“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Matt. 5:38-48

In Jesus’ day there was a feeling in Israel that things were not the way they were supposed to be. In fact, things had not been the way people thought they should be for around 400 years. Israel was supposed to be on top of the world, the head and not the tail. After all, they were God’s chosen people. Yet, except for the time around the Maccabean revolt in 165 BC, the Jews had been dominated by one gentile nation after another. First, there were the Babylonians then the Persians and the Greeks, the Egyptians, the Syrians, and now the Romans.

In 63 BC the conquering Roman general Pompey marched into Jerusalem. His first stop was the Jew’s most sacred building, the temple. He walked straight into the second court which was forbidden to gentiles and into the Holiest of Holies which was forbidden to all but the High Priest. He stood there and laughed at Israel’s God. This was a harbinger of things to come for the people of Palestine.

When the Romans came, they brought with them high taxes, paganism, and an almost unimagined brutality. The burden and humiliation Rome placed upon the common man made life virtually unbearable.

Folks had different ways of responding to this situation. Some, like the Pharisees, thought that if people would just keep Torah better, then God would send the promised Messiah, and he would set things straight. The Pharisees would often go to great lengths to make sure people kept the Sabbath and other Jewish laws.

Others chose the path of open rebellion against Rome. There were zealots who thought if they just picked up the sword against Rome, then God would honor them with victory. There were also men known as bandits. These were not just thieves, but more like Robin Hood type folks. They would rob from the rich and give some to the poor. These sort of bandits were considered traitors to Rome and often found themselves on a Roman cross. Another group of assassins were known as the Sicarii or “Dagger Men.” The Sicarii would hide short knives underneath the layers of their clothing. At opportune times they strike against Roman sympathizers. There were also many false prophets and messiahs that promised victory over Rome if the folks would just follow them.

Some chose to support Rome. These were folks like the tax collectors who more than made the best of a bad situation. They profited from it. King Herod and the priesthood in the temple also supported Rome. Recall when Jesus was crucified, the priests cried out before Pilot that the had no king but Caesar (John 19:15).

The Essenes from whom we get the Dead Sea Scrolls chose isolation as a way of dealing with a world out of order. They formed communities separate from everyone else where they could keep Torah in what they thought was the true way.

Into this chaotic world Jesus came with his astonishing words. He said that when someone strikes you across the cheek, turn the other one. This was an obvious reference to Rome, because that was the way Roman soldiers treated people. He said that when someone made you carry their pack one mile, carry it two. This was also a reference to Rome, for a Roman soldier had the right to conscript anyone to carry his pack for one mile. He said the way to deal with your enemies is to love them and forgive them. In light of the world of first century Palestine, these words become all the more astonishing. Jesus’ teachings must have been troubling back then, and they still are today. We will talk more about them in our next couple of posts.