there. He allowed himself to be mocked, whipped, and crucified when he had done nothing to deserve that kind of abuse.

So when Jesus says, “Do not resist an evil person…” we cannot just write it off and say he didn’t really mean it. He not only meant it, he lived it. He modeled it for us and gave his life for ours; how can we not do the same for others? For as we refuse to retaliate, as we forgive rather than seek vengeance, our adversaries will see that there is something different about us – they will see Christ in us, the hope of glory for both us and them.    

Pray with me: Lord, I confess that often I find it hard to endure an insult or turn the other cheek. My flesh, my sin nature within me, wants to retaliate and get revenge when someone hurts me. Help me to be like you. Help me to not retaliate but to forgive. And use my feeble efforts for your glory – let others see you in me so that they too can come to know you. I pray now for these people and situations in my life…continue praying as the Spirit brings people to your mind…

For further study, meditate on these Scriptures:

Heb 12:2-3 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Luke 9:23-24 Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.

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