Romans chapter 12 verses 17 through 21. Do not repay evil for evil. Repay evil for evil to no one. Give heed to what is good in the sight of all men. Here Paul echoes the words of Jesus:" You have heard that it has been said, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, do not resist evil, but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other to Him also." Matthew chapter 5 verses 38 and 39.
Tertullian comments," For what difference is there between the one who attacks and the one who retaliates?" The only difference is that the attacker was the first to do evil, and the one who retaliates did his evil afterwards. Each one stands condemned in the eyes of the Lord for hurting another man. For God prohibits and condemns both types of evil. In evildoing, God takes no account of who acted first. The commandment is absolute. Evil is not to be repaid with evil.
This refusal to return evil for evil was another distinguishing mark of Christianity. Athenagoras writes," We have learned not to return blow for blow, nor to go to law with those who plunder and rob us." Not only that, but to those who strike us on one side of the face, we have learned to offer the other side also.
Cyprian notes," Christians do not attack their assailants in retaliation, for it is not lawful for the innocent to kill even those who are guilty." He goes on to explain," The Christian has fled from rage and fleshly strife as if fleeing from the storms of the sea. He has already found tranquility and meekness in the harbor of Christ. Therefore, he should allow neither anger nor conflict within his heart.
For he must neither return evil for evil nor bear hatred." Lactantius writes at length on the early Christians' refusal to return evil for evil. The following are a few excerpts: The Christian does injury to no one. He does not desire the property of others. In fact, he does not even defend his own property if it is taken from him by violence, for he knows how to patiently bear an injury inflicted upon him.
Again, he writes," We do not resist those who injure us, for we must yield to them." He says further," He who tries to return an injury desires to imitate the very person by whom he has been injured." In short, he who imitates an evil man cannot be good. Application to war. Ever since the days of Augustine, most Christians have argued that Paul's words in this verse apply only to personal vengeance, not to a national war.
In other words, it would be wrong for a Christian to return evil for evil in retaliation for a personal wrong. However, they argue, if one's country is returning evil for evil to another country, then it is different. They argue that it is permissible, even commendable, for a Christian to participate in such a war. However, that is not the historic faith. The early Christians made no such distinction. Cyprian writes," Wars are scattered all over the earth with the bloody horror of camps.
The whole world is wet with mutual blood. Murder is acknowledged as a crime in the case of an individual." However, it is called a virtue when it is committed wholesale. Impunity is claimed for the wicked deeds, not because they are guiltless, but because the cruelty is perpetrated on a grand scale. Justin Martyr writes," We who formerly murdered one another now refrain from making war even upon our enemies." He writes further," We used to be filled with war, mutual slaughter, and every kind of wickedness.
However, now all of us throughout the whole earth have changed our warlike weapons.
We have changed our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks." When Celsus, a pagan critic, made the fictitious claim that Christianity had begun as an armed revolt from the Jews, Origen wrote in response," If a revolt had led to the formation of the Christian Commonwealth, the Christian lawgiver would not have altogether forbidden the putting of men to death." Accordingly, Christianity could not have derived its existence in such a way from the Jews.
For the Jews were permitted to slay their enemies and to take up arms in defense of the members of their families. Yet Christ nowhere teaches that it is right for His own disciples to offer violence to anyone, no matter how wicked. He did not consider it to be in harmony with his laws to allow the killing of any individual, whomever, for his laws were derived from a divine source.
Lactantius writes," How can a man be righteous if he hates, despoils, and puts others to death?" Yet those who strive to be serviceable to their country do all these things. When they speak of the duties relating to warfare, their speech pertains neither to righteousness nor to true virtue. Romans 12:18," If it is possible, as much as it lies with you, live peaceably with all men." Paul recognizes that it takes both parties to a dispute or conflict to bring about complete peace.
As much as a Christian may try to live peaceably with his neighbor, his neighbor may still harbor ill feelings towards him. That is why Paul says," As much as it lies with you, we should never be the party who is the cause of discord, or who is the barrier to reconciliation." Clement of Alexandria writes," An enemy must be aided so that he may not continue as an enemy. For by rendering help, good feelings are brought about, and enmity is dissolved." Dearly beloved, do not avenge yourselves.
Rather, allow space for his wrath. For it is written," Vengeance is mine, I will repay says the Lord." Allow space for his wrath. This means to allow time for our enemy's wrath to cool off. Origen explains one way we allow space for his wrath is when we do not avenge ourselves. For example, when we do not return blow for blow or insult for insult, we thereby allow space for his wrath to pass over and disappear, that is, on the part of the person who has done the injury.
For there is nobody who is so deranged that he would once more fly into a rage if he does not receive any retaliation for the injuries he has inflicted. Rather, he will surely calm down. It will be as if his anger has been poured out and consumed." Vengeance is mine, I will repay," says the Lord. Paul is not saying that Christians should desire God to take vengeance on their enemies.
On the cross, Jesus prayed," Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Luke 23:34," That should always be our attitude as well. Nevertheless, it is ultimately up to God to decide whether to punish our enemies. We should be content to leave matters in His hand." Lactantius writes," If anyone should be so shameless as to inflict injury on a good and righteous man, the righteous man must bear it with calmness and moderation. He will not seek revenge.
Rather, he will reserve it for the judgment of God. A Christian must always remain innocent in every situation. For a very great and impartial judge sits on the judgment seat. Clement of Alexandria writes," Persons who have learned to bless those who curse them are far from ever taking vengeance." In the face of violent persecution, Tertullian told the pagan Romans that the Christian community could easily avenge itself by burning down various Roman cities if Christians had wanted to.
However, they had no desire to retaliate for the wrongs done to them. He writes," If it were held to be right for us to repay evil with evil, a single night with a torch or two could achieve an ample vengeance, but away with the idea of a divine people avenging itself by human fires." Romans chapter 12:20," Therefore, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him drink.
For in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head." Jesus had commanded," Do good to those who hate you." Paul now gives some practical examples of how we can love those who hate us. He says we should feed our enemy if he is hungry, or give him drink if he is thirsty. In other words, we must take proactive steps to show our love for our enemy. When the Roman soldiers arrested the martyr Polycarp, he first directed that food and drink be brought to the soldiers who had come to arrest him.
In doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head. At first glance, these words might seem to contradict everything Jesus and Paul taught about loving our enemies. However, Paul is not talking about avenging ourselves, but about helping to soften our enemy. His illustration is taken from the practice of blacksmiths who softened iron and made it malleable by thrusting it into the midst of fiery coals. In our case, the coals of fire are the pangs of conscience our enemy will feel as he is seized with remorse.
Origen explains," These coals of fire are heaped on the head of an enemy for his own benefit. For it may happen that the wild and barbarous disposition of an enemy will soften. If he feels our benevolence, our kindness, our affection, and our mercy, perhaps he will feel remorse in his heart. So the Christian has no wish to torment his enemy but to change him.
Theodoret explains," The holy apostle speaks in this manner from a desire to soften the anger of the injured party, not from a desire to use your good to increase the other's punishment." And Ambrosiaster adds," Paul wants to make us so perfect," Matthew 5:48, that we win life not only for ourselves, but for others. Just as the Lord not only forbids us to repay our enemies in return, but through Solomon urges us to move them to friendship by our humanity. Proverbs chapter 25 verses 21 and 22.
Romans chapter 12 verse 21. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. When we return evil for evil, we have been conquered by evil. We are the eternal losers. And Ambrosiaster writes," The Savior overcame evil by not resisting it." Chrysostom writes," Conquering by doing evil is one of the devil's laws." The early Christians endured repeated persecutions, first from the Jews, then from the Romans. Yet they never repaid either group with evil.
Justin Martyr writes," Even amid unspeakable cruelties, death, and torture, we pray for mercy on those who inflict such things upon us. We do not wish to give the least retort to anyone. For this is how the new lawgiver commanded us to behave." Nevertheless, Christians must not be content with merely refraining from returning evil. Rather, we must take the initiative to overcome evil with good, for that is the only way to conquer evil.
Origen writes," Things are extinguished by their opposites, just as fire is extinguished by water, and darkness is driven away by light." The 2nd century apologist Aristides describes the Christians of his day in this manner. They comfort their oppressors and make them their friends. They do good to their enemies. The Didache states," If you love those who hate you, you will not have an enemy." Are these commandments or suggestions?
Ever since the time of Luther, Christians have looked upon Paul's directives in this chapter as suggestions or recommendations, not as commandments. However, Paul uses imperative language, and the early Christians all recognized his words as commandments, not suggestions. So, is the New Covenant just a repeat of the Old Covenant? Not at all. Most of the laws of the Old Covenant consisted of dietary, hygienic, ceremonial, civic, and penal regulations.
Extremely few of the laws of the New Covenant fall under those classifications. The laws of the New Covenant are primarily the permanent laws of God's kingdom. They not only govern us now, but they will govern us throughout eternity. They are embodiments of love of God, such as reverence, purity, and holiness. They are also embodiments of love of neighbor, such as kindness, justice, forgiveness, honesty, hospitality, and mercy. We do not earn our salvation by obeying Christ's laws.
Rather, our obedience to His laws reveals whether we genuinely love Him. Our obedience reveals whether we are truly grateful for the incredible sacrifice Christ made for us, or is our gratitude only on our lips? God will accept no one into His kingdom who does not love Him and love His neighbor. He will accept no one who is ungrateful for the sacrifice Christ has made for Him.