Reflection on Mt 5:38-39
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.”
This quote cannot be taken out of context; otherwise we would reach the wrong conclusions. The given principle applies to cases where it is necessary to prevent an avalanche of revenge. The fact is that when a person is harmed, he automatically seeks revenge, regardless of whether he himself provoked the offensive reaction or was harmed unjustly. This response, the will to revenge, proceeds from corrupt human nature. Rather than respect the principles of justice, a person is carried away by the spirit of anger and hatred. He burns with a desire to knock out all teeth for one tooth and two eyes for one eye. He will pay back in spades and not allow for forgiveness. Sometimes it goes so far that he takes revenge even on the offspring of the one who hurt him. This automatism of revenge coming out of the old self within us takes no account of God, our own guilt before God, or the reality of God’s just judgment and eternity.
To conquer the law of vengeance, a person needs a clear motivation, that is, faith in God. He needs to be aware that the one who harmed him was to some extent deceived by the spirit of lies, just as each of us is deceived many a time and harms others. In the end, it is often our fault that we get hurt. And even if we were quite innocent and someone wronged us, we should forgive our enemy from the heart for God’s sake. If you want to be forgiven by God, you have to forgive your brothers and sisters. Jesus said: “If you forgive, you will also be forgiven. But if you do not forgive, neither will you be forgiven.” (cf. Mt 6:15) This is the interpretation of the Lord’s Prayer.
When King David, surrounded by warriors who remained loyal to him, was fleeing from Absalom, Saul’s relative, whose name was Shimei, came out against him, threw stones at him, falsely accused him, and shouted: “Get out of here, you scoundrel! The Lord has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The Lord has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a murderer!” It was all a blatant lie. On the contrary, David had saved Saul’s life several times even though Saul sought to kill him. David’s army commander would not suffer the unjust insults, and said: “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head.” But David said: “If he is cursing because the Lord said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why do you do this?’ It may be that the Lord will see my distress and repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today.” (2Sa 16:5-10.12) And he did not allow him to take vengeance upon Saul. And indeed, God then restored David’s kingdom.
But we look to the eternal kingdom! Only a genuine relationship with God and self-critical awareness of one’s own guilt before God gives the strength to forgive and not take revenge, as God’s word states here – not to resist an evil person. In this sense, by not resisting an evil person we stop the avalanche of evil and obtain God’s grace.
On the other hand, if we do not resist an evil person or evil as such in situations where we are obliged to resist, and instead avoid fighting for the truth out of laziness, self-interest or cowardice, and moreover hypocritically refer to these Bible verses, by doing so we betray God, the truth and our own salvation. The devil also, like a false interpreter – exegete, quoted Scripture at Jesus in the wilderness in a contrary spirit. He has done so to this day, especially in relation to unforgiveness. In fact, he does not even need to make much effort as our old self does it on its own. Our corrupt nature is spiritually blind, unable to see our fault, the plank in our eye. It only sees the speck in our brother’s eye, and even exaggerates it as if it were a plank.
So the words, “Do not resist an evil person,” may be interpreted as follows: I will not take revenge on the one who harmed me, but I will forgive him, knowing that I have sinned much more against God. We need to learn to apply the basic rule necessary for the forgiveness of our sins and our salvation. The rule is: If you do not forgive, you will not be forgiven. Revenge sets off a chain reaction that drives both parties to commit more and more evil deeds and ultimately leads them into destruction. That is why Jesus says: “Do not resist an evil person.”
Download: Reflection on Mt 5:38-39
