“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.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:38-47
Jesus invites his followers to expose and challenge injustice in creative and nonviolent ways. In Matthew 5:38-42, he gives several examples of creative nonviolence that build paths to relationship and reconciliation.
Because Jesus’ examples of creative nonviolence are specific to the 1st century, applying his teaching requires wisdom. When we are mistreated, we can find creative ways to stand our ground and expose the wrong while not mistreating others.
Jesus invites his followers to publicly expose and challenge injustice in creative and nonviolent ways. In Matthew 5:38-42, Jesus gives several examples of creative nonviolence that build paths to relationship and reconciliation (e.g., turning the other cheek, giving up your coat, and going the extra mile, etc.). These examples are specific to the 1st century, and we are invited to use wisdom to pursue our own modern-day examples. Creative nonviolence exposes injustice while creating opportunities for restoration. It is an effective and generous way to respond to injustice that reveals the love and peace of God’s Kingdom.
In the Bible, dragons symbolize the chaos that will drag creation back into disorder and death. Violent humans and spiritual beings can become agents of the dragon. If we try to slay the dragon with more violence, we can become a dragon too.
Jesus loved people who wanted to harm him, but he fought the spiritual evil that deceived humans into acting violently toward each other. Jesus invites his followers to love their human enemies and to oppose spiritual evil.
The Bible uses images of dragons and snakes, like the serpent in Eden, to depict spiritual powers bent on deceiving humans and dragging creation back into chaos and death. Violent humans, like Pharaoh and Goliath, are portrayed with dragon-like features to show that they are working as agents of disorder and chaos. Those who fight the dragon, like King David, can easily become dragons themselves when they act unjustly toward others. Jesus taught us to love people who want to harm us and to consider our real enemy to be the spiritual powers that deceive us all.
Originally posted by Bible Project, used with permission