Lesson 9. Do Not Resist Evil. The “Foundations of the Teachings of Christ” School. A series of foundational teachings that Jesus Christ taught His disciples on the mountain.
Matt. 5:38–42 You have heard that it was said: an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you: do not resist evil. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also; and whoever wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your cloak as well; and whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
The key commandment of Jesus in this passage from the Sermon on the Mount is – do not resist evil. Jesus teaches about evil people who enter into conflict with us, sue us, compel us to do something, or demand from us something that does not belong to them.
Matt. 5:38 You have heard that it was said: an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth
Jesus reminds us that the law previously prescribed responding to an adversary in kind. But now He commands us to live in an entirely different way.
Matt. 5:39 But I tell you: do not resist evil…
- resist [antisténai] – to resist, rise up against, oppose, withstand, contend against.
By saying – do not resist evil, Jesus is saying – do not repay evil with evil.
Matt. 5:39… But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also
Jesus did not mean for this to be done literally, but gave it as an understandable example. He could simply have said, “if anyone strikes you,” but He specifically mentioned the cheek. Why? A strike on the right cheek (with the back of the hand) was twice as insulting to a person under Jewish rabbinic law as a strike with the open palm.
Thus, Jesus is saying: “Even if someone inflicts a humiliating or deliberate insult on you, never take revenge or respond in kind.”
Jesus’ command to turn the other cheek confuses many people, but it is clearly better to remain insulted and humiliated than to get involved in even greater trouble.
Matt. 5:40 and if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, give him your outer garment
- A shirt (chiton—the undergarment) was less valuable than an outer garment (himation—a cloak or robe worn over the chiton).
This concerns an evil person who wants to sue you in order to take something that belongs to you. Jesus teaches us to avoid lawsuits, and if giving up something more is necessary to do so, it is better to do it.
Jesus is not opposed to courts or the laws of the country that can protect us. Here He is speaking about a situation in which an enemy provokes us into a struggle and retaliation. The issue is not the shirt; it was ours anyway, and the court would rule in our favor. The issue is the enemy’s desire to draw us into deeper conflict and cause us greater harm.
It is better not to give evil any opportunity to involve us in even greater evil.
Matt. 5:41 and whoever compels you to go with him one mile, go with him two.
- Mile [mИлион]—a mile. This word denotes a specific distance, approximately 2 km (a Roman mile—a thousand double paces).
- To compel [аггарЭисей]. This word comes from the Persian [аггареус], meaning courier. The ancient Persians had an extraordinary postal system for their time. All roads were divided into sections equal to a day’s journey. At the end of each section there were fresh horses, feed and water, as well as food for the courier. But if something was missing or unavailable at a station, any person could be compelled to provide food, shelter, assistance, and horses, or even to carry the message himself to the next station. This kind of compulsion was called [аггарЭисей].
In an occupied country, the population could be compelled to supply food, provide lodging, and transport cargo. Palestine was a conquered and occupied country, and at any moment a Jew could feel the touch of a Roman soldier’s spear on his shoulder and hear that he was being called upon to serve the Romans, perhaps by performing the hardest and most menial work. This is exactly what happened to Simon of Cyrene when he was compelled [аггарЭисей] to carry the Cross of Jesus.
Jesus teaches us about those who have power or authority over us. If such people force us to do some work, it is better not to resist them, but to do it.
Matthew 5:42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
To better understand this verse, we need to look at the Gospel of Luke, where this commandment is repeated and described in greater detail.
Luke 6:27–30 But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. To the one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from the one who takes away your outer garment, do not withhold your shirt either. Give to everyone who asks you, and from the one who takes what is yours, do not demand it back. Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the ungrateful and evil.
- asks — to ask, plead, demand, seek to obtain. In this context—one who demands.
- takes — to remove, carry away, take away, take off, seize, capture.
As we can see, the phrase “give to the one who asks you” refers to an ENEMY who demands from you and takes things away.
How often do enemies try to borrow money from you? Not often. Clearly, the thought here continues to concern opposition against you. Jesus is again saying that, by any means, you should part from your enemy in peace and not begin any kind of conflict with him.
But why should we act this way?
There is a reason Jesus teaches us to deal with evil in this particular way and not another. Did Jesus really give these commandments so that we would suffer? Did He really not understand what He was saying? Did He really not understand that this way we lose something?
It gives the impression that Jesus teaches us to lose to evil;
- to the one who strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.
- If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, give him your coat as well.
- If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two.
- Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
But in reality, Jesus is not teaching us to surrender to evil, but teaching us how to overcome evil. Jesus is not disarming us before evil through these commandments; on the contrary, Jesus gives us the powerful weapon of God with which we can overcome evil.
Evil is the weapon of the enemy. Goodness and love are God’s weapons. Evil cannot be overcome with evil; it can be overcome only with goodness. The Apostle Paul explains this subject very clearly in his letter to the Romans.
Rom. 12:17–21 Repay no one evil for evil, but provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to wrath [of God]. For it is written: Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for in doing this you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
In other words, if we respond to evil with evil (verse 17), we are overcome by that evil (verse 21). If we respond to evil with evil, we only multiply evil! If we respond to evil with goodness, then we overcome that evil and tear down its strongholds.
Jesus did not respond to evil, insults, slander, or humiliation. In this, He showed us an example of how we should act. When Stephen was stoned, he did not ask for vengeance but asked forgiveness for those people.
Thus, Jesus teaches us to treat our enemies in a way completely opposite to how they treat us.
Luke 6:35–36 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore, be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
For this humility, we are promised two great blessings:
- your reward will be great.
- you will be sons of the Most High.
End of lesson.
Source: Father’s Blessing Church
Teacher: Dmitriy Leo
