“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 shirt, give your coat as well, and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you."
Matthew 5:38-42 (NRSVue)
This passage is contextual to a people who live in a country occupied by a foreign power. If you were struck on your right cheek, you have likely been backhanded which is how a person would treat a slave. By turning your cheek to the left, you would force the person to strike you as an equal. You may be bruised but you retain more of your dignity.
In giving a shirt and cloak, this may refer to Exodus 22:26-27 which states:
If you take your neighbor’s cloak as guarantee, you shall restore it before the sun goes down, for it may be your neighbor’s only clothing to use as a cover. In what else shall that person sleep? And when your neighbor cries out to me, I will listen, for I am compassionate.
So if a person was extracting your shirt from you to pay a debt, and you began to strip off your cloak as well, this was supposed to be returned to them by sundown. If you started removing your clothes in public, this could actually be humiliating to the person seeking your shirt. They would be seen as merciless.
And finally, a Roman soldier could force a Jewish person to carry their pack for a mile. By going the extra mile, one could reassert their power in the relationship.
Gandhi has often been credited with saying, "An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind."
If we employ nonviolent resistance, this allows for the retention of our self-respect where there is a power differential. When we can show the enemy that they have no power over us, this may also help remove any resentment we may feel toward that person.
As we move through Lent, where do you find resentment toward others in your life? How can you employ tactics that will restore your relationship to a more even footing? How can you remove the resentment you may feel?
Prayer for the day: Benevolent God, there are times when we do feel that others are taking advantage of us. To be honest, this gets under our skin and doesn't help us to feel kindly toward them. Help us to retain our dignity without retaliating. May we see that retaliation lowers us to a level that you would have us avoid. Grant us the sense that you continue to walk with us even in our trials. Amen.
Photo by Paulsasleepwalker via Flickr.com. Used under the Creative Commons license.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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