Eye, tooth and cheek
Series: Metamorphosis | Bible text: Matthew 5:38–42
Many think that the motto «an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth» is a very anarchic and bloodthirsty one. The opposite is the case: this directive served as a precept of the public courts and helped to curb evil. Jesus then addresses the personal dealings among his followers. There, virtues such as gentleness and magnanimity are to be promoted. There is a clear differentiation between the task of the state and the personal handling of conflicts.
A sandbox scenario could look like this: Jonas steals the small shovel from Lars, his neighbour’s boy, who is playing with him in the sandpit. Lars doesn’t take this lying down and snatches the shovel from his friend. The conflict escalates. Jonas destroys the bridge construction that Lars has built, until finally the beautiful sand castle lies in ruins. Conflicts have a tendency to escalate, similar to Mani Matter’s song, in which the scenario occurs that a world war could result from the lighting of a match.
The revenge has a tendency to escalate. Lamech declares wholeheartedly to his two wives that he would kill a person who hurt him even slightly in a moment. «If Cain is avenged sevenfold, Lamech shall be avenged seventy-sevenfold!»(Genesis 4:24 NLB). Could he have impressed his wives with this?
Regulation before the public court
«You have heard that in the Law of Moses it says: «Whoever injures someone in the eye shall himself be injured in the eye. And he who knocks out another’s tooth shall himself lose a tooth for it».»(Matthew 5:38 NLB). What you hear again and again is: «An eye for an eye, that is the barbaric motto, the Jewish retaliation practice of the Old Testament. For us Christians, the New Testament commandment applies: Love your neighbour as yourself!» This pits Christianity against Judaism. Moreover, one derives from this, among other things, the view that Christians should not offer resistance, and pacifism is glorified. This has no basis whatsoever.
Jesus draws on three biblical passages from the Torah for the principle of «an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth». If one reads these texts with an open mind, it becomes clear that this is not about retribution, but about compensation for damages. All texts deal with the public trial, state law is defined. At that time, pagan peoples lived around the Jews, who reacted with blood revenge. One of the basic principles of the Torah was to establish law and justice. The punishment for a crime is named as precisely as possible and the compensation for the victim is limited. The focus of «an eye for an eye» is that one does not have to pay for the damage with «double coin».
This is therefore the public regulation of the law and not personal revenge. The punishment should not be higher than the transgression. The state cannot dispense with punishment to protect its citizens. Toleration of the aggressor destroys society. It was never Jesus» intention to question the legal basis of the Torah. He does not advocate anarchism or pacifism.
A few years ago we had a talk with Susanne Geske. Her husband, along with two other men, was tortured and brutally murdered for three hours by five young Turkish men. At almost 100 court hearings she saw the perpetrators again and again. On the television she said: «I wish for these five young Turkish men that God forgives them, because they do not know what they are doing..» A journalist had written: «With this one sentence she has said more than a thousand missionaries can say in a thousand years.» It is admirable that this woman said that God forgive the men even though they did something terrible. But it is equally right that the Turkish government holds these men accountable and punishes them. The state is responsible for public law and must enforce it. However, we should not take personal revenge and detest, put down or destroy persons.
Regulation among the followers of Jesus
«But I say: Do not resist if someone does you evil! He who strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.»(Matthew 5:39 NLB). Now Jesus talks about how it should work among his followers. So now it is about personal feuds in private dealings. Paul is surprised that there were people in Corinth who took their quarrel with another church member to a secular court (1 Corinthians 6:1). After a short discussion he arrives at the quintessence: «The fact that you are taking each other to court at all is already a defeat for all of you. Why are you not ready to be wronged? Why can’t you stand it when someone enriches himself at your expense?»(V.7 NLB). Jesus takes a similar line here.
«Whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him». A normal slap with the right hand hits the left cheek. Jesus means the slap with the back of the hand. A person who does this is very aggressive inside. But he does not want to show his aggression – otherwise he would hit with his fist – because he would lose face. You don’t do something like that in the heat of the moment, but with full calculation. Accordingly, in the Mishnah, the punishment for a blow with the back of the hand is twice as severe as a blow with the fist.
Jesus actually asks: How should a person react when he is insulted like this? How do you properly resolve conflict situations with your neighbour? According to Jesus, we must not declare war on our neighbour. The call to turn the left cheek is nothing more than an image of the conflict being acted out, just as slapping the right side is an image of an unjust act. The left cheek held out forces the tormentor to reconsider his aggression.
If someone insults you with a kick in the shin (slap with the back of the hand), then bring the matter to the table so that the other person has to take a stand and so his anger comes to light (offer him the left cheek). This is the solution to the conflict within the community so as not to go to court.
How do we react when we are treated unfairly? If we let ourselves be guided by our feelings, then we can become very angry. In this case, we hardly think «tooth for tooth», but would like to tear the opponent’s head off: Head for a tooth. If, on the other hand, we allow ourselves to be guided by the spirit and control our feelings, we can offer the opponent constructive conversation as a response. This corresponds to turning the other cheek. This disarms the other person of his aggression. And after the emotions have been expressed in the conversation, one can try to restore unity. This was already recommended by the wise Solomon: «A friendly answer soothes anger, offending words arouse it»(Proverbs 15:1 NLB). And Paul says: «See that no one repays evil with evil, but always try to do good to one another and also to everyone else!»(1Thessalonians 5:15 NLB). In the high song of love we also learn that tolerating and loving belong together: «Love tolerates everything»(1 Corinthians 13:7 NLB).
«If you have to appear in court and your shirt is taken off, give your coat to them as well»(Matthew 5:40 NLB). In ancient Israel, the guilty person had to deposit a pledge. The poor people deposited their coat by day and their shirt by night. But there were people who refused to give their pledge. Jesus says: You do not have to provoke your opponent unnecessarily and should accept this rule.
Actually, this is about the attitude towards material possessions. Jesus challenges to renounce one’s own right. The Jewish tradition knows such a kind of justice: There is a fourfold mindset among people: He who says, «Mine is mine and yours is yours,» that is the way of the mediocre. […] «Mine is yours and yours is mine», that is the kind of the lawless. «Mine is yours and yours is yours», that is the pious. «Yours is mine and mine is mine», that is the sacrilegious.
Giving others what is theirs and at the same time being generous with their own is the attitude of a follower of Jesus.. Due to experience to the contrary, the following proverb has come into being: «Being a Christian stops at the purse!»
«If someone asks you to go a mile with him, go two miles with him»(Matthew 5:41 NLB). Yesterday, the blessing feast and wedding of an Eritrean family took place in our bistro. For some time now, we have become something like a family of reference for them. Since they have to live very modestly financially, I offered them the bistro for free to hold the feast. So far so good. But suddenly they asked me if I would drive with them to Heiden AR at 5:00 on Saturday morning, because that is where the church is, where they will be blessed. Do I want to invest so much time and expense? When I accepted this service, I did not know that today it was about the second mile.
The Roman soldiers had claimed for themselves the right to force other people to go with them in order to carry something heavy for no consideration. The most famous example is Simon of Cyrene, who was forced to carry Jesus» cross after him, although he had just come tired from the field (Mark 15:21). Jesus wants to tell us with these wordsNot frustration about discrimination, but better justice should motivate us to go a second mile beyond the minimum. We also owe state power bearers the testimony of tolerating love. How pathetic in comparison is constant criticism of the state, in which not infrequently Christians also participate.
«Give to those who ask you, and do not turn your backs on those who want to borrow from you.»(Matthew 5:42 NLB). Does Jesus want to oblige us to give of our material goods to anyone who asks? Maybe the other person buys alcohol or other drugs with it. Have we not learned not to give to beggars? Jesus interprets the following Bible passage: «Give gladly without complaining. Then the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore, I command you to be generous to the poor and needy Israelites.»(Deut. 15:10f NLB). So it is not begging or frivolous pumping, but helping in need. And – it is better to deceive yourself once in favour of the needy than always in my favour.
The Sermon on the Mount is about virtues and character. The last few weeks have been about serenity and gentleness, self-control, faithfulness and love, truthfulness and honesty and today about magnanimity and meekness. All these are virtues that we find in God and that make up his character. When Christ lives in us and is given space, we are transformed into his image. And this happens at the very points we are targeting. God does not work past us!
Possible questions for the small groups
Read Bible text: Matthew 5:38–42; Romans 12:17–21
- Read Romans 12:17–21 and compare this passage with the sermon text. What stands out?
- What would happen if the state acted according to Matthew 5:39 in its courts?
- Suppose you were to keep verses 39–42: What does this thought do to you? What effects would this have on your environment?
- What does it mean in concrete terms to turn the «left cheek»? What does the image stand for? Is this concept realisable?
- Love tolerates everything (1 Corinthians 13:7). What should one tolerate in life? What not?
