Please Interpret Matthew 5:38-48

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Elijah19

Guest
#41
#41
Look, that's my question here. How do we reconcile "resist not evil" with "he made a whip of chords". If we assume that the Bible does not contradict itself (which I do, and I know it does not), how do we make heads or tails of this. I'm asking for an interpretation here, not a debate...

I'm asking because I honestly, truly do not know...
 
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Elijah19

Guest
#42
#42
But Marcello. If Jesus drove out the money changers with a whip of chords, doesn't that mean He wasn't a Pacifist? :eek: Doesn't really add up...
 
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Elijah19

Guest
#43
#43
thepsalmist, why make a whip of chords if he wasn't whipping anyone? Did he just slap the tables with it to scare people? How would He drive people out with a makeshift weapon if He didn't use it? Was He really that scary?
 
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Elijah19

Guest
#44
#44
Also, for the Pacifist part of this discussion, how would you render the following verse by your interpretation:

Luke 22:36 - He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one."
 
hornetguy

hornetguy

Senior Member
#45
Jan 18, 2016
7,207
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#45
Elijah19 said:
Also, for the Pacifist part of this discussion, how would you render the following verse by your interpretation:

Luke 22:36 - He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one."
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Good question..
 
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phil112

Guest
#46
#46
Marcelo said:
1. Jesus teaches believers to "turn the other cheek";
2.Jesus drove out the money changers at the temple in rage with a whip.

The elders mentioned by Elijah19 are right: Believers are to be Pacifists.
Jesus is patient with sinners in general, but He doesn't tolerate people who make money from faith.
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That is a lie. Not only does the bible not say it, nowhere in the bible does it ever insinuate that Jesus became enraged.
Never add to His words lest He reproves you and you be found a liar.
 
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Powemm

Guest
#47
#47
The way I'm receiving understanding in this is coming like this... as it is written... vengeance is mine... God in the flesh is doing exactly what he said he would do.. the whip is symbolic .. because he lives in us it is God alone who will drive out that which doesn't belong.. we actually got a cool glimpse of what jesus actually does in
us through His divine authority.He and he alone is the one who cleanses the temple in us which is the temple where he resides.. to actually see God in action "doing" what he promises to do within is really pretty cool to observe through his word
 
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BeyondET

Guest
#48
#48
Chuckt said:
Jesus won the war with the devil and provided salvation for everyone that believes.
The war we fight is for good to get other people to believe and be saved.
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Yes it is and this war we fight for good to help others is still a war against the devil, so just because one has salvation doesn't mean one can't fight against the devil really it should be one that makes a person stronger because he has salvation in Jesus.
 
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Elijah19

Guest
#49
#49
Still, though, I'd love someone to give a straight interpretation of the verse. I appreciate the commentary up till this point though, believe me...
 
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Persuaded

Guest
#50
#50
hornetguy said:
So, if you are out shopping with your wife, and a violent criminal drags her into the alley and rapes her, you would do nothing about it? Would you tell him you are going to pray for him, that he really shouldn't do all those bad things?
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I would pray for him as the paramedics were carring him away.
No body touches my wife, nobody.
 
wolfwint

wolfwint

Senior Member
#51
Feb 15, 2014
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#51
Elijah19 said:
Recently, I attended a Sunday School lesson in my church regarding the above mentioned verse. To summarize, the text is the famous one where Jesus teaches believers to "turn the other cheek." As the Sunday School class was discussing these things, a great number of elder Christians in the group began to state that the interpretation of the verse is that Believers are to be Pacifists. This, however, seemed to contradict John 2:15 where Jesus drives out the money changers at the temple in rage with a whip of chords. Further, a number of other members in the class are both strong Christians AND Veterans of the US Military (men which I respect greatly for their strong faith, by the way). They oddly enough either stayed silent at the idea of a pacifist Christianity, and some even agreed with it, but I'm not entirely sure that the pacifist interpretation is absolutely correct.

Now before anyone says I'm trying to promote violent Christians on here, let me clarify. I believe every word which Jesus says about peace. I know it's 100% true and that Christians are called to peace. Don't doubt that one bit. I myself am a lover not a fighter by nature, but I still believe in fighting for what I love. All I'm asking is for an interpretation of the verse which explains why, on one end, Jesus talked of turning the other cheek and on the other He made a whip of chords and beat a bunch of sinners out of a temple in a rampage. Are there places where Christians can fight (or even use deadly force, as with veterans), or not? If so, where do we draw the line, since either yes or not could be risky answers here? What does "turn the other cheek" actually mean, and to what degree are we to tolerate abuse before we are permitted to make a whip of chords ourselves?
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Indeed this is a very challenging question.
Before i became a chrsitian i stayed some years in army. Then ibecame a christian and i searched a church. So i cameto a menonite Bretheren Church. Menonites say no to go to army. So i became in conflict, because as ex sodier we had to go after the official army time for some weeks in year as reservist to the army again. Should I now go, ore should I quit the army?
In Bible i found no vers which forbid to be a soldiers. So I went further to the army.

I suppose the Verses from Mt. 5, 38-42 belongs together.
38 You have heared:...... Jesus talked about what was given in the OT, then he enter into a new acting.
39 But i say unto you:..... now follows 4 examples for our new acting
1. That you resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.
2. 40 And if any man will sue you at the law, and take away your coat, let him have your cloak also.
3. 41 And whosoever shall compel you to go a mile, go with him two.
4. 42 Give to him that asks you, and from him that would borrow of you turn not away.


Normally we would never act in the way as Jesus here is talking about. But if we want to belong to him, this would be a messure which pleased him.

I cant find that we then are pacifists. I cant find that we should not defend our family, ore the people which we in charge for. I can find: be different.

 
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Depleted

Guest
#52
#52
John146 said:
Doctrine, or direct teaching to an individual or group from the Bible, to be taken literally as direction from God.
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I was directly taught humanism is right. I was directly taught evolution is right. For that matter, I was directly taught my pain is in my head. I gave up trusting what I was directly taught long ago.

Doctrine is fact.
 
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Depleted

Guest
#53
#53
Elijah19 said:
Look, that's my question here. How do we reconcile "resist not evil" with "he made a whip of chords". If we assume that the Bible does not contradict itself (which I do, and I know it does not), how do we make heads or tails of this. I'm asking for an interpretation here, not a debate...

I'm asking because I honestly, truly do not know...
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And I answered on page one. If it isn't love God fully or love others fully, than don't do it because it's love self fully. We're not supposed to love self, especially defending self for our egos.
 
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Depleted

Guest
#54
#54
Elijah19 said:
Still, though, I'd love someone to give a straight interpretation of the verse. I appreciate the commentary up till this point though, believe me...
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You've gotten many straight interpretations. I don't know what you want.
 
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directline2iam

Banned
#55
Jul 25, 2013
1,329
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#55
It is really quite simple...Jesus is God and He said vengeance is mine. Not yours, but Gods. As far as Matt. 5 goes, use wisdom for any evil situation. I'be walked away from many confrontations that could have ended up very differently had I let the rage control me. If you see someone being abused use your intelligence to stop the evil and if you can''t do it passively then use your physical ability to only defend only to the point of stoping the trouble and if you have to give your life remember, God is in control.
 
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popeye

Guest
#56
#56
Elijah19 said:
Look, that's my question here. How do we reconcile "resist not evil" with "he made a whip of chords". If we assume that the Bible does not contradict itself (which I do, and I know it does not), how do we make heads or tails of this. I'm asking for an interpretation here, not a debate...

I'm asking because I honestly, truly do not know...
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approach it from view that God is not a hypocrite.

Even though he is a God a love,he can invoke the momma bear dimension.

Don't mess with her cubs and don't mess with God's house.
 
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Ultimatum77

Guest
#57
#57
HeRoseFromTheDead said:
I never thought about it like that. When someone smacks you on the left cheek turning your head to the right, you turn your right cheek to him as you let him have it with a right roundabout. :cool:
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True there is a joke that you punch their left cheek and right cheek and then their "other" cheeks will be running away lol.....
 
RickyZ

RickyZ

Senior Member
#58
Sep 20, 2012
9,635
787
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#58
Matthew was talking about the physical realm, and if I may loosely summarize it means don't let anything of this world become something you can't live without. Jesus was never a doorstop, yet He managed to have the right words to defuse any situation without violence. The Holy Spirit promises to give us the right words when we need them ... but do we spend more time these days polishing our gun or our Sword?

The whips! Yeah Jesus got bent out of shape and resorted to violence once, but that was a spiritual situation. These temple merchants weren't looking to take people's cloaks, they were attempting to take people's redemption. God had ordained a way for people to be redeemed of their sins, and these merchants were cheating them of that to make a buck. They weren't robbing men they were robbing God. That's what Jesus was lashing out at.

That's the pattern for most all of the New Testament. Be peaceful and forgiving among men, but commit warfare with every weapon you've been given against the powers and principalities that rule them.

That's where turn the other cheek comes in. If it's a man you turn the other cheek. If it's a demon you kick him in it.
 
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Powemm

Guest
#59
#59
Ask God to give you the interpretation as He wants you to know it..
 
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abcdef

Senior Member
#60
Mar 30, 2016
2,809
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#60
Elijah19

What did Jesus do on the cross? Father forgive them.
We are to be of the same loving spirit. But it's not that easy.
Jesus was giving the sermon on the Mount. In this part He was showing the people the laws of love. He first says what was being taught by the religious at that time. Then He tells them the way it should be, love. If your child asked for bread or a coat wouldn't you give it to them? We are all god"s children, and your neighbor is no different. You want to go to heaven right? Love your neighbor as you want God to love you. Get to heaven!!
People learn from example, Jesus gave His example to help us see God (love). Getting to heaven is more important than earthly things. How can people know if we don't show them.
 
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