We begin today with the context of Matthew 5:43-48 – our key text for this class. So we look at . . .
The Sermon on the Mount
This is found in Matthew 5-7. This is a concentrated section of Jesus’ teaching on God’s will for us. He gives us the demands of Christian discipleship; what it means to be a follower of Jesus. And he does this, in part, in comparison with what the Law of Moses says. This is especially the case in . . .
Matthew 5:17-48
This is a subsection of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus states here that he did not come to abolish the Law. He came to fulfill the Law – to complete or perfect it; to raise the standard. He then he gives six examples of the greater righteousness of the Kingdom of God, all with some form of the formula – “You have heard that it was said to those of old . . ., But I say to you . . ..”
He deals with:
1. Murder/angry words
2. Adultery/lust
3. Divorce
4. Promissory oaths
5. Nonresistance
6. Enemy love
Literarily there are two sets of three examples – 1-3 and 4-6, because the formula is repeated in full in the first and the forth examples. But theme-wise, they come in three sets of two examples:
- The first two contrast obvious sins with less obvious expressions of the same evil. Murder is wrong, but so is destructive anger that tears down. Adultery is wrong, but so is the lustful look for adultery.
- The second two deal with binding commitments we make – marriage/divorce and promising to do something by means of an oath.
- The third two focus on reciprocity or returning harm for harm. Nonresistance has to do with an eye for an eye. And enemy love has to do with loving your neighbor, but hating your enemy. Both focus on the practice of giving back what you get from others. As we will see, Jesus forbids this harm for harm approach.
So this is the context for our focus text – Matthew 5:43-48, which we will begin to look at next week. For the rest of this lesson we will look at the passage right before this where Jesus talks about . . .
Nonresistance
Today I will do something that I don’t like to do. I’m gonna open up a can of worms without enough time to put them all back in. That is to say, I can’t cover all the aspects of nonresistance and the questions of interpretation or practical questions that arise. So what I will do is focus in on the one point I want to make today and then give you a handout to look at for the rest.
Here is the text: “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist an evildoer, but if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who demands from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.” – Matthew 5:38-42
The Mennonite position has been that nonresistance is the same as enemy love. There is no difference. So to love your enemy means, at least in part, not resisting them if they seek to harm you. The one point I want to make today is that nonresistance has to do with enemies who hold a place of authority over you. It has a particular context that we need to take into account. It has to do with a particular kind of enemy. And you will see why this is important at the end.
Why do I say that nonresistance has to do with enemies who are authorities?
1. In Matthew 5 these are two different examples, not one. That is, nonresistance and enemy love. The literary structure and pattern shows this. There are six separate examples, not five, as we saw. The last two are related by theme – harm for harm, but are different examples, just as the other examples in Matthew 5 are different. So they shouldn’t be read as one example.
2. The word “resist” here is best understood as “rebel.” The word means literally “to set oneself against,” or “to oppose.” It often means opposing someone in an argument or a contest. But it is also used in the sense of opposing a power higher or stronger than you. And it takes on the meaning of rebellion when the power is an authority over you, as it is used in Romans 13:2. And indeed -
3. The examples given by Jesus are of oppressive authorities:
- The cheek example: “Whoever strikes you on the right cheek” (v. 39b). In its cultural context this refers to an insult rather than an assault. It is a backhanded slap with the right hand to the right cheek of the other person. It is done by someone in a position of authority to someone ‘under’ them. In that day, a master could strike a slave, a husband a wife, a parent a child, a Roman a Jew, a magistrate a subject, etc. In each case it is a way of putting the person in their place and a reminder of who is in charge. In this context the assumption is that it is done unjustly.
- The garment example: “To the one who likes to sue you and take your undershirt” (v. 40). Only the very poor had just their clothes to give in pledge for a loan. In this case the creditor is forcing the debtor to pay up by use of legal authority. The creditor has a right to have the loan repaid. But the creditor here is an oppressor because the Mosaic Law commands compassion on the poor, and specifically not to take their clothes away (Exodus 22:26-27).
- A set of three requisition examples: 1) “Whoever compels you to go one mile” (v. 41). This was the practice of the Roman army. As victorious conquerors they had the right to requisition forced labor, among other things. One example of forced labor was to carry their army packs of 60-85 pounds up to 1 mile. Once again this is an example of oppressive authority. The militarily strong impose their will on their subjects. Verse 42 continues in this same vein speaking of other requisition demands that the Roman government and army put on the people. 2) The one “who demands from you.” Sometimes they were required to feed and give supplies to soldiers; to “quarter” them. This phrase may also have included paying imperial taxes (Matthew 22:21). 3) The one “who wants to borrow from you.” At times they were required, for instance, to loan animals for government use, which were not always returned.
So, in each of these examples, Jesus is dealing with authorities who treat you unjustly. This is the one point that I want to make.
Overview of nonresistance
See the handout – Overview of Nonresistance:
1) When you suffer injustice at the hands of an authority (we have just looked at this).
2) And you are in a situation of powerlessness, with no means to correct it, as in all these examples (Handout – “Do not resist an evildoer” – #3).
3) Don’t rebel, but submit to the authority and endure the injustice (Handout – #4). There are other things you can do as well (see handout – Question 2).
4) As you endure, look to God for your justice (see handout – #5).
Nonresistance and enemy love
What have we learned from this? The command “do not resist” applies to a particular situation, not to all enemies. This has to do only with a particular kind of enemy who is an authority over you and you are powerless before them.
So, as we will see, when it comes to loving enemies more generally, if nonresistance is not the command – this opens up many more possibilities of response. The command is simply to love them.
