Living Under the Authority of the King / Matthew 5:38-48
Well, hey, it is good to be with you here this week. A special welcome, of course, to guests who are with us and to those joining us this weekend via video. Welcome to The Well Community Church. I am really stoked that you are here.
We are in a series in Matthew, and we are back on track. If you have your Bibles, open to Matthew chapter 5. We are going to continue sort of slow-plodding through this book because this book is amazing. Specifically, we are in a three-chapter section of the Gospel of Matthew called the Sermon on the Mount, which is arguably the greatest message ever taught by the greatest preacher who ever lived, and that is Jesus. By the way, it was most likely not a pull-out-your-notes-and-read-it sort of message. It is best considered like a “greatest hits.” These were the core truths that Jesus had, and He probably taught them in various settings to various crowds. Matthew has collected for us the longest sermon recorded by Jesus in Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7.
An Upside-Down Kingdom
We find ourselves here in chapter 5, and we are going to look at verse 33 and following. But if you are new with us, look at the back end of chapter 4, where you see what the whole message is really about: Jesus is proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom of God. We are asking and answering the question: What does it mean to live under the authority of our King in His kingdom?
You need to know right off the bat—if following Jesus is a new thing for you or you are exploring the things of God—it is an upside-down kingdom. It is not a kingdom based on power and prestige. It is not about authority and control. In fact, to live in His kingdom under the authority of our King is to recognize that the first will be last and the last will be first. It is to recognize that if you wish to find your life, you lose it, but if you lose your life for His sake, you find it. It is an upside-down kingdom where the greatest among you is the servant.
Jesus begins in chapter 5 to lay out what it means to be a part of His kingdom, and it is not at all what they expected. He starts with nine “blessed” statements, commonly called the Beatitudes. They are radical statements like: Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn for their sin, the gentle or those submitted to God, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, those who have been made pure, those who seek peace, and those who endure through persecution and insults. That was not what the people expected from the King. Yet this kingdom is different than anything they could have ever perceived.
The Standard That Exposes Us
Jesus comes out of the Beatitudes and launches into six issues—negative behaviors that the people listening to Jesus commonly used as measurements. They thought, Well, I’m not as bad as that guy. I do this, but I don’t do that, so I’m better than him.
You will notice a repetition in how Jesus addresses these six issues. Look at verse 21, and you see the phrase, “You have heard.” Then look at verse 22: “But I say.” That is the pattern of each of these six issues. Jesus says, “You have heard,” quoting the Old Testament or rabbinic tradition, and then He raises the bar and says, “But I say.”
One of the things that blew the religious leaders’ minds was that Jesus taught with authority. You will see it in chapter 7 when we finish the Sermon on the Mount. When Jesus taught, He did not quote other human sources. He did not say, “You have heard it said, but Socrates says…” He said, “You have heard it said, but I say.”
He addresses anger in verses 21–22. He addresses lust in verses 27–28. He addresses divorce in verses 31–32. This week, He addresses three more: making false promises in verses 33–37, personal retaliation in verses 38–42, and loving our enemies in verses 43–47.
The pattern is consistent in all six of these issues, leading to the ultimate standard of verse 48, which delivers the death blow to self-righteousness. The standard of entrance into the kingdom of God apart from faith in the King is very simple: all you have to do is be perfect all the time.
These six things are not meant to be mere moral encouragements; they are not meant to say, “Try harder to do good at these things.” They are meant to expose something deep within. Even if you look at your behaviors and think, I’m better than that guy, Jesus raises the bar so high that it is entirely out of reach. It is like a kindergartner trying to dunk on a regulation rim—it is just not going to happen. It is awkward to watch, it is embarrassing, and it is impossible. That is actually the point.
The gospel is not a “be good” gospel, a “get clean” gospel, a “get sober” gospel, or a “be better” gospel. The gospel begins with the recognition that I am completely incapable, and in the admission of our utter inability, we finally understand our need for Christ.
Integrity Over Oaths: Matthew 5:33–37
Let’s take a closer look at these three issues, beginning with making false promises in verse 33.
Matthew 5:33-37 (NASB)
’Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.’ ’But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING. ’Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. ’But let your statement be, ’Yes, yes ’ [or] ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.
He talks in verse 33 about “the ancients.” The ancients were those who originally heard the Mosaic Law and those who continued to teach it. Jesus says, “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.’”
If you look in your Bible, you might see that partially in all caps or referenced to Leviticus chapter 19. Leviticus 19:12 says:
Leviticus 19:12 (NASB)
’You shall not swear falsely by My name, so as to profane the name of your God; I am the LORD.
Under rabbinic tradition, swearing falsely in the name of the Lord was considered a sin, but if you swore by anything other than that—as long as you kept the Lord’s name out of it—they argued you were fine. In our culture, it is like saying, “Hey man, I promise.” “Okay, but do you swear?” “Dude, I swear. Pinky swear. I swear on my mother’s grave!” Once you start talking about mom, it gets serious, right?
That is the kind of game the religious leaders were playing. They took the command not to make a false vow to the Lord and turned it into making vows with their fingers crossed behind their backs. If they could get you to agree to a promise without mentioning the Lord, they felt they could renege on the promise because God supposedly had nothing to do with it.
That is why Jesus says in verse 34:
Matthew 5:34-36 (NASB)
’But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING. ’Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.
Jesus is saying, “It doesn’t matter what you swear by.” If you swear by heaven, that is His throne. If you swear by the earth, that is His footstool. If you swear by Jerusalem, it is the city of the great King. He even created the very hairs on your head. God is involved with everything. Drop this nonsense of saying, “I swear by this or that,” as if anything is separate from an omnipresent God. You are supposed to be religious leaders, yet you are playing finger-crossing games like elementary school kids. You are completely missing the point.
Jesus says in verse 37, “Let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.” For a follower of God living under the authority of our King, there ought not to be any finger-crossing. If I give you my word, I gave you my word. We can shake hands on it and it is done. I do not have to swear by anything, because my word stands.
At the end of verse 37, some translations say “is of the evil one.” Satan is real. We probably do not talk enough about the reality of the adversary. Satan is not omnipresent—there is not a demon behind every bush, and every shadow is not demonic—but we do have an enemy. Peter tells us our adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8 (NASB)
Be of sober [spirit], be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Jesus tells us in John 10:10 that the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.
John 10:10 (NASB)
’The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have [it] abundantly.
In John 8:44, Jesus says of the devil:
John 8:44 (NASB)
’You are of [your] father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own [nature], for he is a liar and the father of lies.
As the people of God, we ought not to be associated with the father of lies. When we give our word, when we say yes or no, it is settled. To live under the rule of our King in His kingdom is to say what we mean and mean what we say. Anything else reveals deception in the heart.
Giving Up Retaliation: Matthew 5:38–42
The second issue is personal retaliation. Look at verse 38.
Matthew 5:38-42 (NASB)
’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 evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. ’If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. ’Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. ’Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.
Jesus quotes the Old Testament law: “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” That comes straight from Exodus 21:24.
Exodus 21:24-25 (NASB)
eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.
The Old Testament law did three very specific things when it came to retaliatory offenses:
First, it provided justice for the victims of a crime. Leviticus 24:19–20 says:
Leviticus 24:19-20 (NASB)
’If a man injures his neighbor, just as he has done, so it shall be done to him: fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; just as he has injured a man, so it shall be inflicted on him.
Second, it deterred further crime. Deuteronomy 19:20–21 says:
Deuteronomy 19:20-21 (NASB)
’The rest will hear and be afraid, and will never again do such an evil thing among you. ’Thus you shall not show pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
Divine retribution deterred crime because a criminal knew the exact cost. If you falsely accused someone in court, whatever punishment would have fallen on them fell on you if you were caught lying.
Third, it protected the offending party by ensuring the punishment fit the crime—what was historically known as the lex talionis. It prevented excessive punishment and mob rule.
Here is what made the religious leaders’ teaching so corrupt: those Old Testament laws were meant to be administered by the community, by appointed judges and officials. But the religious leaders had turned “an eye for an eye” into permission for personal, vigilante vengeance. If somebody wronged you, they taught that you had every right to retaliate on your own. It became a tit-for-tat cycle. You do that to me, I do that to you. And with human sin nature, personal vengeance always escalates.
Jesus completely reframes this. To live under the King’s authority means letting go of personal retaliation. In verse 39, He says, “Do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.”
This passage has often been misunderstood. Turning the other cheek is not a call to be a doormat, nor is it saying, “Thank you, sir, may I have another!” It is the removal of vengeful, personal retaliation. It is the recognition that we are under the sovereign care of a God who is in control, who sees all, who keeps the records, and who is fully capable of exercising justice. You do not have to avenge yourself; God will make it right.
Paul writes in Romans 12:
Romans 12:17-19 (NASB)
Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath [of God], for it is written, ‘VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,’ says the Lord.
Some people have taken Jesus’ words to advocate for total pacifism. Now, I know we have many wonderful Mennonite brothers and sisters in our church, so I am not trying to pick a fight with a pacifist—which would be ironic anyway! But I do not believe this passage is forbidding self-defense or the defense of others. In that culture, a backhanded slap on the right cheek was an act of severe social dishonor and public humiliation. It was an insult, a profound “dis.”
Jesus is not telling you to stand by passively if someone attacks your family. Scripture repeatedly calls us to defend the vulnerable. Psalm 82:4 says:
Psalms 82:4 (NASB)
Rescue the weak and needy; Deliver [them] out of the hand of the wicked.
In Luke 22:36, Jesus told His disciples:
Luke 22:36 (NASB)
And He said to them, ’But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one.
Jesus is not commanding us to watch idly while harm comes to people we love. What He is dismantling is our demand for personal vengeance and the insistence on our own rights. When we follow Christ, we surrender our rights to Him.
Instead of seeking personal payback, Jesus calls us to live with radical generosity and patience. If someone sues you for your shirt, give them your coat as well. If an occupying soldier forces you to carry his pack for a mile, carry it two miles. Generously give and lend to those in need. Look at how Jesus responded during His own suffering. First Peter 2:23 tells us:
1 Peter 2:23 (NASB)
and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting [Himself] to Him who judges righteously;
When you are wronged, the natural reaction is to want to get even. But kingdom living means entrusting yourself to the One who judges justly.
Loving Our Enemies: Matthew 5:43–47
Then Jesus addresses the third issue: loving our enemies.
Matthew 5:43-47 (NASB)
’You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ ’But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on [the] evil and [the] good, and sends rain on [the] righteous and [the] unrighteous. ’For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ’If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing [than others]? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
Verse 43 says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’” You might notice in your Bible that “love your neighbor” is quoted from the Old Testament—Leviticus 19:18—but “hate your enemy” is not in all caps. That is because hating your enemy is never commanded anywhere in the Old Testament, nor in mainstream rabbinic law.
Leviticus 19:18 (NASB)
’You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD.
Where did the idea of hating your enemy come from?
A few weeks ago, we talked about different Jewish sects in that era—the Pharisees, Sadducees, Zealots, and the Essenes. The Essenes were an ascetic group that essentially said, “You are all corrupt. We’re out.” They retreated to the desert wilderness, calling themselves the “sons of light.” They spent their days in intense ritual cleansing, studying Scripture, and separating themselves from the “sons of darkness”—which was basically everyone else.
In their community rulebook, called the Manual of Discipline, they wrote that members were required “to love all the sons of light… and to hate all the sons of darkness.” They developed a theological doctrine that commanded them to love their own group and despise everyone on the outside.
Jesus completely rejects that mindset. He reminds us that people who do not know God are not the enemy; they are captives in need of the gospel to set them free. Instead of being angry at them, we are called to have compassion. Instead of hating them, we are called to love them enough to enter into their lives—messy as that may be—so that they might see Jesus.
Jesus says, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.” God causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. God shows common grace and patience to all.
If God were to judge wickedness immediately, every single one of us would have been struck down decades ago. It is only by the grace of God that any of us are here.
Our staff was listening to a teaching from John Piper this week as part of our staff development cohort. In this message from around 2000—back when Piper had a full head of dark hair—he said there are two foundational truths you must understand about yourself before God. First, you are a creature, not the Creator. He made you; He owes you nothing, and He does not answer to you. Second, you are a sinner deserving of His wrath. God would be well within His rights to take our lives, yet by His grace He tarries for His glory and the exaltation of the gospel.
Without Christ, we were enemies of God, yet God loved us enough to send His Son. You woke up today because of His grace. You took your last breath because of His grace. The sun rose this morning because of His grace.
Jesus says that if you only love those who love you, even tax collectors do that. If you only greet your brothers, even pagans do that. Kingdom citizens are called to a completely different standard of supernatural love.
The Crushing Standard and the Beautiful Gospel: Matthew 5:48
Then Jesus delivers the standard for those seeking to enter the kingdom by their own merit:
Matthew 5:48 (NASB)
’Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
“Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
That is the standard. If you want to earn entrance into the kingdom of God, all you have to do is be completely, flawlessly perfect all day, every day, your entire life.
That requirement is crushing. There was not a single person on that hillside qualified to meet it, and there is not a single person listening to my voice today who is qualified. It is meant to be a crushing blow. When you hear that, your response should be: Who on earth could ever enter the kingdom of God? Wretched man that I am, who will rescue me?
It brings to life the cry of Isaiah in Isaiah chapter 6, when he sees the Lord high and lifted up:
Isaiah 6:5 (NASB)
Then I said, ‘Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.’
Jesus did not teach this passage as a moral ladder for us to climb to earn our salvation. You are not supposed to look at these six issues and hope you are batting .500. This passage delivers blow after blow until verse 48 knocks us flat on our backs, forcing us to say, “I can’t do this. I’m undone.”
That is where the gospel begins. It begins with the recognition that you are not inherently good, that in your flesh dwells no good thing, and that even your best deeds are like filthy rags before a holy God. The Bible is not a self-help book; it is a reality check. The gospel is not about modifying your behavior to earn God’s favor. It is about dying to yourself and receiving the righteousness that comes only by grace through faith in Christ.
In Titus chapter 3, Paul writes to Titus on the island of Crete:
Titus 3:3-5 (NASB)
For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and [His] love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
I was sharing my story this week with our residency program. They asked for the unsanitized version, and as I shared, I pointed to this passage in Titus. I relate to verse 3: foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to lusts and pleasures, spending life in malice and envy, hateful and hating others. That was me. Dead to rights.
“But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy.” The Bible does not say you were merely sick or struggling in your sin; it says you were dead. Dead people cannot revive themselves. But God made us alive together with Christ.
Ephesians 2:4-5 (NASB)
But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
Second Corinthians 5:21 tells us:
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NASB)
He made Him who knew no sin [to be] sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Unless you are perfect all the time, you need a Savior. If you look in the mirror and know you fall short, you are in good company. The Well Community Church is filled with broken, imperfect people, and I am right at the front of the line. Yet by His grace, He saves us and calls us His own.
If you have been trying to perform religiously to earn God’s love, please stop. It is exhausting, and it will never be enough. Turn to Christ. He can make you new. He can bring healing to your marriage, bring freedom from addiction, and forgive the things you are ashamed of. There is incredible freedom, joy, and life in Him.
Closing Prayer
Father, we thank You that You saved us, because we are not perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. In Your holiness, You were well within Your rights to judge us. But by Your grace, we are here today.
May the kindness and patience of God lead us to repentance. For every day we lived without Jesus, every breath we took in rebellion against You, You showed mercy and delayed the wrath we deserved.
Father, I pray for anyone here who has not yet placed their trust in Christ. May they turn to You, the living God, and receive the salvation You have freely provided through Your Son. We are not perfect, and we desperately need a Savior. We look to Jesus now. In His name we pray, amen.