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Jesus’ conclusion about the Laws in Matthew chapter 5…  (Intro)

About anger, in 5:21-26… About lust and divorce, in 5:27-32…  About oaths, in 5:33-37…

— At the end of Matthew 5, Jesus gives more challenges for us to understand and obey…

Matthew 5:38-42 (ESV) “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ (39) But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. (40) And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. (41) And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. (42) Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

— These verses may be hard for us to follow, considering the realities of our days.

(Such as… How to deal with addicts begging for money?)

— We require the Wisdom from God, to know how best to handle such requests.

— However, we must step back into the times in which Jesus was teaching about these rules of getting justice, to gain a better understanding of the changes He is asking of us.

To see how things were policed and justice meted out in the Bible days of Matthew…

— SEE the Laws included in Hand-out page, from… Exodus 21:12-25 (ESV) “Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death. (13) But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee. (14) But if a man willfully attacks another to kill him by cunning, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die. (15) “Whoever strikes his father or his mother shall be put to death. (16) “Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death. (17) “Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death. (18) “When men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist and the man does not die but takes to his bed, (19) then if the man rises again and walks outdoors with his staff, he who struck him shall be clear; only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall have him thoroughly healed. (20) “When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged. (21) But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be avenged, for the slave is his money. (22) “When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman’s husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine. (23) But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, (24) eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, (25) burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

— We see that there were strict penalties for serious injury in Bible days…
Even to the point of giving up an; “eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,  burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”

SEE next Pg. for scripture hand-outs for group participation…

I would suggest that various people read these verses.

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Hand-out for scripture readings on OT Law… (#1-#5)

#1/ Exodus 21:12-14… (ESV) “Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death. (13) But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee. (14) But if a man willfully attacks another to kill him by cunning, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.”

 

 

#2/ Exodus 21:15-17… “Whoever strikes his father or his mother shall be put to death. (16) “Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death. (17) “Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death.”

 

 

#3/ Exodus 21:18-19… “When men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist and the man does not die but takes to his bed, (19) then if the man rises again and walks outdoors with his staff, he who struck him shall be clear; only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall have him thoroughly healed.”

 

 

A CAUTION: This highlights a cultural sin of the times, as every culture has its own failings…

#4/ Exodus 21:20-21… “When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged. (21) But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be avenged, for the slave is his money.”

 

 

#5/ Exodus 21:22-25… “When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman’s husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine. (23) But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, (24) eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, (25) burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”

 

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Jesus’ conclusion about the Laws in Matthew chapter 5…  (Worksheet)

Q1. How does the teaching of Jesus alter the perspective of meting out justice?

(Vs.39)  But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.  
Think about — Who is Jesus asking us to expect justice from?                 ☐ Man…     ☐ God…

Q2. (Vs.40) And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

Comments:___________________________________________________________________ 

(Vs.41)  And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.

Comments:___________________________________________________________________

(Vs.42)  Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Comments:________________________________________________(About wisdom see Q5.)

Q3. Why do you think Jesus would ask these things of us?
Think about what Jesus has just said in Matthew 5:13-16… “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.  (14)  You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  (15)  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.  (16)  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Q4. Has GRACE anything to do with us meting out justice to others?
Comments:____________________________________________________________________

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Q5. What has WISDOM to do with all this?

— If you really want to know more about this, see these Bible references… (KRK)
Mark 6:1-3,   Luke 21:10-15,   James 1:5-6,   1 Corinthians 2:6-10,   Ephesians 1:15-23,   1 Corinthians 1:27-31.

 

— Something else to think about as we go to our time of prayer…
If God is watching over us, can we trust Him for justice?

PDF print-out – Sermon on the Mount 6 – Matthew 5.38-42