Their own Law was powerless in the face of greater Roman might. Jews understandably found the forced labor to be humiliating, but they were unable to refuse or resist. One of the most hated conditions of Roman occupation was that the Roman soldiers, as they marched across the land, could legally force any Jewish male to carry the soldier's pack for a distance of one mile. The land of Israel at the time Jesus spoke was under the domination of Rome evidence of this foreign occupation was everywhere, causing much anger and resentment among Jews who were nonetheless powerless to act against it. Of the several examples Jesus uses in the passage, one in particular would have shocked and confused his original listeners. We must understand the spiritual power of nonresistance.
If we are to continue to grow into a full expression of the Power of God, however, we must embrace a new perspective. "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" is sufficient for a primitive level of justice when we are struggling through the wilderness dimension of our human adventure. Not all actions allowable under the Law are right and appropriate for our new level of awareness. It’s not that the Law of Hebrew scripture is wrong it’s that Jesus is calling us to a more advanced dimension of spiritual awareness.
But in the bigger picture, how does this help me? Comment:Īgain and again in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus takes his listeners beyond the well-established standards of the Law into a new dimension of spiritual understanding. Why? I've been doing this recently and it's been a humbling experience for me.
Why did Jesus Christ teach that we should not seek revenge? It's my understanding that we should actually pray for our enemies. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also" (Matthew 5:38-39 RSV). “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 one who is evil.