We may hear it differently today but, in the history of law and justice, “an eye for an eye” was--and in some places still is--a vast improvement over the ways humans have tried to make things right.

The legend of Lamech in the Old Testament is a good case in point. Way back, near the beginning of time, Adam and Eve’s son, Cain, had a son named Lamech. Lamech married and had two wives: one named Adah and the other Zillah. Now, I find this interesting. From his wife Adah, Lamech had a son, Jabal, who is said to be the ancestor of everyone who lives in tents and has livestock (farmers and villagers). His brother, Jubal, was the direct ancestor of our organist, Dr. Hart. (In other words, according to the Bible, Jubal was the ancestor of all musicians!)

I'm getting off track, however. Here’s the point: in the book of Genesis, Lamech--the grandson of Adam and Eve--sings a bloodthirsty song to his wives, which goes like this: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say: I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me. If Cain [Lamech's father] is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”

Did you get that? Lamech is proud of himself! He’s boasting that no one can mess with him. No one can trifle with him. If you bump him, he’ll bump you off! If you hurt him, he’ll put the hurt on you!

It was in the face of such rampant bloodlust that the law, “an eye for an eye,” was a great advance. In fact, even today that law is the basis of what we mean when we say, “Let the punishment fit the crime.” Punishment should not be greater than the hurt inflicted or the damage done, and it’s not fair if it’s less. Right?

Wrong, says Jesus!

Listen again to Jesus’ concept of justice, fairness, and righteousness. “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.”

What does he mean? What does Jesus mean by replacing “an eye for an eye,” with “Do not resist an evildoer”?

Eugene Peterson’s translation of this passage in The Message makes it pretty clear: “Here’s another old saying that deserves a second look,” says Jesus in this translation. “‘Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.’ Is that going to get us anywhere?” asks Jesus.

“Here’s what I propose,” he says. And here it comes. “‘Don’t hit back at all.’ If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, gift-wrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.”

The first thing to note is that Jesus certainly practiced what he’s preaching here. Even though “an eye for an eye”--let the punishment fit the crime--continues to form the basis of civilized law here on earth, Jesus did not practice it. His sense of justice, righteousness, and of making things right was not to resist evil, to turn the other cheek, and to walk the second mile.

To be specific, when confronted with absolute, godless evil, Jesus let evil have its way with him, allowing him to be put to death, even death on a cross.

Now, according to everything we know, that should have been the end of it. Jesus confronted evil with non-violence and non-resistance, and evil had its way with him. Evil won and Jesus lost.
But that’s according to everything we know! God knew something else! Jesus rose from the dead and, with him, evil was defeated once and for all.

Jesus, in other words, practiced what he preached! He preached, “Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; ... and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.” And that’s what he practiced.

Today, he’s asking us--actually, a better word for it would be, he’s commanding us--to follow him and do the same!

As you probably know, in the twentieth century, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. put Jesus’ words into practice. They advocated a non-violent, non-retaliatory approach to confronting injustice and oppression. And, wonder of wonders, in doing so they found the power in vulnerability. They experienced strength in weakness.

In the last couple of weeks--first in Tunisia, then in Egypt, and now people are wondering just how far it might spread--we are witnessing people discovering that there really is power in vulnerability and strength in weakness.

This week I saw a video that I think depicts the very moment when strong-arm politics and the power of might was defeated in Egypt. Watch it and see if you agree!

Jesus preached, “Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; ... and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.” That’s what Jesus preached, and that also what he himself practiced.

Today--and, indeed, every day--Jesus is asking us to follow him. He’s asking us to trust him. But, above all, he’s asking us to practice not only what he preaches but also what he himself practices.

There is power in vulnerability. There is strength in weakness. Love conquers all. In Jesus’ name. Amen!