Matthew 5:39, commentary and pictures

To resist not evil means not repaying personal insult, injury or oppression with revenge, hatred or violent words, but willingly bearing the wrong without striking back. It was spoken to Jews chafing under Roman rule who hoped Christ would humble Rome and give them power to crush their oppressors. In the Sermon on the Mount Christ thus set forth the far-reaching spirit of the law as the standard of a kingdom of divine grace, against the retaliatory traditions of the scribes and Pharisees. The saying must be heard and done to enter the kingdom, breaking the cycle where unkindness provokes retaliation and strife divides friends, by answering insult, suit, compulsion or request with kindness, courtesy and prayer for enemies. Such forbearance is required because God still sends sun and rain and worldly good to just and unjust alike, and only those who are perfect in their humble sphere as He is perfect in His can be fit for heaven.

Setting and Plain Meaning

The command was given to Jews living under Roman rule who resented their bondage, hoped Christ would humble Rome, and longed for power to crush their oppressors. At the time Roman soldiers encamped by the sea were forcing Jewish peasants to carry burdens up a steep ascent, the peasants answered with violent words, and the watching crowd burned with indignation and longing for retaliation. In that setting where soldiers could force peasants to carry burdens or perform other services, resistance could bring taunts and cruelty, and resentment and desire to overthrow oppressors had grown intense.

Not to resist evil means not to answer personal injury, insult, oppression, or evil with revenge, retaliation, hatred, or violent language. To turn the other cheek to one who strikes illustrates a willingness to bear personal wrong and endure it without striking back. The rule of eye for eye and tooth for tooth was a civil statute, not permission for individuals to avenge themselves. This was a hard saying for revengeful hearers who desired revenge.

Jesus himself showed the lesson in practice, since contumely, insult, and persecution never caused him to retaliate upon his enemies. The verse does not rule out standing firm when a decision for or against God's commandments is required, as when the three Hebrews refused to worship Nebuchadnezzar's image. It forbids retaliation and the desire to avenge personal wrongs, including resentment toward oppressors, because anger at a supposed provocation opens the heart to bitterness and animosity that must be removed to live in harmony with heaven. It does not forbid righteous indignation at God's dishonor or the oppression of the innocent, since that anger arising from moral sensitivity is not sin.

Sermon and Law

The saying belongs to the sermon given after leading the disciples and the assembled multitude to a level place on the mountainside, spoken especially for the disciples yet so the multitude could hear it. In that Sermon on the Mount false ideas about the kingdom were corrected and its principles and conditions of entrance were taught without directly attacking the people’s errors. That sermon set out the principles of a kingdom of divine grace rather than promising earthly power or restored national glory.

It belongs to the explanation of the law, presenting its far-reaching claims in their proper light rather than as a cold code of commands or as distorted by human traditions, and the law remains the standard of righteousness. That law reaches far beyond outward conduct, condemning every evil action and demanding perfect obedience. Obedience therefore requires having the spirit of the law in the heart, because the state of the heart regulates life and character, and instructing new converts in the claims of the law is lost unless these principles are impressed upon them.

Its teaching stood opposed to the doctrines and practices of the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees, who had misrepresented God through human ideas and traditions. In that sermon it was revealed that the Jewish people were separated from God by failing to live according to the light they had received, when greater light called for obedience to God’s plainly revealed will and neglecting it brought corresponding darkness. Had God’s people obeyed the truth given through patriarchs and prophets, they would have shown the world a character and way of life fitting that light.

The old saying is answered and corrected by a greater authority, for it came from the continually repeated sayings of the rabbinical schools of the day. Those sayings corrupt the mind with unstable human wisdom, which followers were not encouraged to learn. In its place the answer gives a greater and certain wisdom that remains at command, so that the unstable words of men should not be accepted as exalted wisdom. The passage of Matthew 5:21-48 presents this teaching as the standard for conduct and virtue, urging learners and teachers to follow closely and not introduce ideas or practices not taught there.

Living the Teaching

The instruction to refrain from answering evil with retaliation is to be treasured and heeded and dwelt upon often as a divine requirement that transforms character, brings divine virtues constantly into life, and shows forth Christ's virtues. Willingness to do the will of God shown there gives knowledge of whether the doctrine is of God, holds the standard high without spot or wrinkle, and represents the altogether lovely One in words and attitude and actions to see and correct existing evils in the church. It is one of Christ's sayings that must be heard and done to do the will of the Father in heaven and enter the kingdom of heaven, not merely saying Lord, Lord or prophesying and casting out devils and doing wonderful works in His name. Whoever hears and does it is like a wise man who built his house upon a rock so that when rain and floods and winds beat upon it, it does not fall, and all should study these words for individual benefit.

The call not to retaliate addresses the cycle in which misapprehension produces unkindness, and unkindness provokes retaliation, and strife propagates itself and separates friends. It therefore supports working to end words and actions that divide friends. It requires rejecting accusing and fault-finding and spreading reports of others' wrongs, and instead using words and actions to build up fellow believers in unity and love and Christian fellowship and to show Christlike character. Those who choose their own way over Christ's teaching work against this lesson and cannot cooperate with God. When believers suffer for the truth they are to pray for those who mistreat them and avoid needlessly making their work harder through a spirit of defiance or resistance.

Jesus presses the lesson further by commanding love and blessing and prayer for enemies and kindness toward those who hate or persecute, showing the forgiving spirit of God's law. When insulted or sued or compelled or asked for favors, followers are to answer with kindness and benevolence superior to that of the world. They must exercise Christian courtesy toward all, not be forgetful in deeds of mercy, and represent the spirit that rules in heaven rather than the narrow, selfish spirit of the world. Hatred never breaks down the malice of enemies, but love and kindness beget love and kindness in return, so instead of cursing those who injure him a man must seek to win them from their evil ways by the same kindness Christ showed His persecutors.

This forbearance is required because God, though He faithfully rewards virtue and punishes guilt, does not withhold His blessings from the wicked who daily dishonor His name, but lets sunshine and showers fall and brings worldly prosperity to just and unjust, evil and good, rebellious and idolatrous alike. Erring men must show like forbearance and benevolence to be children of their Father in heaven. Since perfection alone meets the standard of heaven, as God is perfect in His exalted sphere His children must be perfect in their humble sphere, and only thus can they be fit for companionship with sinless beings in the kingdom of heaven.

The pure gospel given upon the mount sets a holy standard of character requiring loving God with the whole heart and loving one's neighbor as God requires. That standard forbids mingling human wisdom with the divine, confusing other minds about right and holy methods in business transactions, and unjustly acquiring means at another's expense. Those who practice such methods prove they have not yet learned this teaching, so the Lord calls for a cleansing process, a purging of the soul temple.