Daily Devotional For Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Yesterday, we looked at some of the toughest commands of Jesus in Matthew 5. I want to pick up where we left off. Look at Matthew 5:40-41, “And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. (41) And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles” (ESV). When you read this, you probably do not understand why Jesus would put these two commands in the Sermon on the Mount. 

First, in verse 40 Jesus interjects a higher code of Christian behavior when someone mistreats us. Let me shed some light on this from William Barclay:

“The tunic, [χιτών, chitōn], was the long, sack-like inner garment made of cotton or of linen. Even the poorest man would have a change of tunics. The cloak was the great, blanket-like outer garment which a man wore as a robe by day and used as a blanket at night. Of such garments, a Jew would have only one. Now it was actually the Jewish law that a man’s tunic might be taken as a pledge, but not his cloak. Look at this in Exodus 22:26-27, “If ever you take your neighbor's cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, (27) for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate” (ESV). 

The point is that by right a man’s cloak could not be taken permanently from him. What Jesus is saying is this: ‘Christians never demand rights; they never dispute about their legal rights; they do not consider themselves to have any legal rights at all.’ There are people who are forever demanding their rights, who clutch their privileges to them and who will not be separated from them, who will militantly go to law rather than suffer what they regard as the slightest infringement of them. Churches are tragically full of people like that, official whose territory has been invaded, `office-bearers' who have not been accorded their proper place, courts which do business with a manual of practice and procedure on the table all the time, lest anyone’s rights should be invaded. People like that have not even begun to see what Christianity is.” 

Christians think not of their rights, but of their right to suffer for the sake of Christ; not of their privileges, but of their responsibilities to live out their faith. Christians are people who have forgotten that they have any rights at all; and those who will fight to the legal death for their rights, inside or outside the Church, are far from the Christian way” (William Barclay, The Daily Study Bible Series, “Matthew,” Vol. 1, pp. 192-193).

The cloak was a most valuable possession. Making clothing was difficult and time-consuming. As a result, cloaks were expensive, and most people owned only one. A cloak could be used as a blanket, a sack to carry things in, a pad to sit on, a pledge for a debt, and, of course, clothing. According to Jesus, if asked or sued for your tunic, give your cloak as well. Give more than what is asked or sued or demanded. 

Second, in verse 41, Jesus refers to something in Roman law that Jews hated. Here is what one commentary has to say about this:

“This is an allusion to the forced labor that soldiers could demand of ordinary citizens, commandeering them to carry their loads a certain distance (one mile, the term for one thousand paces). The Jews hated this law because it forced them to show their subjection to Rome. Yet Jesus said to take the load and willingly go two miles. Jesus called for a serving attitude (as he himself exemplified throughout his life and especially at the cross). Jesus’ words probably shocked his hearers. Most of the Jews, expecting a military Messiah, would never have expected to hear Jesus issue a command of non-retaliation and cooperation with the hated Roman Empire. By these words, Jesus was revealing that his followers belong to another kingdom. They need not attempt to fight against Rome (as did the Zealots, a militant group of Jews), which could only end in defeat. Instead, they should work on behalf of God’s kingdom. If doing so meant walking an extra mile carrying a Roman soldier’s load, then that was what they had to do” (Source: B.B. Barton,  Life Application Commentary, “Matthew,” pp. 103-104).

The Greek New Testament word Jesus uses in verse 41for “forces” or “compels,” depending on your translation is [ἀγγαρεύω, aggareuo] and it originated in Persia and it means “courier.” William Barclay writes this:”

“The Persians had an amazing postal system. Each road was divided into stages lasting one day. At each stage there was food for the courier, and water and fodder for the horses, and fresh horses for the road. But, if by any chance there was anything lacking, any private person could be pressed, that is, compelled into giving food, lodging, horses and assistance, and even into carrying the message himself for a stage. The word for such compulsion was aggareuein.

In the end, the word came to signify any kind of forced or pressured call to the service of the occupying power. In an occupied country, citizens could be compelled to supply food, to provide lodging, to carry baggage. Sometimes the occupying power exercised this right of compulsion in the most tyrannical and unsympathetic way. Always this threat of compulsion hung over the citizens. Palestine was an occupied country. At any moment, a man might feel the touch of the flat of a Roman spear on his shoulder, and know that he was compelled to serve the Romans, probably in the most menial way. That, in fact, is what happened to Simon of Cyrene, when he was compelled (aggareuein) to bear the cross of Jesus.

So, what Jesus is saying is: ‘Suppose your masters come to you and compel you to be a guide or a porter for a mile, don’t do a mile with bitter and obvious resentment; go two miles with cheerfulness and with a good grace.’ What Jesus is saying is: ‘Don’t be always thinking of your liberty to do as you like; be always thinking of your duty and your privilege to be of service to others. When a task is laid on you, even if the task is unreasonable and hateful, don’t do it as a grim duty to be resented; do it as a service to be gladly rendered.’

There are always two ways of doing things. We can do the irreducible minimum and not a stroke more; we can do it in such a way as to make it clear that we hate the whole thing; we can do it with the barest minimum of efficiency and no more; or we can do it with a smile, with a gracious courtesy, with a determination not only to do this thing, but to do it well and graciously. We can do it not simply as well as we have to, but far better than anyone has any right to expect us to. The inefficient worker, the resentful employee and the ungracious helper have not even begun to have the right idea of the Christian life. Christians are not concerned to do as they like; they are concerned only to help, even when the demand for help is discourteous, unreasonable and tyrannical” (Source: William Barclay, The Daily Study Bible Series, “Matthew,” Vol. 1, pp. `94-195).

Jesus says in His day, no one had a say about the first mile a Roman soldier could make you carry something for him. The soldier has the sword, so you had to carry his load. It’s at least one mile and maybe an hour you can never get back. You lose all the way around.

Then Jesus mentions a second mile. This is your choice. It’s the realization that God is in control here and you think, “Well, I am able and I choose to carry his load a second mile even though it is another hour out of my day. The sword is nothing, but serving and bringing glory to Jesus Christ is. So, Mr. Roman solider, try to keep up with me.” In other words, genuine disciples of Jesus Christ must willingly put other’s needs before their own and other’s rights before their own and do it without resentment.

Sir Francis Bacon had the right idea when he wrote, “Revenge is a kind of wild justice; which the more man’s nature runs to, the more ought law to weed it out. . . . Certainly, in taking revenge a man is but even with his enemy; but in passing over it, he is superior, for it is a prince’s part to pardon” (Source: Francis Bacon, “Of Revenge,” The Essays, or Counsels, Civil and Moral of Francis Bacon, ed. Samuel Harvey Reynolds (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1890), p. 34).

There is no worse person to be around than one who nurses a hurt with the poison of hatred, bitterness and resentment. Resentment never resolves itself. It not only destroys and poisons the person with it, but those around them as well. Such persons become innocent victims of this toxic person. Resentment is like a virus: it infects and left unchecked, kills. This is why we are warned about it in Proverbs 24:17, “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles” (ESV).

See the word “enemy?” It is the Hebrew word [אוֹיְבֶיךָ, oyev] and it literally means “hater, or one who hates.” This refers to someone who has harmed you in the past, never repented and even continues to harm you to this day just out of hatred for you. In this Proverb, we are warned by God not to take delight in their downfall. To do so reveals your heart is bitter and resentful. If we do not obey God, then Proverbs 24:18 tells us God’s reaction, “For the Lord will be displeased with you and will turn His anger away from them” (NLT). 

Why? Because we attempted to usurp God’s role. The Apostle Paul reminds us of this in Romans 12:19, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, `Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’” (ESV). Consider the young mother’s experience with two of her young children:

The mother ran into the bedroom when she heard her seven-year-old son scream. She found his two-year-old sister pulling his hair. She gently released the little girl's grip and said comfortingly to the boy, "There, there. She didn't mean it. She doesn't know that hurts." He nodded his acknowledgement, and she left the room. As she started down the hall the little girl screamed. Rushing back in, she asked, "What happened?” The little boy replied, "She knows now” (Source: https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2002/march/13546.html). 

This young mother’s son’s reaction reflects how we often feel and what we want to do when we have been hurt or harmed. Or how about the pastor’s reaction to being attacked:

“A pastor in Tulsa, Oklahoma, had an opportunity to practice what he preaches regarding turning the other cheek and showing forgiveness. The pastor was standing in front of a group of people when a man punched him in the face. Victory Christian Center's pastor, Billy Joe Daugherty, continued his sermon even though the blow had opened a cut above his eye that would later require two stitches. Church members subdued his attacker, and police arrested 50-year-old Steven Rogers. Daugherty, however, did not press any charges. In fact, he prayed for his assailant during the church service, and visited him in jail a few days later” (Source: www.firstcoastnews.com). 

We applaud this pastor for responding how Jesus did and taught us to respond. 

Questions To Consider

1. What is the toughest part in forgiving someone who had hurt or harmed you?
2. When it comes to “going the extra mile,” does that consistently describe you? Why or why not?
3. At your job for example, do you do the minimum or the maximum? Why or why not? If you do the maximum, is because of Jesus’ command or monetary compensation?
4. Who is a person you would love to settle a score with in your life? Like the little son of that mother, he decided to settle the score with his younger sister. If you were to do what Jesus commands, let go of your bitterness, resentment and anger towards them, what would be the best way for you to do that and why? How could you do good to them?
5. We live in a lawsuit culture. Rights. Rights. Rights. Do you tend to think in terms of your rights or what is the right attitude and action Jesus wants you to have? Why?
6. Is there anyone you hate? Who? What should you do based on Proverbs 24:17-18?
7. What difference in your life and the lives of others if you attempted to keep up with how Jesus forgives?

Scripture To Meditate On: Romans 12:17a, "Never pay back evil with more evil” (NLT).

Prayer To Prayer: “Dear Jesus, if people only knew my secret and private thoughts about those who have hurt and harmed me, they would be shocked.  I know You know. Letting go of vengeance, bitterness, resentment and then forgiving them seems as if they are getting off the hook. Forgive me because I want payback. I know if I leave it in Your hands, You will take care of it. Jesus, help me to love them and forgive them as You do and as You have forgiven me. And Lord, convict me to go the extra mile — not simply just do the minimum. I want to bring You glory. I ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen!”

I love you Southside — Pastor Kelly