How did Jesus live with his teaching on ‘Eye for eye?’ The key principle is,
But I tell you, do not resist an evil person.
Matthew 5v39
When I look at how Jesus lived his own words, I see proactive restraint. At the scene of his betrayal, we read-
[Judas] approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”
Luke 22:47-48
Jesus did not resist nor lash out but he did ask a pointed question. Jesus appears concerned that Judas consider the enormity of what he is doing.
This concern can take the form of a pointed challenge. When the religious leaders had finished their attempts to trap him, Jesus spoke of their projected outcome. He pronounced seven woes of which this is one:
“… Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are …”
Matthew 23:15
“Woe to you …” is not a calm, measured delivery but one of anger and frustration. Jesus is seeing the fruit of their lives and is not happy. How can they develop if they are blind to their own wickedness. Maybe Jesus’ woes are intended to bring them to their senses.
My failing tends to be too passive in the face of aggression, others respond in kind. How are you doing?
Photo by roman raizen on Unsplash