Going the Extra Mile

Read from Matthew 5:38-42:

³⁸  “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’

³⁹    But I tell you, do not resist an evil person.

        If anyone slaps you on the right cheek,

        turn to them the other cheek also.

⁴⁰   And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt,

       hand over your coat as well.

⁴¹   If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 

⁴²  Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

The above passages are part of the Sermon on the Mount.  This sermon does not teach the way to salvation but instead, it guides those who are saved in how they shall live. 

“Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth” is an Old Testament law  mentioned in Exodus 21:24,  Leviticus 24:20 and Deuteronomy 19:21. 

There is something very interesting here   in terms of interpreting God’s Word.  The Old Testament Law, “eye for eye, tooth for tooth” was given as a guide to the nation of Israel, to the judges --- it’s not a personal law.  But what the Pharisees and some corrupt Jews were doing, they are using it as a poor alibi to get personal revenge.  So, a national law was used as a personal law.

Now, Jesus knew what the Pharisees and the Israelites have done, making the national law a personal law, He  laid down, some personal laws that would address the earlier problem.  He said “resist not an evil person” and this is more of a personal law.  We cannot use this or apply this to governments and judges.  Otherwise, you will have criminals set free or rapists go unpunished or even stubborn children not being disciplined.  The problem now, these personal laws are interpreted by others as national laws.

“Jesus is here talking to his disciples, and speaking of personal relations: he is not laying down moral directives for states and nations, and such issues as the work of police or the questions of a defensive war are simply not in his mind.” (A. M. Hunter, A Pattern for Life: An Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount)

LIFE LESSONS 

Lesson #1:   “Going the extra mile” means ...We should be willing to take insults because we are confident and secured with our position in Christ. 

 Scholars believe that under normal circumstances, a slap to the right cheek can only come from the back of a right hand and during those times, this is more of an “insult” rather than an “injury.”  The perpetrator here is not trying to physically abuse the other person, he’s not interested in cracking his jaw so the person would lose his teeth... no!  He is trying to insult the other person. 

Have you ever been insulted?  People insult you to gain control. If they can get you to insult them back, you've given them the upper hand and it puts them in control.  What Jesus was saying in Matthew 5 is to just “let it go.”  Don't play their game. Give the situation to God.  How much insult and injury did the Lord Jesus Christ suffer?  What did He do in return?  He prayed for them... “Father forgive them they don’t know what they do.”

1st Peter 3:9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing

Lesson #2:   “Going the extra mile” means ... We should go out of our way to help even those who least expect our kindness. (v40) 

In verse 40, Jesus uses “hyperbole”   to prove a point.  If you take this verse literally, this would only mean that His disciples would be walking around naked. 

There is one important historical context that we should understand here.  In those days, people wore two principal clothes - the inner garment or tunic and the outer garment or cloak.  During those times, under Mosaic law, a person’s cloak was something he almost had an inalienable right to retain.  (Ex 22:26-27).  In those days, no one could take away a person’s cloak. It’s very important that it can be taken as  collateral in a loan, but it should be returned by nightfall because a person’s cloak also functions as his sleeping bag!   In this verse, Jesus says if someone is harsh towards you, sued you for your tunic... let him have your cloak as well, again, not to be taken literally.  What Jesus meant... sometimes, we have to give up even what is rightfully ours – just for the sake of keeping peace and for  building up  God’s kingdom. 

Lesson #3:   “Going the extra mile” means ... We should not resent helping others even when they are not too grateful. (v41) 

This illustration again requires us to understand a bit about the Jewish and Roman culture of those days.  Under the Roman law, and the Jews really hated this law, a Roman soldier can require Jewish civilians to carry the luggage of a military personnel up to a distance of one mile.  Sometimes, regardless of how we feel, Jesus said “Go an extra mile.”   We should not resent helping others even when they are not too grateful.  

The Bible says in Luke 6:33“And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that”            God bless you! 

PRAYER

Wherever you are, whatever you situation you may be -- you need the love of Jesus in your life.
Please say this prayer sincerely from your heart:  

Father God, I confess all my sins to you today.  Please forgive me.  Today, I open my heart to your Son Jesus Christ.  I accept Him in my life as my Savior and as my Lord.  May the Holy Spirit come to my life and make me the kind of person you want me to be.  In Jesus Name, I pray.  Amen.

(The above article is an excerpt from a sermon delivered at WCF Richmond on August 31, 2014)

(I apologize if there are grammatical and spelling errors.  

If you are looking for a church in British Columbia, Canada please visit our website www.wordchristianfellowship.com for more information)