The following “Question“ was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and “Answered“ by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed by Nelly Kaye of Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada, from the tape, GC 1301-E, titled “Bible Questions and Answers Part 7.“ A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE. ©1976. All Rights Reserved.
Question
In Matthew 5:39, Are the commandments given here applicable in this age, or only
for the kingdom age?
Answer
Now I don’t want to get into a long theological discussion but there is a school of thought that says, that the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew five, six and seven, has no relationship to today. It has only relationship to the future kingdom on earth when Christ returns. Now, I believe that it does have relationship to that, I believe that it does relate to the kingdom of the future, no question about it, and we will get into that when we study Matthew after First Corinthians.
But, I don’t feel that we can say that these principles have no meaning for today, because it is very clear that they do. Let me show you why I say that.
It’s clear from just looking at the principles that they are applicable today. Let’s read from 5:38-42, “You have heard that it has been said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth': But I say to you, That you resist not evil: whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him two. Give to him that asks thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.”
Now that's pretty specific stuff. Some want to make the Sermon on the Mount kingdom stuff because they want to get rid of that kind of stuff. They don’t want to have to face the fact that if a guy hits you on the right side, you give him the other side to hit. They don’t like the idea that if somebody takes you to court to sue you for your coat, you offer him your other cloak. And the fact that if somebody asks you to do a big favor you do twice as much. They don’t really want to grapple with that and so it’s easier to kind of postpone it into the next kingdom.
But it really doesn’t do that, it’s really not fair to do that. This was a law, and I want you to see this, this was a law designed for the civil courts, to discourage private revenge. You can go back in Exodus, and by that I mean the law in Exodus, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life, and so forth. That was a law not given to individuals. It didn’t say if your neighbor knocks your tooth out, go knock his tooth out. Or if you neighbor kills your sheep go kill his sheep. It was the very opposite. It was a law given to force things into a civil court to eliminate private revenge. Those were civil court orders. The very opposite of personal revenge. He is saying in Exodus 21, 24, Leviticus 24, Deuteronomy 19, where those statements are made, he is saying do not avenge, let the civil courts rule. And the rules for the court are an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, in other words, if a man has been wronged then the person who wronged him needs to pay. If he has killed a sheep then he should give him a sheep to make up for it. And it is not a literal thing where you lose an eye you poke out the eye of the adversary. It’s not that at all. It’s simply saying that there should be courts that make just restitution for a person wronged.
But, the Pharisees, had appealed to this law and twisted it right out of its context and were using it for personal revenge. An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, and a life for a life, they were going right out and just working their own havoc. And Jesus is here condemning the Pharisees for that. He is saying, you heard it said, "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth," and man you’ve twisted it and you ran with it. And you are going around seeking personal revenge. I say to you those things may belong in a civil court , that’s the Old Testament pattern, but I say to you, the only proper personal attitude for you to have, is that if you are hit on one side you don’t seek revenge, you give him the other. And if he makes you go one mile, you go two. And if he wants your coat you give him your cloak. And again Jesus is dealing with the attitude of the Pharisees, and he is saying that instead of having a revenging attitude, your attitude ought to be an attitude of absolute sacrifice and love.
We have no right to hate the person who tries to deprive us, we only have the responsibility to love him. Paul put it this way in Romans 12, didn’t he, “Render not evil for evil, but good for evil.” Pay back evil with good. It’s just 1 Corinthians 13. So to say that it doesn’t apply today is foolish. What He is saying to us is when somebody wrongs you don’t take revenge give them even more. Have such a spirit of love and magnanimity that revenge is the furthest thing from your mind. You can only think like 1 Corinthians 13. If you needed one coat maybe you need two; take this one. Help the thief pack his bag as he leaves your house. See if there is anything that he might need that he didn’t get, rather than seek revenge. You see, it’s an attitude, isn’t it, that Jesus is dealing with. It’s a spirit, it’s an attitude of heart.
Added to Bible Bulletin Board's “MacArthur’s Questions and
Answers“ by:
Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
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Email: tony@biblebb.com
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