The Sermon On The Mount - Taking Revenge (Mt 5:38-42)

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                        "THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT"

                       Taking Revenge (Mt 5:38-42)

INTRODUCTION

1. As we continue our study of Jesus' "Sermon On The Mount," bear in
   mind that we are still discussing the "The Righteousness Of The
   Kingdom"

2. We have seen Jesus contrast this "righteouseness" to that of the
   scribes and Pharisees, in how they interpreted and applied the Law
   to such matters as:
   a. Murder (21-26)
   b. Adultery (27-30)
   c. Divorce (31-32)
   d. Swearing Oaths (33-37)

3. In this lesson, we shall consider what Jesus taught concerning
   "vengeance"

[First, by comparing...]

I. THE LAW OF MOSES AND "THE TRADITIONAL INTERPRETATION AND APPLICATION"

   A. CONCERNING THE STATEMENT: "AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A
      TOOTH"...
      1. It is found in Exo 21:24-25
      2. A parallel passage is Deut 19:21

   B. FROM THE CONTEXT, IT IS SEEN THESE STATEMENTS WERE ACTUALLY LAWS
      FOR THE CIVIL COURTS TO APPLY...
      1. Notice carefully Deut 19:15-21; Exo 21:22-23
      2. They were given to guide the priests in meriting out proper
         punishment

   C. IT APPEARS THAT THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES HAD...
      1. Interpreted these statements so as to justify PERSONAL
         retribution!
      2. Applied them by frequently taking matters of revenge into their
         own hands
      -- JUST AS MANY PEOPLE DO TODAY!

   D. BUT THE LAW OF MOSES REPEATEDLY FORBID "PERSONAL" VENGEANCE...
      1. Consider Lev 19:18; Pr 20:22; 24:29
      2. Both in the Old Testament and the New Testament, the matter of
         vengeance was to be left up to God and His duly appointed
         agents:  CIVIL GOVERNMENTS - cf. Ro 12:19; 13:1-4

[Therefore, there is really no difference between what the Law taught 
and what we find in the New Testament; there is no place for personal
vengeance in the lives of those who the children of God.

Now let's examine more closely...]

II. THE "RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE KINGDOM" AS TAUGHT BY JESUS

   A. JESUS PROCLAIMED TWO PRINCIPLES...
      1. DO NOT RESIST AN EVIL PERSON (39a)
         a. Not only should you not take vengeance into your own 
            hands...
         b. But don't even oppose (resist) the evil person when the
            evil is being done!
      2. REACT TO THE EVIL BEING DONE, BY DOING GOOD! (39b-42)
         a. This principle is illustrated by Jesus with several
            examples...
            1) Reacting to PHYSICAL ABUSE  (39b)
               a) "Turn the other cheek"
               b) This may refer to offering the other cheek as an
                  expression of love
            2) Reacting to a CIVIL SUIT, by giving more than what the
               person is suing for! (40)
            3) Reacting to GOVERNMENT OPPRESSION, by offering to do
               more than what is being demanded of you! (41)
            4) Reacting to THOSE ASKING FOR HELP, by giving them what
               ask for! (42)
         b. In each case, the principle is the same
            1) We are not to resist the person...
               a) Who would mistreat us
               b) Who would try to deprive us of our possessions
            2) Instead, react in a positive manner...
               a) Demonstrate love towards them
               b) Do so by giving them freely MORE than they were 
                  hoping to gain by force, oppression, or manipulation!

   B. IS THIS TO BE TAKEN LITERALLY?
      1. Why not?
         a. We have several O.T. examples...
            1) JOSEPH, in forgiving his brothers - Gen 45:4-15
            2) DAVID, in sparing the life of Saul - 1Sa 24:8-15
            3) ELISHA, in feeding the army of the Arameans - 2Ki 6:
               8-23
         b. We also have several N.T. examples...
            1) JESUS, our prime example - 1Pe 2:20-23
            2) STEPHEN, when he was being stoned - Ac 7:59-60
            3) THE HEBREW CHRISTIANS, who "joyfully accepted" the
               plundering of their goods - He 10:32-34
      2. If not, then how do we apply these words of Jesus?
         a. What does Jesus mean?
         b. Give some examples of how to apply these teachings... ???

   C. ARE WE TO APPLY IT "UNCONDITIONALLY"?
      1. I.e., must we decide who is "worthy" to receive this kind of
         treatment?
         a. Jesus does not give us any indication that we are to use
            "discretion"
         b. Paul does give some qualifying instructions (e.g., 2Th 3:
            10)...
            1) But it applies to those who are Christians
            2) And we have a responsibility to "judge" those in the
               church, leaving those outside to God - 1Co 5:9-13
      2. I find striking the attitude of the Christians of the second
         century, A.D.:
         a. "Do good, and give liberally to all who are in need from
            the wages God gives you. Do not hesitate about to whom you
            should not give. Give to all. For God wishes gifts to be
            made to all out of His bounties." (Hermas, 135 A.D.)
         b. "And he said to love not only our neighbors but also our
            enemies, and to be givers and sharers not only with the
            good but also to be liberal givers towards those who take
            away our possessions." (Irenaeus, 185 A.D.)
         c. "Do not judge those who is worthy and who is unworthy, for
            it is possible for you to be mistaken in your opinion. In
            the uncertainty of ignorance it is better to do good to the
            unworthy for the sake of the worthy, than by guarding
            against those who are less good not to encounter the good.
            For by sparing and trying to test those who are well-
            deserving or not, it is possible for you to neglect some
            who are loved by God, the penalty for which is the eternal
            punishment of fire. But by helping all those in need in
            turn you must assuredly find some who are able to save you
            before God." (Clement of Alexandria, 190 A.D.)
         -- These statements were written at a time when Christians
            were constantly mistreated, abused, and manipulated by
            others!

CONCLUSION

1. Summarizing the teachings of Jesus concerning vengeance...
   a. Do not resist evil
   b. Respond to evil by doing good in turn

2. The teachings of Jesus in this passage are admittedly challenging,
   and opposed to what what we might call "human nature"

3. But we are called upon to be "partakers of the divine nature" (2 Pe
   1:4); in other words, to be more like God than men

4. And as we will see in the next lesson, it is in order to be truly
   "sons of your Father in heaven" that Jesus teaches a standard of
   righteousness that far exceeds that of the Scribes, Pharisees, and
   most people today!

At the very least, let us expend as much energy in seeing how we can
apply this passage to lives, as many spend in trying to explain it
doesn't really mean what it appears to say!
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