How can Matthew 5:39 help us understand 1 Corinthians 6:7? Setting the Scene • 1 Corinthians 6 finds believers dragging one another before pagan courts. • Paul replies in 6:7: “The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?” • Matthew 5:39 records Jesus’ literal command: “But I tell you not to resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” What Jesus Said: Matthew 5:39 • “Not to resist an evil person” = deliberately choosing non-retaliation. • “Turn…the other” cheek = accept a personal insult or injury instead of striking back. • Jesus’ words are straightforward, authoritative, and binding for His followers. What Paul Said: 1 Corinthians 6:7 • “Why not rather be wronged…cheated?” echoes the same spirit as “turn the other cheek.” • Lawsuits between believers violate Jesus’ non-retaliatory ethic and damage witness. • Paul sees willingness to absorb a loss as a victory of love, not a defeat. Connecting the Dots • Paul applies Jesus’ teaching from the Sermon on the Mount to a real church dispute. • Both passages call for: – Forfeiting personal rights for the sake of obedience. – Trusting God to vindicate rather than seeking self-vindication. – Preferring relational peace over material restitution. Reinforcing Scriptures • Romans 12:19 – “Do not avenge yourselves…‘Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” • 1 Peter 2:21-23 – Christ “when He suffered, He did not threaten but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.” • Proverbs 20:22 – “Do not say, ‘I will repay evil’; wait for the LORD, and He will save you.” Practical Takeaways • Evaluate conflicts: Is protecting my reputation or assets worth disobeying Christ? • Pursue reconciliation inside the church before involving secular courts (cf. Matthew 18:15-17). • Accept that following Jesus may include real financial or emotional loss—yet He calls this “blessed” (Matthew 5:10-12). • Model Christlike forbearance so unbelievers “may see your good works and glorify” God (Matthew 5:16). |