What does this mean?
I have a question I would like to ask. In the book of Matthew when Jesus was giving the sermon on the mount there are a couple of verses that I would like to get your opinion on.
An Eye for an Eye
38“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’[g] 39But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
In particular what does “If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” mean to you? Have you ever been in this situation? What did you do?
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Heath,
When I first read the passage, my first instinct was that as Christians, we should always do more than expected - not to glorify ourselves, but to express God’s love. So, if we are forced to walk the first mile, show our love by doing more - walk the second. I guess a way I’ve experienced this in my life is when I have done something for someone else - not something I was obligated to do, but because I wanted to. An example would be making a dinner for someone in need; making a monetary contribution to someone in need…etc. I googled the passage about the walk and came up with lots of stuff. I liked this one the best: http://www.redlandbaptist.org/sermons/sermon19980104.php.
Thanks for making me think this morning!
Ashley
interesting part to ask about, most go for the “why does Jesus want me to gougue my eye out” thing. The interesting part of the second section is because we live in this country we rarely “have to” do anything, but I think this is where we get the term “go the extra mile”. That I try to do with just about everything I do. Don’t know if I am all that successful but I try. I think it is actually a personality thing with me, sort of obsessive compulsive makes it easier to go father than someone else
If you are looking for real practical terms, I sold a guy in St. Louis a motor home of ours (up in CO) and he wanted me to help with this or that but he just kept going. I have now spent hours upon hours with him on the phone, I have arranged for a neighbor to do things for him in CO concerning the sale, and provided things to include with the motor home that was never mentioned in the sale. He paid us next to nothing for it, but I do want him to have a successful pickup, and he has actually told me several times that I have gone beyond what I needed to do. I didn’t do it that way so he would say that (or so I would have something to say here) but mainly because that is what I expect out of myself, and this verse is a good one to go by. Don’t know if that is what you were looking for or not?
On the other hand, if you want to lend me a bunch of $$$ that I don’t have to pay back (v42) then just let me know ( I added the not pay back part
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Scott Fillmers last blog post..Creative Chaos 21 // The Money Series
Funny this should come up, I just preached on this passage last Sunday. I was doing a sermon entitled “What is Jesus really meant what He said?” We took a look through Matthew 5 at some of the things he said, like the one above, that I think we sometimes try to spiritualize rather than take at face value.
If you read a couple of different version and do a little Greek study (I’m no scholar) you get the sense that Jesus was not telling everyone to just be forgiving and choose not to take revenge (which IS part of the equation), but to be the sort of person that literally keeps themselves open to hurt and abuse even after you’ve been hurt and abused.
Like the “turn the other cheek” phrase, can also be rendered “offer then your other cheek,” as in if they hit you once, your reaction should be “here, go ahead and do it again.”
Some of the translations render the part about being forced to go a mile as “if a soldier forces you to carry his equipment one mile, carry it two.” I asked the congregation the question, “What if a listener that day on the mount put that one into practice? What if, one day, they were forced by a Roman soldier to carry their stuff for a mile, and at the end they offered lovingly to carry it another mile? Do you think that might have had an impact on building the Kingdom? How many Roman soldiers might have come to Christ because they were shown a little love by a Christ-follower? It all goes back to ‘pray for your enemies also.’”
I think the application, to me, is what if I left myself completely open and vulnerable and loving in this way? How many conflicts might be avoided? How many souls might come to Christ because of this kind of humility and love?
All great responses so far. Thank you!
I think of the Roman soldier thing…there is a lot that can be said in some good ol mile walking…
I think of a lady that i help from time to time. She always has one project for me but invariably she mentions another while i am there. Go another mile, meet another need, takes another hour or so of my time, but is typically worth it in my book.
I am grateful for folks who walked that mile with me when i didn’t Deserve it….
Interesting. We discussed this in our Sunday school class just a few weeks ago.
Mostly, we were in agreement with Mr Jeff’s analysis above, with two minor additions:
We had a lot of discussion on “turn the other cheek”, a couple folks felt that this meant one should never retaliate, even in self-defense. The majority disagreed and felt this led to ‘doormat Christians’, as well as non-productive co-dependent behaviors. Our lesson book (and most of the classes study bibles or opinions) seemed to interpret this as “don’t hold a grudge, just let it go”. Retaliation breeds contempt which, while not only a non-christian attitude, also leads to escalation, yada yada yada.
The second point (verse 42), got even more discussion. Again, at face value, it seems to say “if someone asks something of you, you are obligated to give it.” Again, this can lead to being a doormat and being taken advantage of. We’ve all had occasions where a Pan-handler bums $5 off you ‘for gas to get to ‘, only to find the same guy 1 or 2 weeks later in the same parking lot with the same line. You get angry at yourself for being taken, and it hardens you to any future possible requests from someone who might really be in need. Also, as in the case, say, of a relative, if they keep asking for something and we keep giving, are we enablers? Do we keep giving an alcoholic brother in law $ knowing he’s going to spend it on booze even though every time he promises he’s going clean? And, What about that one time you don’t help him, but he REALLY was trying to change? You may have just re-enforced his self-deprecating worthlessness, increasing his dependence on the bottle.
Needless to say, it was a tough class to work through, I think we all came away with more questions than answers. Thanks for the reminder, sometimes we all have to remember we have another cheek to offer.