“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’  But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you."  (Matt 5:38-42 NIV)

     This is a passage that I have struggled with for a long time. It makes me ask two questions. First, how can Jesus completely change something in the Old Testament? Second, does Jesus want people to act like doormats, not standing against evil, and not even protecting themselves against evil?

     Let us reflect on the second question. I sometimes wonder if this passage has contributed to our inaction against evil, and the thinking that violence is always wrong. Violence is never a permanent solution, but sometimes it is necessary to prevent evil. We usually tell our kids to tell the teacher when they are threatened by bullies, instead of fighting back, and showing the bullies that they may win a fight but they will be in pain in the process. We had situations where people stood by and watch a third person be attacked, and even killed. Although a better option is to call 911, it is not an adequate response either. I know there is fear and that is understandable, I may have just called 911 too. However, that response is inadequate for the simple reason that it does not show mercy towards the one attacked. Mercy would have required the exercise of violence, passers by physically overcoming the attacker. I wonder if the Islamic extremists would have taken over a plane full of Vikings who glorified fighting, to the point of saying that warriors are the most blessed in the afterlife. In the Movie "The Mission", two groups responded to violence in different ways. The first group went to the chapel and prayed while enemies were coming to destroy them. The other group picked up weapons and fought. Both groups were decimated. Does Jesus approve of the peaceful group over the fighting group? I wonder if that is the case since Jesus insinuated that his followers will have to take up the sword to defend themselves from persecution. Maybe Jesus is not absolutely encouraging non-resistance to evil. Then what do we make of his statement? 

     This takes me to the first question, Is Jesus completely abolishing the principle of punishment in society? I believe that Jesus' statement that he has not come to abolish the law but to uphold it gives us a clue. I believe that to uphold the law means to uphold the ultimate intent of the law, to build a community of love. The principle of "Eye for an Eye", that a person must pay restitution to society, is a principle that supports the creation of a community of love. The principle stands when its purpose is to protect victims and deter victimizers, which is potentially everyone. However, this principle can also be used to justify hatred. In that case, the principle is in opposition to its intent.

     In Romeo and Juliet, two families were against each other, they were embroiled in a cycle of vengeance that lasted through the next generation. This cycle of vengeance, supported by the principle of eye for an eye, is what Jesus was addressing. The coming of the kingdom is the coming of reconciliation. Just as God has taken action to make peace with men, Jesus is calling his people to drop their vengeful attitudes, and make peace with those who hurt them. Jesus is not calling for non-violence but he is calling for a change of attitude- from hatefulness to concilliatory. It is possible to be non-violent but still hold grudges towards those who have wronged us, and wishing them harm. 

    Does the above reflection make Jesus' statement easier? Not at all. This means that we ultimately need to make peace with our bullies, no matter how they have hurt us. The ultimate goal is not the stop to bullying, but to make the bully and the bullied into friends. This means that we can't support punishment as an end in itself. It is possible to care for people but also let them, or hope that they, suffer the consequences of their actions. I can't tell details but I can attest to that. We have to maintain justice for the sake of a society that cries out for justice, but justice is not an end in itself. Peace in the hearts of both victims and victimizers is the goal. This means that we need to check our relationships for the presence of grudges. God's mission is the reconciliation of mankind to himself. May our mission be the reconciliation of all relationships, including ours.