38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.’ 39 But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. 41 Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.”

The Old Testament legal system was given by God to deal with many things, not the least of which was to provide redress in cases of personal injuries. The punishment should fit the crime, a simple concept; it should not exceed the offense. If a person unjustly causes someone to lose his eye, then the offender’s punishment was for the offender to lose his own eye—but not to lose his life! Leviticus 24:20 says, “As he has injured the other, so he is to be injured.”

This law also served as a deterrent, possibly best explained this way: “Don’t do to others what you wouldn’t want done to yourself,” an inverse of the so-called “Golden Rule” (Matt 7:12). Like all laws, this one was taken out of the judicial system and applied in Jesus’ day to justify personal revenge. Today is no different. We can easily react to injustices with vengeful thoughts. “You gossiped about me, so I will gossip about you – now you can see what it feels like!” “You drove your car on my lawn, I’ll drive mine on yours and leave big ruts.” “You bragged about your kids, I’ll get back at you by bragging about mine to show you they are better than yours.” These all seem justified to the offended person, but in so doing he also becomes an offender. This bears out the truth of Proverbs 4:12, “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” We act like spiritually dead people when we reduce ourselves to acting out the level of injustice that we receive from others.

Jesus turns this way of thinking on its ear by rejecting retaliation altogether. When confronted with an evil person, the basic response ought to be that of non-resistance, whether the situation involves a slap to the cheek, a law suit, or forceful subservience. This is radical to the nth degree. Jesus lived up to His own standard: “…while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously…” (1 Peter 2:23).

Certainly the Lord allowed His enemies to torture Him. At others times He reacted assertively, as when He drove out the money changers from the temple or commanded demons. In personal offenses, however, He trusted His Father.

Lord, I trust that You will settle all accounts and will attend to all grievances and injustices against me. Until then I trust You and “turn the other cheek.”