Sermon on the Mount – Eye for an Eye • FOUNDED IN TRUTH – Messianic Livestream

Introduction

The speaker, covering for Pastor Matthew Vander Els, expresses his honor at the opportunity to share what the Lord has placed on his heart with the congregation of Founded in Truth Fellowship. He reflects on the blessing of worship and hearing the Torah portion, and begins with a prayer thanking God for His love and the Sabbath day as a gift for fellowship, learning, and spiritual growth. He asks God to use him to contribute to the Holy Spirit’s work through instruction from the Word, praying that his words will bless the people and empower them to live out God’s kingdom in Yeshua’s name.

The speaker notes that Pastor Matthew Vander Els has been leading the congregation through the Sermon on the Mount, a crucial teaching from Yeshua (Jesus), the Messiah. This sermon outlines how believers are to live as members of the kingdom of heaven, a kingdom that is in the process of being established. The Sermon on the Mount is described as the constitution or rule for living out this kingdom as given by the Messiah. The focus of recent weeks has been on the antitheses, teachings found in Matthew 5 that begin with the phrase, “You have heard it said…” Examples include the teachings on murder and anger, and on swearing falsely.

Fulfilling the Law and Prophets

The speaker reminds the audience that these lessons illustrate how Yeshua fulfills the Torah and the Prophets. In a previous teaching, Matthew 5:17-20 was discussed, where Yeshua stated that He did not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them. The Greek word for fulfill, “pleraou,” in this context means to bring to full expression or to show forth its true meaning. Therefore, Yeshua came to fully teach and demonstrate the proper way to keep the Law, not to eliminate it.

Dr. Craig Keener, a New Testament scholar, considers Matthew 5:17-20 as Yeshua’s thesis statement. His declaration of fulfilling the Law is the central argument that He then elaborates on throughout the sermon. The antitheses serve as the body of this essay, providing examples to support His claim. These are lessons on how the Torah is to be fulfilled and how believers should live out the scriptures as members of the kingdom today. Previous discussions covered murder, adultery, divorce, and taking oaths. The current teaching will focus on the law of retaliation, also known as lex talionis, addressing the question of how to respond when wronged.

The Law of Retaliation: “An Eye for an Eye”

Yeshua begins this section in Matthew 5, starting in verse 38, by saying, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'” He then contrasts this with His own teaching: “But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”

Like the other antithetical statements, Yeshua sets up a contrast between what His audience had heard and His own teaching, which includes turning the other cheek and going the extra mile. He contrasts this with the well-known principle of “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” Yeshua’s instruction is to resist the one who is evil by responding in a surprising and unexpected way.

Yeshua’s Interpretation and Application

The speaker then addresses the apparent contradiction between Yeshua’s teaching and the Torah. He reminds the audience of Matthew 5:17, where Yeshua explicitly prohibits the thought that He came to contradict the Torah or the Prophets. Therefore, interpreting Yeshua’s words as an undermining of the Torah would violate His own commandment. The speaker argues that Yeshua is not contrasting His teaching with the Torah itself, but with the way it had been interpreted and misapplied by the scribes and Pharisees.

Illustrations of Responding to Evil

• Slap on the Right Cheek (Matthew 5:39): In the ancient world, a slap was primarily an insult to one’s honor, often done publicly to shame and convey inferiority. Yeshua’s instruction to turn the other cheek is not to cower in shame but to reject the entire premise of the insult.
• Lawsuit for Tunic (Matthew 5:40): Yeshua describes a scenario where someone spitefully sues for the tunic. His response is to give the cloak as well, essentially saying, “Here, take everything.” This would leave the person naked in public, exposing the injustice of the system.
• Forced to Go One Mile (Matthew 5:41): This refers to the Roman practice of compelling citizens to carry a soldier’s equipment for one mile. Yeshua’s radical instruction is to go a second mile, transforming a forced obligation into a voluntary and loving action.
• Give to the One Who Begs (Matthew 5:42): This instruction calls Yeshua’s followers to be generous and to value people more than material wealth.

Application for Everyday Life

• Respond to insults with humility and grace: Recognize that your worth comes from God, not human approval.
• Forgive those who wrong you: Avoid seeking personal vengeance and seek to resolve issues peacefully.
• Be generous even when it seems unfair: Consider going above and beyond what is expected.
• Serve those who compel you: Fulfill unjust demands with a positive attitude and exceed expectations.
• Give to those in need and be willing to lend: Trust in God’s provision and prioritize the needs of others.
• Focus on heavenly rewards over earthly validation: Make decisions based on eternal values.
• Seek to undermine systems of injustice through acts of love and goodness: Challenge and change injustice through peaceful, loving actions.

For more Bible Teachings, visit our website.

References

Bible Verses

• Matthew 5
• Matthew 5:11
• Matthew 5:17
• Matthew 5:38

Books and Resources

• The Bible by Jesus Christ
• New Testament scholarship by Dr. Craig Keener
• New Testament scholarship by Dr. Dale Allison