Matthew 5:38, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’” This sounds a lot like backyard justice—the kind we’d dole out as kids. This language first appears in Exodus 21:24, and is called the “Lex Talionis.” It lists, “life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, bruise for bruise, wound for wound.” The OT Law established a legal ceiling to “restrain” runaway vengeance. For instance, if you were wronged, it was to be one eye for one eye, or one tooth for one tooth, and no more.
The Lex Talionis, though archaic, was given as a civil and legal restraint. Could you imagine if we had such a law today? Lawyers would be put out of business overnight, our courtrooms vacant. It would also empty our prisons. If you were made subject to the same evils or folly you perpetrated on others you would be very careful, and think twice before doing something impulsive, reckless, or evil. But as we know—the evil human heart, when provoked, is practically unrestrainable. The Jewish people nodded at the Lex Talionis, much less kept it, much less enforced it.
Did anyone catch the headlines out of France this week? High School students, radicalized by their own teachers, and the teachers by their unions… took to the streets. They were enraged because of the chronic underfunding, the overcrowded classrooms, severe teacher shortages, aging facilities, and deterioration of their public schools. The level of violence has been breathtaking. Administrative staff attempted to keep the schools open and de-escalate the crisis. But they were pelted with projectiles and attacked by violent factions. One student aimed a makeshift blowtorch at a woman pointblank, setting her face and hair on fire, permanently disfiguring her. A female police officer was tripped and severely beaten. I thought, “These are high school kids? Please raise my property taxes! You need 10% more?”
Think of the level of vengeful rage it takes to set a woman on fire. The lure of violence has always been powerful. And sadly, the lure of violence is as old as human history. In Genesis 4:23-24, an angry young man by the name of Lamech, who was an offspring of murderous Cain, wrote a clever rap lyric: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice: wives of Lamech, listen to what I say: I killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me. If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times.”
Violence didn’t come straight out of Compton, nor did violent rap music. It’s been spiraling out of men’s hearts since beginning. Not just out of France, not just out of the Middle East… not just the among the young… no, straight out of our own hearts. Violence spirals out of control in our culture, on our streets, in our homes, and if we’re honest… in our own hearts. Want to establish your power? Make your voice heard? Get vigilante-street justice? Generation after generation, violence gets encoded. It’s Batman. Bing, Bang, Boom. But worse, “Eye for Eyes. Tooth for Teeth. Life for Lives.”
On a greater scale, violence isn’t just tool of personal vengeance. It’s the tool of every human revolution. And left unchecked, metastasizes like an aggressive cancer. Let me remind you where we started this series: Jesus declaration that he didn’t come to “abolish” but “fulfill” the Law and Prophets. Our compulsion is to burn the world down around us. Burn down every human structure or institution. Burn the city down, the library, schools, businesses. Torch the authorities—the police, the government. Torch your family and parents… even the poor fireman who comes to quench your fury.
Eye for Eye, Tooth for Tooth is our nation’s foreign policy, economic policy, domestic policy. You hit us, we hit back harder. It’s our personal policy. You encroach on my rights, I lawyer up and load up. You threaten my comfort, I destroy your livelihood and very name. We convince ourselves that retaliatory violence is righteous—we glamorize the vigilante (Bob Odenkirk, in Nobody. Denzel Washington in Equalizer, Jason Stratham in the Beekeeper) … but underneath the bravado, it’s just the ancient spirit of Lamech in modern dress." First, our grievance spills over into rage… then rage spills over into violent speech (Raca. Empty Head. You Fool)… then rage seeks power and oxygen… and power justifies violence… then all hell on earth gets unleashed. Revolution by violence—is there any other way?
Matthew 5:38-39, “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. 39 But I tell you, don’t resist an evildoer.” In this passage Jesus alludes to four destructive ways we cope with grievance, and muster our resistance to peace.
1. We Punch Back (But Harder). We fight cruelty with cruelties. Evil with Evils. Eye for Eyes. Tooth for Teeth. It’s not about justice, it’s more.
2. We Lawyer up. We take our enemies to court to punish them, or if taken to court, we refuse to settle. We exhaust every legal authority, power, and avenue at our disposal to bankrupt others, ruin their life. Win at all costs
3. We Dig in our Heels. We draw lines, refusing to yield. We get entrenched in our position or viewpoint, we refuse to budge so much as a centimeter.
4. We Become Inhuman. When you stop seeing your enemy as a “person” you abandon all kindness, generosity, and basic goodness. You resolve, let 'em pay!
In Matthew 5:38-42 Jesus proposes four, revolutionary, non-retaliatory responses when wronged. First, Turn the Other Cheek. “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. 39 But I tell you, don’t resist an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
Second, Avoid Legal Escalation (at all costs). 40 As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt, let him have your coat as well. Third, Walk Forward in Peace. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Fourth, Dignify People with Kindness. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.”
You might assume that the more evil our culture becomes, the less necessary Jesus’ teaching may become. But actually the opposite is true. The more evil the situation we’re subject to, the more necessary these responses become. Now some suggest Jesus is prescribing “pacifism” here. A derogatory caricature of pacifism is…
1. Never defend yourself. Let people abuse you violently.
2. Never exercise your full, legal rights.
3. Never stand your ground. Let your enemy lead you around like a lemming.
4. Never protect your wealth. Liquidate all worldly wealth for stake of peace.
How did the first followers of Jesus live out Jesus’s commands? In Luke 22:36-38, during the Lord’s Supper Jesus says, “But now, whoever has a money bag should take it, and also a traveling bag. And whoever doesn’t have a sword should sell his robe and buy one.” And in reference to himself Jesus says, “For I tell you, what is written must be fulfilled in me. “And he was counted among the lawless.” Yes what is written about me is coming to fulfillment.” “Lord” they said, “Look, here are two swords.” To which Jesus says, “that is enough.”
Now just what did Jesus mean “That is enough?” Is he speaking figuratively, literally? Your sword is actually your Bible. Prepare for Ephesians 6 spiritual warfare? Is he saying “two is enough” to defend yourselves vs shock and awe of Twelve armed disciples armed up like some rebel band? Or, is Jesus saying, “Enough violence” i.e. altogether?” Later in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter strikes a man and cuts off his ear to which Jesus says Matthew 26:52, “Put your sword back in its place because all who take up the sword will perish by the sword.”
When I consider the totality of Jesus’ teaching, I will simply echo what Jesus said. He said “All the Law and Prophets can be summarized as Loving God and Loving People.” The emblems of Jesus’ revolution are not vigilante violence, the knife-work of the zealot, unrestrained vengeance, shock and awe destruction, weaponized legal system, dehumanization of people created in image of God. The emblems of Christ’s revolution are baptism… a death to self, burial of old man of vengeance, the resurrection of life for God’s glory. The emblems of Christ’s revolution are broken body, and blood spilled not for the assured destruction of enemy but suffered for the possibility of their redemption. We’re part of an anti-vigilante revolution.
The disciples to whom Jesus’ speaks were all Men of Judah, a people living violent Roman occupation and oppression. At any given moment a Roman soldier could grab them by the scruff of their neck and demand the shirt off their back, to carry their armament the next mile, or extort a person of their daily wages. When wrong, the men of Judah have no “legal” rights or recourse. The zealots (of which Simon was one) kept a dagger in their cloak for just such instances. Two other of Jesus disciples, were known as the Sons of Thunder for their rage. If you live by vengeance, you’ll die by vengeance. Not only can vigilantism cost you your own life, but it can cause untold collateral damage to your family and people around you. Retaliation is rarely the first, or even best option. So often it’s better to step back, retreat, even suffer, than retaliate. Tolerance isn’t necessarily weakness… it’s most often wisdom. And violence isn’t power… it’s most often foolishness… and shortsighted.
In Matthew 5:43-48 Jesus commands a Revolutionary, Pro-Redemptive, Response to evil, “43 You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (CSB)”
Love is the revolution, and if you have faith to hear it, kindness has been God’s strategy from the very beginning. God’s kindness leads even his enemies to repentance—which is why you are sitting where you are sitting. God fought evil with good. On the cross Jesus prayed, he didn’t pour out his wrath, he didn’t give what was owed or even deserved. No he poured out his loving kindness, mercy, and grace. God sent his rain on the righteous and the unrighteous, his son to shine on good and evil. He first loved us even while we were enemies of God, as evidenced by our evil deeds.
In “Romans”, of all places, Paul translates Jesus’ teaching for God’s people living in the shadow of Caesar. Romans 12:17-21, “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Give careful thought to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for God’s wrath, because it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord. But if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head. Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good." (CSB)
Our revolution is not overcoming violence with violence, evil with evil. Christ’s revolution is to, by faith, overcome hatred with love and evil with good. It’s to radically recategorize our enemies as “neighbors.” To believe, to act for the good of their redemption. To be Salt. To be Light. To understanding ultimate justice, vengeance, judgement belongs to God. And to understand also God raises up authorities, and government, and even governments against governments, to restrain violence and bring peace. But as we wait on the Day of the Lord… our primary weapon, strategy, and revolution is kindness. And kindness is not weakness—it’s godliness. It’s the essence of being salt and light, transforming a world of spiraling, manic violence.
Invitation: Romans 2:4 Paul asks, “Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? (CSB)”