Have you ever wanted revenge?
The common, unseemly impulse to settle every score often rears its ugly head when we least expect it. Someone abruptly cuts you off on the highway. A boyfriend or girlfriend does you wrong. Your spouse betrays your trust. A lifelong friend throws you under the bus. Regardless of who it was, or when it happened, chances are there is at least one person whom you would love to see “get what’s coming to them.”
As is His custom in the Sermon on the Mount, our Savior corrects Pharisaical misinterpretations of the Old Testament. The familiar concepts of “an eye for an eye” and “a tooth for a tooth” were meant to shield society from the dangerous extremes of leniency and excessive punishment (Exod. 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21). Over time, religious leaders distorted Moses’ teaching in order to promote personal vendettas under the guise of Scripture. Those with power and resources effectively became judges, juries, and executioners against their enemies.
Thus, Jesus issues a radical command to lay down our rights by turning the other cheek when others seek to harm us (Matt. 5:39). With laser precision, our Lord lays our hearts bare by calling us back to the entirety of Scripture, which insists on our forfeiting revenge as a strategy (Lev. 19:18). No matter how justified we may feel or how right we may be, taking matters of justice into our own hands is not permissible.
Contextually, Jesus’ message has nothing to do with dismantling civic institutions of accountability. He is not prohibiting just war, capital punishment, police enforcement, or fair consequences. The Bible robustly promotes governing authorities as one of God’s means to punish evil doers (Rom. 13:1-4; 1 Peter 2:13-14). Turning the other cheek is not a call to national pacifism, but an admonition to trust God enough that we stay out of the way, allowing Him to bring about justice that is free from our personal agendas.
Seeking revenge clouds our judgment, escalates conflict, and often creates consequences far worse than the initial offense. Simply put, vengeance toward others only makes matters more difficult (Prov. 14:29; Js. 1:20). Choosing restraint requires great strength and tremendous faith. We must believe that God will judge rightly at just the right time (Heb. 10:30). Absorbing the transgressions of others protects us from bitterness while deepening our trust in the Lord (Eph. 4:31-32).
None of this means, however, that Christians must ignore danger or abandon our responsibility to protect others. A husband should guard his wife and children by preserving and defending his home (Neh. 4:14; Prov. 14:26). Those who are strong have a moral duty to prohibit efforts to harm the weak and vulnerable (Ps. 82:3-4). Preventing evil doers from hurting others is both noble and justified when necessary.
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Dr. Adam B. Dooley is pastor of Englewood Baptist Church in Jackson, Tenn., and author of Hope When Life Unravels and Exalting Jesus in 1-2 Chronicles. Contact him at adooley@ebcjackson.org. This column first appeared in Kentucky Today.
