Matthew 5:33-42
Dealing with Life's Outrages

These words challenge us on a very deep, even emotional level. Many people are ready to accept Jesus' teaching at every other point, but balk when they come to these scriptures. The reality is that these words were even more shocking to those who heard them for the first time than they are to us. For instance, few of us can conceive of the outrage a pious Jew of the 1st Century felt when compelled to carry a Gentile Roman soldier's rucksack for a mile.

Take a few minutes to discuss the kind of outrages we experience in our culture.

Why do you think Jesus instructs his hearers on how to deal with outrages they faced? How do you think they reacted when they heard these statements?

A New Standard for Truth Telling: Matthew 5:33-37
First, the Jewish rabbis considered an oath binding if it contained the name of God (YHWH). Other oaths could be broken, if they did not contain the divine name. So, in essence they divided the world up into secular and sacred compartments. Also, this allowed really for clever acts of deceit that could be rationalized by the deceiver by CRAFTILY CHOOSING ONE'S WORDS.

Jesus is overturning this view. Life cannot be compartmentalized into zones where God is allowed and not allowed. In the kingdom principles that Jesus established God is central to every area of life.

Secondly, oaths are only necessary where there is the ASSUMPTION that one may not be telling the truth in the first place! The Christian should live such a life of integrity that truthfulness is NEVER a question. If we are consistently truthful the people around us will accept a "Yes" or "No" as readily as affirmations sworn under an oath.

The fact that we have to require people to swear an oath acknowledges the presence of evil in the world. (V.37)

Jesus is not forbidding oaths outright. Paul offered an oath to emphasize his integrity in Galatians 1:20. Jesus himself submitted to be placed under oath during his trial in Matthew 26:63.

The End of Resentment and Vindictiveness: Matthew 5:38-41

The "eye for an eye" law of the OT (Ex. 21:23-25; Lev. 24:19,20) is called the Lex Talionis (Law of tooth and nail). Far from being a brutal law it was actually enacted as a merciful measure. This law LIMITED THE VENGEANCE of the injured party. It prevented blood feuds that were typical in tribal societies (just look at the Middle East today!). So it prevented the escalation of retaliation to the point where whole families were being wiped out.

Also this law prevented private individuals from extracting personal vengeance. It placed the punishment in the hands of a court system in which a judge would meet out the penalty based on the law.

Yet this law still allowed for a spirit of retaliation and resentment to take root in the offended person's heart. Jesus commands a new attitude towards the outrages we experience in life; an attitude of non-resentment and non-retaliation.

Do not resist an evil person..., probably deals with a legal setting or where the person has intended insult on a personal level.

If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. The verb for "strikes" refers to a sharp slap. The picture is one of a right-handed person striking another person on the right cheek, using the BACK OF THE HAND. The rabbis said that to strike someone with the back of the hand was twice the insult of using the flat of the hand.

So this scripture has to do with OUTRAGEOUS INSULT and how we are to respond. William Barclay says we can paraphrase this verse: "Even if a man should direct at you the most deadly and calculated insult, you must on no account retaliate, and you must on no account resent it."

This is exactly what Jesus did when he was arrested, beaten and crucified! Further, this is the standard that the apostles applied to Christians who were being persecuted. Look up 1 Peter 2:19-23.

This doesn't mean that one is not permitted to defend one's good name. Paul had to do this when confronting the "super-apostles" and "Judaizers" in Corinth and Galatia (cf. 2 Corinthians and Galatians). But Paul's defense was so that the Gospel would not be hindered, not for personal reasons.  Also, this doesn't mean that one should not use the legal rights one is entitled to.  For instance, Paul employed the fact that he was a Roman citizen in order to receive fair treatment following the riot in Jerusalem.  Also, he used his right as a Roman citizen to appeal to Caesar.  In other words, have a spirit of non-resentment and non-retaliation does NOT mean that we invite the world to use us for a doormat!

And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Both of these admonitions refer to the outrages one was likely to encounter in life. The attitude one is to adopt towards outrageous behavior is that of GRACE, COURTESY and GENEROSITY. This is completely contrary to our normal CARNAL response and thus demonstrates the supernatural level of life of which Christians are capable.

The reference to being forced to go a mile refers to the practice of the occupying Roman army of compelling conquered civilians to carry the rucksacks of infantry men.

"Don't always be thinking of your liberty to do as you like; be always thinking of your duty and privilege to serve others. When a task is laid on you, even if the task is unreasonable and hateful, don't do it as a grim duty to be resented; do it as a service gladly rendered."   --Wm. Barclay.

What kind of outrages could we apply this to in our work settings, church, school or home?

Outrageous Generosity
Compare Jesus' words in v. 42 with Deuteronomy 15:7-11.

The rabbis had 5 guides to giving:

1. Giving must not be refused

2. Giving must befit the man to whom the give is given. It must not just remove poverty, but the humiliation that comes with poverty.

3. Giving must be private and secret.

4. The manner of giving must befit the temperament of the recipient. (Avoid humiliating the poor when giving to them.)

5. Giving is actually giving to God.

Jesus commends outrageous generosity on his followers. This doesn't mean being an poor steward in our giving. The effect of the gift upon the receiver must be taken into account. Will the gift actually hurt the one who receives it by facilitating bad behavior?

Look up the following verses and see how they relate to this passage: 2 Thess. 3:10-13; 1 Tim. 5:8.

The best giving happens when we actually get to know the persons whom we are supporting – even when that giving is to be done in secret.

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