Matthew:5:38-42
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Matthew:5:38 @{
An eye for an eye ,
and a tooth for a tooth } (\
ophthalmon anti ophthalmou kai odonta anti odontos \).
Note \
anti \
with the notion of exchange or substitution .
The quotation is from strkjv @
Exodus:21:24 ;
strkjv @
Deuteronomy:19:21 ;
strkjv @
Leviticus:24:20 |.
Like divorce this _jus
talionis_
is a restriction upon unrestrained vengeance . "
It limited revenge by fixing an exact compensation for an injury " (
McNeile ).
A money payment is allowed in the Mishna .
The law of retaliation exists in Arabia today .
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Matthew:5:39 @{
Resist not him that is evil } (\
me antist
nai t
i pon
r
i \).
Here again it is the infinitive (
second aorist active )
in indirect command .
But is it "
the evil man "
or the "
evil deed "?
The dative case is the same form for masculine and neuter .
Weymouth puts it "
not to resist a (
the )
wicked man ,"
Moffatt "
not to resist an injury ,"
Goodspeed "
not to resist injury ."
The examples will go with either view .
Jesus protested when smitten on the cheek (
John:18:22 |).
And Jesus denounced the Pharisees (
Matthew:23 |)
and fought the devil always .
The language of Jesus is bold and picturesque and is not to be pressed too literally .
Paradoxes startle and make us think .
We are expected to fill in the other side of the picture .
One thing certainly is meant by Jesus and that is that personal revenge is taken out of our hands ,
and that applies to "
lynch-law ."
Aggressive or offensive war by nations is also condemned ,
but not necessarily defensive war or defence against robbery and murder .
Professional pacifism may be mere cowardice .
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Matthew:5:40 @{
Thy coat ...
thy cloke also } (\
ton chit
na sou kai to himation \).
The "
coat "
is really a sort of shirt or undergarment and would be demanded at law .
A robber would seize first the outer garment or cloke (
one coat ).
If one loses the undergarment at law ,
the outer one goes also (
the more valuable one ).
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Matthew:5:41 @{
Shall compel thee } (\
aggareusei \).
The Vulgate has _angariaverit_
.
The word is of Persian origin and means public couriers or mounted messengers (\
aggaroi \)
who were stationed by the King of Persia at fixed localities ,
with horses ready for use ,
to send royal messages from one to another .
Songs:if a man is passing such a post-station ,
an official may rush out and compel him to go back to another station to do an errand for the king .
This was called impressment into service .
This very thing was done to Simon of Cyrene who was thus compelled to carry the cross of Christ (
Matthew:27:32 |, \
ggareusan \).
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Matthew:5:42 @{
Turn not thou away } (\
m
apostraph
is \).
Second aorist passive subjunctive in prohibition . "
This is one of the clearest instances of the necessity of accepting the spirit and not the letter of the Lord '
s commands (
see vv .
32 ,
34 ,
38 |).
Not only does indiscriminate almsgiving do little but injury to society ,
but the words must embrace far more than almsgiving " (
McNeile ).
Recall again that Jesus is a popular teacher and expects men to understand his paradoxes .
In the organized charities of modern life we are in danger of letting the milk of human kindness dry up .