Name: Dave
Question: I am trying to better understand Matthew 5:38-39.
I instinctively have a hard time believing that Christ does not want us to defend ourselves against physical and verbal assaults. How would the heathens ever respect us Christians if we were viewed as nothing more than pacifist punching bags? As a victim of bullying in grade school (in a private Christian school no less), I found my only recourse was to stand up for myself, not just “turn the other cheek.”
Am I wrong in my belief?
Answer: Thank you for the question Dave.
Unfortunatly, these verses are often misunderstood.
In Matthew 5:38-39, Jesus was teaching against senseless revenge which was common among the Jews. More importantly, Jesus was teaching the multitude, we will suffer for His sake, we will suffer for righteousness, and when we do, take it on the cheek, do not return evil for evil.
Simply stated, to turn the other cheek is to display restraint while suffering for Jesus, this allows the offender to display their true colors. Just as the true colors of the “high priests” were revealed when they slapped Christ, (Mark 14:65).
Let me make it very clear, in Matthew 5:39…
- Jesus was not saying Christians should allow thieves in our home.
- Jesus was not saying Christians should allow themselves to be violated.
- Jesus was not saying Christians should allow their family to be murdered or raped.
Quite the contrary, Jesus promoted self defense, He said if we don’t have a sword, then we should buy a sword, (Luke 22:36).
Let’s cover the details.
An Eye For An Eye
In order to understand Matthew 5:38-39, we must grasp the context of the chapter. It concerns spiritual completeness, purity, and standing for God’s Word.
So let’s start with that.
Look what Jesus said to the multitude in Matthew 5:20.
“For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
Hey, if you’re righteousness does not surpass the Pharisees who taught in the synagogues, then you can forget about getting into Heaven. It’s just not going to happen.
Then, a few verses later in Matthew 5:29-30, look what Jesus told the multitude.
- “…if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out.”
- “…if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off.”
We should realize, those were not literal statements.
Instead, they’re metaphors for removing spiritual impurity from our hearts. Anything that causes us to veer from the Kingdom of God should be removed from our presence. So that’s the context of the entire chapter.
Now, let’s jump to the verses you asked about.
Matthew 5:38
Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
Jesus was quoting Exodus 21:24.
Now, when we read that verse in Exodus, most come away with thoughts of revenge. If you gouge someone’s eye out or did evil to your brother, hey, the same thing was going to happen to you.
However, that’s not really the point of God’s Law. Instead, the idea was to lay down guidelines, that through them, they would prevent anyone from losing an “eye” to begin with, (Deuteronomy 19:19-20).
Unfortunately, the Jews saw it differently.
You see, in those days, the Jews of the synagogue took “an eye for an eye” to an entirely different level. As I explained, that was never the intent of the Old Testament law, and Jesus was trying to correct this deviation from Scripture, and instill spiritual completeness into His flock.
Revenge
In fact, scholar Joseph Benson (c. 1748) provides us with critical historical context concerning “an eye for an eye.”
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“…it was interpreted among the Jews as encouraging a rigorous and severe revenge.”
Adding,
“…abuse of the law of retaliation … was common among the Jews, who carried their resentments to the utmost lengths; and, by so doing, maintained infinite quarrels, to the great detriment of social life.”
So that’s why Jesus opened by discussing “an eye for an eye.”
It was commonly taught among the Jews that devastating revenge was well and good. Jesus didn’t want the multitude to take part in that, as it does not elevate the Kingdom of God. Instead, Jesus wanted Christians to take the spiritual high road as we’re going to learn.
All right, let’s continue in Matthew to see how Jesus tones down “an eye for an eye.”
Turn The Other Cheek
Matthew 5:39
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
We now know, Jesus was specifically addressing retaliation as it relates to Exodus 21:24.
Even so, the context of the chapter is tied to spiritual purity and completeness. We cannot remain pure if we fill our hearts with hatred and strife, (James 3:16).
It should be clear, Jesus was not talking about thieves or murderers attacking you or your family. The chapter concerns our spiritual well-being, and that’s where verse 39 ties in. We actually have the same account recorded in Luke, so let’s turn there to further the point.
Luke 6:22
Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.
That’s the condition.
When you’re hated for the name of Jesus Christ.
Luke 6:29
And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.
When men slap you on the cheek — arguably another metaphor — then turn the other cheek. You were slapped for your faith in Jesus, but “Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven,” (Luke 6:23).
That’s the context of the discussion.
Do you realize even the Apostles rejoiced and leaped for joy after they were beaten for their faith, (Acts 5:41)?
Jesus even said this would happen to Paul, “For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake,” (Acts 9:16). James also told us to take the prophets as “an example of suffering affliction,” as they spoke “in the name of the Lord,” (James 5:10).
In fact, it was Jesus Himself who was slapped on the cheek for professing the Kingdom of God, (John 18:23). So don’t be surprised if it happens to you as well.
Even so, let me provide some added context…
When the Apostles were beaten, they were overwhelmed by the enemy. The same for Jesus. In those circumstances, perhaps we should endure a slap on the cheek for our faith. However, if someone is attacking you, even for your faith, I believe you need to defend yourself.
Look, you’re not a martyr.
Jesus never said to take a beating from an evil man.
Jesus said to take a slap on the cheek for your faith in Him — perhaps metaphorical in nature — and not retaliate, not seek grievous revenge. However, if a man is beating you, that’s a different story altogether, you must defend yourself.
Summary
As we learned, righteous men do not stand by idle and allow their families to be destroyed. Otherwise, they’re no better than an infidel. Christians have the right — the obligation — to self defense, evidenced by Jesus’ own words, (1 Tim 5:8, Luk 11:21, 22:36, 38).
In Matthew 5:39, Christ’s point was not to seek revenge, a common teaching of the time. Instead, we are to, and should expect to take some flak for the name of Jesus. Nevertheless, we should “abstain from all appearance of evil, not rendering evil for evil,” (1 Th 5:22, 1 Pet 3:9).
This allows the wicked to be revealed through their actions, while elevating God’s Kingdom.