What is the meaning of Matthew 5:39? But I tell you Jesus begins with a deliberate contrast—“I tell you”—showing His divine authority to interpret the Law (Matthew 7:29). He is not denying earlier Scripture; He is fulfilling it (Matthew 5:17). By speaking personally, He places Himself as the final voice on righteous living, echoing Deuteronomy 18:18 where God promised a Prophet who would speak His words. Not to resist an evil person The Lord’s directive replaces the instinct to retaliate (Exodus 21:24) with a call to trust God’s justice. • Romans 12:17-19 reminds believers not to repay evil for evil but to “leave room for God’s wrath.” • Proverbs 20:22 says, “Do not say, ‘I will avenge this evil!’ Wait on the LORD, and He will save you.” • 1 Peter 2:23 points to Christ, “When He suffered, He made no threats,” modeling patient endurance. This is not a blanket prohibition against civil law or self-defense in life-threatening situations (Romans 13:1-4); it targets the personal urge to strike back when wronged. If someone slaps you on your right cheek A right-cheek slap in that culture was often a backhanded insult—deeply humiliating yet not lethal. Jesus addresses offenses aimed at dignity and honor. • Lamentations 3:30 foreshadows this attitude: “Let him offer his cheek to the one who strikes.” • Job 16:10 records mockers striking the righteous. • Christ Himself was slapped during His trial (John 18:22), validating that this scenario is real, not hypothetical. The call is to absorb personal insults without revenge, entrusting honor to the Father (Psalm 25:2-3). Turn to him the other also Going beyond passive non-retaliation, Jesus urges proactive grace. • Romans 12:20-21: feeding an enemy “heaps burning coals on his head,” overcoming evil with good. • 1 Peter 3:9: “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing.” • Acts 7:60 shows Stephen echoing Christ’s mercy even as stones fell. Turning the other cheek: – refuses to let hatred rule the heart, – exposes the aggressor’s sin without violence, – mirrors the cross, where Jesus “while we were still sinners” died for us (Romans 5:8). This is literal obedience springing from love (John 13:34), not cowardice; it trusts God to defend and convert hearts (Proverbs 16:7). summary Matthew 5:39 calls believers to surrender personal vengeance to God, absorb insults without retaliation, and respond with unexpected grace. Jesus, our perfect example, transforms the cycle of hurt into an opportunity to display the gospel’s power, inviting others to see the Father’s mercy through our lives. |
    |