Entry
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth / Choose the better path
What did Jesus mean
Choose the better path.
Where did Jesus say this
Matthew 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 an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.”
A history lesson
When Jesus spoke about “going miles,” he was referring to a real system that was in place. During this time, Rome occupied Israel, and Roman soldiers worked within something known as angaria. This was a system that gave Roman soldiers the authority to force a civilian to carry their gear for them for a mile. The law was strict (only a mile). If a civilian chose to go an extra mile, not only did they take some power back (it’s now their choice and not something imposed on them), but they’ve put that soldier in a bit of a pickle (it was illegal to ask for more than a mile).
Another history lesson
“An eye for an eye” was an actual legal precedent known as the law of retaliation, which appears in the Code of Hammurabi. It wasn’t originally meant to be interpreted as something cruel or off-putting. It was meant to be fair and just — a form of mercy. “If someone breaks your arm, then you can break their arm back. But don’t break anything else.” By the time Jesus said this, it was no longer literal — but monetary-based. At the same time, it was also used as a permission slip to “sue” whoever for whatever. It had gotten out of hand.
What Jesus did not mean
Be weak and give in.
Let’s take this verse line by line, so you can understand what Jesus did and did not mean.
“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 an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.”
He’s not saying: Sit there and take it.
He is saying: Stand your ground, be firm in your convictions, and help others choose better.
Society tells you to take revenge. Retaliate. Jesus tells you to turn the other cheek. Choose differently.
If someone slaps you, don’t slap back. Instead, force them to hit you on the other cheek (something considered “undignified”). With this, two things are accomplished. One, you do not drop to their standards. Two, you hold your ground (and make them look foolish in the process). And quite possibly, three — they choose differently next time and a cycle is broken.
“And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.”
He is not saying: Hand over your possessions.
He is saying: Help them see that what they are doing is wrong.
If someone takes something from you, don’t take from them in return. That is another cycle — one that leads to division. Instead, seek resolution. They demand your jacket? Okay, give them your shirt, too. You’ll be naked physically, but you’ll both be naked spiritually. By doing so, you’ll force them to see the situation differently, and perhaps, break another cycle in the process.
“If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.”
He is not saying: Let the system take from you.
He is saying: Turn the system upside down without turning yourself upside down.
If someone forces you to do something, do more than what they asked of you. Take back your power with choice and expose the system for what it is. By doing so, you’re making the system vulnerable to inspection, and everyone is forced to see the system for what it is. And perhaps, you’ll break another cycle in the process.
“Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.”
He is not saying: Always give no matter what.
He is saying: Give what you can in the way that you can — but never turn away.
If someone asks for help, help. It might not be how they are asking or how you’d like to help, but help nonetheless. It’s also important to note that this situation is quite different from the others. In the others, someone is demanding to take something from you (they have power). In this one, someone is asking to take from you (you have power). Jesus is saying your response should be a willingness to share — not an impulse to protect what’s yours.
Where to start
Jesus says to love your enemies, and that’s where you should start. But that can be difficult for the average person to wrap their head around. So look at it this way instead:
Stop putting yourself in a cycle you never signed up for.
If a person treats you poorly, don’t treat them poorly back. Refuse to be part of their cycle.
And with this choice — to help instead of to hurt back — you can temporarily pause that cycle for the other person. And maybe you’ll give that person enough time to recognize where they are. And maybe with this new perspective, they can choose to step outside of the cycle they created and stop hurting others.
As for the final line of the verse, the best place to start is just to start. If someone asks for help, do what you can to help. Don’t ignore them. Don’t pretend like you don’t have any help to give. Everyone can help in their own way. So find a way.
Benefits
It feels good to give.
It feels good to stop cycles.
It feels good to stay true to who you are.
It feels good to help others do better.
Acts 20:35 — “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Also said as: an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth · law of retaliation · lex talionis · go the extra mile