Matthew 5:38-48 (Click on the scripture to read it)
Last week Jesus opened our eyes to the difference between what it is like to live as God’s children through the written Law and what it’s like to be children of God through a relationship with Christ.
Under the Law it was easy to follow a set of black and white laws and when you broke those laws it was easy to follow the prescribed methods to return to God’s favor. When we embrace God through Christ things get harder; to live into Christ we have to live in real relationships and relationships are messy.
Last week Jesus challenged us and made us squirm in our seats a bit as we realized there is constant work to be done as we walk along on our journey in faith. This week Jesus challenges us in a different way…. However the problem with today’s challenge is that what he says to us is so often misunderstood.
In the Episcopal Church we don’t take the Bible literally, however we take it very seriously.
We read and study the bible in a way that allows us to wrestle with the culture in which it was written, we wrestle with what the words meant to those doing and writing and we wrestle with what the words meant to those doing the listening. When we read the bible literally, it can be just as dangerous and misleading as it would be if we believed everything we heard on the news, or read on the internet. Reading the bible literally can be very damaging to ourselves and to others… it’s damaging when we believe things that are taken out of context.
“if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also;” … “Turn the other cheek”. I have heard that phrase so many times in my life and I’d bet you have too… From movies and books, and even straight from the mouths of sincere, loving and wonderful Christian parents…
and I’ve also heard it from those who have been abused as they try to find healing and reconciliation while wrestling with these holy, yet misunderstood words.
“if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also;” From all my studies of the Gospels, I believe with all my heart that Jesus does not want us to respond to violence with more violence. If you live by the sword you will die by the sword.
But I also know that Jesus does not want us to allow ourselves to be victims of violence either. If we read the bible literally, we are being told to stand there and take the abuse being given to us. If we believe these words without knowing the culture and context in which it was written then we are to allow ourselves to be abused not only physically, but verbally, over and over again. Yes, coming to know God through Christ and our relationships with others is messy, but this is not what Jesus was asking us to do.
Some of you have heard this before, but we can always use a little reminding. During the time of Jesus and the time the Gospels were written, Jews and then Christians were being persecuted…they were being abused. Jesus’ words offered a method to stop the abuse without raising their own fists in violence and without sacrificing their honor… Honor was the most important thing to them…if you lost your honor you were bringing dishonor to the family. Honor was such that it set the stage for how the culture functioned. Without honor you had nothing.
(get a helper to demonstrate backhand on the right cheek)
“if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also;”
Most people were right handed. To hit someone on the right cheek you had to back hand them. When this happened this was done to those whose status was lower. You only did this to those who were not your equal. You did this to woman, children, slaves, and to others who had already lost their honor. When you hit someone like this it was done publically; it was done as an abuse of power and to put others in their place. If you hit someone on their left cheek you were admitting the person you were striking was an equal. If you hit an equal, then there was a risk of losing your status.
Jesus believed in Equality. He is not telling us to allow ourselves to be abused; Jesus is saying offer up your other cheek. If they hit you on the other cheek then they have just publically admitted that you are an equal. Jesus knows your real honor comes from God, but if they hit you, retain that honor and walk away.
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The ancient understanding of Honor is something we can’t even begin to understand, and not only honor, but shame. Jesus’ culture was an honor/shame society.
“and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well;”
In our culture when someone accidentally sees us naked, it is us who feels the shame. In Jesus’ culture shame was brought not to those who are naked, but shame fell on the one who saw the other person’s nakedness. Most people in Jesus’ time had only two layers of clothing. If someone takes you coat, give them your cloak as well… Jesus is saying don’t be bullied. If someone is taking you coat, give them both layers which will without violence, bring shame to the bully.
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“and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.”
In the time of Jesus, Roman soldiers were allowed to force the Jews to carry their stuff. This became so abusive that tensions were rising and to prevent and total uprising, the Romans created a law that said soldiers could only force you to carry their stuff for a mile. The mile markers on the roads were clearly marked and if a soldier forced you to carry their stuff more than a mile, it was them that were breaking the law. It was them that got punished. When you reached the end of the mile, Jesus is saying don’t stop; keep going and make them beg you to stop. Jesus was turning things on their heads as he often did… he brought about equality without violence.
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The first part of today’s Gospel is about establishing equality…
The Second part takes it a step further... from the law that said you were to love your neighbor to the messy relationship of loving your enemies. Love those who abuse you… pray for them…praying creates healing in you and can bring about healing in them as well.
Jesus is making us squirm again…. Anyone can love those who already love you… in Christ we are to go beyond the norm and love everyone. We are all created in the image of God, love that image within them and within yourselves.
We have all experienced in our lives some form of pain that is abusive, be it something that happened long ago or something that is happening now. Through Christ and through community we can honor God’s image by sharing our lives with each other in such a way that the abuse can stop and the pain can begin to heal.
Pray for each other as we wrestle with the scriptures and squirm together in our messiness as we walk side by side in our journey in Christ.
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