The Sermon on the Mount (15): An Eye for an Eye
When we look at Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:38–42, we find some of the most well-known yet most difficult teachings in the Bible. Jesus says:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone sues you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to the one who asks you, and don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.”
People often love the beauty of this teaching—but they also struggle with how radical it is. It challenges our natural desire for fairness and justice. It feels hard because it’s not what the world teaches. Even in Jesus’ day, His words went against the thinking of the religious leaders and the culture around them.
Throughout the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus compares the teaching of the Pharisees with the true meaning of God’s law. The Pharisees had reduced God’s commands to external rules—things you could check off a list. They made following God all about outward behavior, not the condition of the heart. But Jesus goes deeper. He calls us to inner change, not just outward actions.
For example, while the Pharisees allowed people to get revenge based on the Law’s teaching of “eye for eye,” Jesus shows that this law was originally meant to limit punishment—not to encourage revenge. But by Jesus’ time, people had taken this principle and used it for personal payback.
Jesus offers a new way—one based not on revenge but on love. He gives four powerful examples: turn the other cheek, give up your coat, go the extra mile, and give to those who ask. These are not laws to follow blindly, but pictures of a generous heart. Jesus is saying that love—not fairness—should guide how we respond to those who hurt us or ask something of us.
Does this mean Christians should be weak or let people walk all over them? Not at all. Jesus isn’t calling us to be doormats. Instead, He’s showing us a kind of strength that comes from love, not anger. It takes much more courage to forgive and bless someone who mistreats you than to fight back.
This command to love others, even our enemies, connects with Old Testament teachings as well. Leviticus 19:18 says, “Don’t take revenge or hold a grudge… but love your neighbor as yourself.” God has always cared more about our hearts than just our behavior. He doesn’t want us to carry bitterness or try to get even. He wants us to seek peace.
The apostle Paul repeats this idea in Romans 12. He encourages believers to treat others with love, even when they are mistreated. “Bless those who persecute you,” Paul writes. “Don’t repay evil for evil. As far as it depends on you, be at peace with everyone.”
Paul also says we must leave justice in God’s hands. “Don’t take your own revenge,” he writes, “but leave room for God’s wrath.” God is the only one wise and fair enough to judge. Our job is to respond with kindness—even to our enemies. Paul says that if our enemy is hungry, we should feed them. If they’re thirsty, we should give them a drink. Doing so may even bring them to see the truth and change their ways.
Of course, this way of living isn’t easy. In fact, it’s impossible in our own strength. That’s why Jesus doesn’t just give us new rules—He gives us Himself. When we believe in Christ, His Spirit lives in us. We are changed from the inside out. This new life empowers us to live in love and forgiveness instead of bitterness and revenge.
Jesus didn’t just talk about this life—He lived it. When He was insulted, mocked, and eventually crucified, He didn’t retaliate. He didn’t fight back. Instead, He forgave. Even from the cross, He prayed for those who hurt Him: “Father, forgive them.” He is our example of what it means to love, even in pain.
Jesus knew who He was and where He was going. In John 13, we read that He knew the Father had given all things into His hands. He knew He had come from God, and that He was going back to God. That’s why He could kneel and wash His disciples’ feet—even the one who would betray Him. He didn’t need approval from others, because He was grounded in His identity.
And the same is true for us. When we remember who we are in Christ—that we are deeply loved, fully accepted, and eternally secure—we are free. Free to let go of our need to prove ourselves. Free to stop seeking revenge. Free to forgive, to serve, and to love, even when it’s hard.
This is the heart of the Sermon on the Mount. It’s not a list of rules but a picture of a transformed life. It’s not about trying harder; it’s about trusting deeper. When we walk with Jesus, He changes our hearts. We begin to see people differently. We begin to want their good, even when they don’t deserve it.
Jesus’ words are challenging, but they also bring hope. He’s not asking us to do something He hasn’t done Himself. He invites us into a life that is better than revenge, better than fairness, and better than the world’s idea of strength. It’s the life of love—the kind of love that overcomes evil with good.
To explore the Sermon on the Mount more deeply and discover how to thoughtfully answer the questions below, subscribe to Ken Boa Reflections on Substack.
Questions for Reflection
- What does it mean to “turn the other cheek” in your own life, and how does this challenge your natural response to being wronged?
- How does understanding your identity in Christ help you respond to difficult people or unfair situations with love rather than revenge?
- Jesus calls us to go beyond fairness and into grace. Can you think of a time when you chose to forgive or serve someone who didn’t deserve it? What was the result—both for them and for you?
- Why do you think Jesus teaches that we must leave justice to God rather than seeking it ourselves? How does this perspective shape your view of personal conflict and justice today?
