"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.'”
Barbarians taught ‘If someone gouges out your eye, you can in return gouge out both of his. If someone knocked out your tooth, then you can knock out a number of his. If someone bodily harmed you, you can go ahead and kill the other guy.’ Revenge is something that doesn't have to be taught. Our feelings for getting even run deep.
Moses law was supposed to bring about some sanity in revengeful people. The law limited the retaliation to only the guilty party and only to the degree that you were harmed. Hence, we read eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. If he knocked out one of your eyes, you could only avenge one eye, not both and so forth. In Exodus 21:23-25 the instruction was only for the judge of disputes. Justice was given to society, not to the individual. Many of these guidelines are the guidelines of Islamic countries. They need to be tried and found guilty before proper revenge is applied. In our country, it is financial compensation for injury or compensation for some action that is against us.
Jesus here is speaking to individuals, "Don't get even, don't seek revenge at all. Instead, the one who has a new heart from God must show love and forgiveness. That just doesn’t seem fair.
As Christians, we are members of the Kingdom of God. As humans we still belong to a sinful, deprived world that is under Satan's domain. Scriptures call him “the prince of this world”. So, we are conflicted. If you were to take Jesus’ instruction to its natural conclusion without qualification, “do not resist an evil person,” then we should eliminate all the police force, all armed forces, and the court system. If facing a robber is Jesus saying, “Don't resist him?” If so, we should open all jails and you would have complete chaos, for man's heart is sinful. God has given civil authority to governments for the expressed purpose of keeping law.
Jesus isn't talking about the need for social protection, but the spirit of personal revenge to get back at the other person. How can we realize that sin needs to be paid for, but also realize that God calls us to go beyond our emotions and seek forgiveness? We want the evil person punished. We want to get back at someone who has crossed the line of our personal boundaries.
Personal revenge does not lead to real peace. Give it up to God.
Application: Jesus' example is demonstrated for us even for those who are in the wrong. Paul understood this when he taught Romans 12:19 " Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord."
Prayer: Lord, You know all things and see all things. In knowing that I know that I do not need to seek revenge, but surrender all to you.
