Theology Made Simple

The Concerns of Jesus, Part 15

Turn the Other Cheek

The more I study the Concerns of Jesus the more I am convinced that Jesus would have a more difficult time in America today than He had in a Roman dominated province 20 centuries ago. His admonition to turn the other cheek, and to go two miles if compelled to go one, would never fly in our current society, where everyone is concerned about their "rights", and demands that everyone observe political correctness.

In this sermon, Jesus is telling His followers not to react to insults. Not to have so much pride that they have to have satisfaction if they are "slapped". He is saying the Christian never fights for his "rights", for in his humility he does not consider that he has any rights. (Few Americans would buy that, and yet that is what the Master is saying , when He talks about being sued for your cloak.) William Barclay says, "The Christian thinks not of his rights, but of his duties; not of his privileges, but of his responsibilities". If you are forced to go a mile, to do a chore for someone, instead of resenting it, do it willingly as an opportunity to serve others. How difficult is it, in our society, to think like Jesus?

"When He was reviled, He reviled not again". Isaiah pictures Him as a lamb, who before His shearers, "opened not His mouth". If all, who claim to be Christians, were imitating Him, the personal injury lawyers would be out of business. Does this mean that all Christians are to be "Caspar Milquetoasts", and just let the predators of the world have their way. No, He is only saying that we should not join the self-important crowd—the ego-centered multitude—and demand that we get what we want regardless of what happens to others.

A great lesson to learn from Jesus is that He is always talking about our reaction to our own personal needs and ego. He is not talking about how we react to those who are a threat to others, or to society as a whole. Even though He never defended Himself, He was very forceful in defending the Temple of God against money-changers and thieves. Jesus was very hard on hypocrites, and those who preyed on the helpless, but He never even showed resentment toward those who mistreated Him personally.

In this lesson, Jesus is concerned that we be responsible people— that we feel a real obligation to our fellowman, to serve and make the world a better place. He is urging us to be peacemakers, not rabble rousers; humble helpers, not demanding, self-centered users. He would have us be gentle people with a sense of duty and class, rather than pushy drivers on the highway of life, demanding the right-of-way from all other drivers. We need a large dose of this in our country today.

Love Your Enemies

The trouble men have, with this heaven-sent directive, is a failure to realize that love can have many meanings, and many degrees. Loving one's children, loving one's work, and loving a piece of apple pie, are related only by the word "love". Beyond that, there is no relationship between the three emotions. Just so, the feeling I have for my family is not related to the feeling toward an enemy, even if they are both described with the same word, "love". The love I have for my family comes unbidden into my heart. The love I have for my enemy is a matter of willing myself to feel benevolent toward him and, no matter what he does, wish him no harm. It does not excuse his misbehavior, but it regrets it. I do not hate him for what he does to me. I feel sorry about it, for him.

Even in the case of the Father: the love He had for His only begotten Son, with whom He shared a oneness, and identity, was different from the love He had for the world, which had rejected Him, and espoused another. As Jesus stood on the mount, and looked out over Jerusalem, he said, "Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how oft would I have gathered thee under my wings, as a hen gathereth her chickens, but you would not." He loved them, not because they appealed to Him, or were beautiful people, but because they were His Father's created beings, and, as a parent loves the most recalcitrant child...rebellious and totally obnoxious...so God wanted all His created children to share heaven with Him.

However, this love of which we speak, does not cause God to overlook the evil in the hearts of men, nor to excuse their wickedness. The history of His dealing with rebellious and sinful people shows that He will not tolerate those who have joined Satan's army, and who are a threat to goodness and righteousness. "Make no mistake. God is not mocked. What a man sows, that he will reap."

It is a pious mistake to say, "If we would just love, we could solve all the world's problems." Evil cannot be loved. It must be confronted. If a bitter man is coming down the street shooting everything that moves, only a fool would run out and say, "I love you". Evil people, and evil actions cannot be either excused or tolerated.

In Romans 12, Paul says, "Avenge not yourselves, but give place unto wrath, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay', saith the Lord." Self-centeredness is the ultimate sin of mankind. It started with Satan, was transferred to man in the Garden, and has been the evil, driving force behind all the ills of mankind ever since. Loving your enemy is simply removing your own self-interest from the scene, and making the best interests of another of God's creatures your priority. It is a process of not seeking your own satisfaction, even when it means giving in to one who is an enemy. It does not mean loving an enemy more than a friend, or sacrificing good people in order to serve one who misbehaves. A cardinal rule of life should be, "Never reward misbehavior." God does not, nor does He expect it of us.

Loving your enemy then, simply means being conscious that he is also a child of God, and in love for the King, we strive to help him achieve what he was created to be, and, in the process, please the Father. If, in order to achieve this, we must sacrifice some of our own rights, we must be willing so to do. However, that sacrifice is never required when its result is to reward the evil doer.

So, when Jesus said, "Love your enemies", He was not telling us to feel warm toward the misbehaving ones. He was concerned that we not be discriminators, and only care about the people we like. In sending rain on the just and the unjust, God is not blessing the misbehavior of the unjust. He is being perfectly fair with all men, but this does not imply blessings to, or approval of, evil men.

Loving your enemy does not mean you have to like him, much less approve of him, or his behavior. This love has more to do with who you are than what he is. In spite of all that His enemies did to Him, Jesus remained the same loving Lord. He expects us, who follow Him, to remain loving and caring and kind, regardless of the actions of others.

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