Yr. A Epiphany 7 Matthew 5
February 23, 2014

It is amazing what some Biblical literalists can come up with when they proof text scripture irresponsibly.

I saw a new item this week on a retired US general named Jerry Boykin who is now part of something calling itself the Family Research Council.

In a recent speech Boykin calls Jesus a real man’s man, and a tough guy. When Jesus returns in the second coming envisioned in the Book of Revelation, Boykin says he will be carrying an assault rifle, wearing a cloak covered in the blood of his enemies.

You might wonder how he could get that from scripture. In the Book of Revelation 19, John of Patmos has a vision of a warrior on a white horse called the Word of God. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations.

The retired general thinks the sword of our time is the assault rifle, so when Jesus comes he will mow down his enemies.

Now this retired general is obviously a kook. But it is scary to think he had a command position in part of the world’s most powerful military.

More scary for us as Christians seeking to be understood in a more secular society, is the gross misunderstanding of Jesus and what he taught. We follow a prince of Peace, not a bloodthirsty warrior.

We need to look at the entire trajectory of the Gospels, and the teaching of Jesus. Our Gospel passage today is one of the most striking in support non-violence and a new approach to conflict.

Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Turn the other cheek. Jesus rejects the approach, which calls for revenge—an eye for an eye. If someone wants to steal something, don’t fight, give it up. Be generous to those less fortunate.

When we think about these teachings, they are indeed counter-cultural. We are part of a world where conflict is all to common-place, ranging from violent armed conflict in many countries, to criminal activity, to bullying in schools and in the workplace. Violence is glorified in many of our mass media, and in the world of gamers.

Unfortunately turn the other cheek doesn’t appear to be too popular out there.

No doubt it is a hard teaching to follow. Our instinct is to hit back. To get revenge. To stick up for ourselves, rather than take one for the team.

In hockey I’ve always admired players that don’t retaliate when they take an illegal hit or check. I disagree with my fellow Anglican Don Cherry who like the rough stuff including fighting.

The unselfish player takes one for the team, and holds his head up high, while the other guy—hopefully-- takes a penalty.


A personal story I could share is as a young reporter covering a court case, I was trying to shoot a picture of a person charged with fraud, outside the court house. This is perfectly legal. The guy came up and slugged me—one punch. But I did not fight back. I knew that would be sinking to his level, and it wouldn’t do me any good.


I can also still vividly recall getting decked by one punch when I was in grade eight. I didn’t fight back, and the bully got suspended.


So I’m not saying it’s is easy. But turn the other cheek can work. Of course there are times when self defense might be necessary, but it is frightening to see the term self defense used to justify anything up to murder south of the border…with stand your ground laws in places like Florida, where many of our fellow parishioners go on vacation.

In following Christ’s teaching in Matthew it seems clear to me that Christians should support severe restrictions on guns for anyone other than police, the military and hunters. Guns don’t allow any room for turning the other cheek, or loving your enemy.

Turning to the final verse in this section. “Be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect.”

This is one of those sayings of Jesus, which is hard to interpret. Logically, we are human and therefore fallible, and not perfect. We are all sinners in some respect. So perfection would seem to be an unreachable goal.

Yet Jesus wants us to be as perfect, as much without sin, as much living according to his teaching as possible. He lays out the two great commandments: love God and love your neighbor as yourself as a rule of life. Everything flows from that.

And while perfection is elusive, we can all strive to be faithful, and to care for others.

We can see what true perfection is like in the person of Jesus. Paul says in his letter to the Corinthians, that Jesus is the true foundation that we must build on as Christians.

If we lay any other foundation, it just won’t work. If we have Jesus as our foundation, God’s spirit dwells with us.

Now that is a very theoretical description by Paul. However it also offers us a link between our personal experience of life, and our faith in something larger and greater than ourselves, namely God at work in the world through His son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, the comforter.

These may seem like lofty descriptions, but I’m sure many of us have experienced moments of grace when prayers have been answered, insights gained, and strength given to carry on.

That’s why we keep coming back to be part of Christian community, to worship God, to share the joys and sorrows of life with our fellow Christians.
We are part of something larger. Our lives do mean something. God cares for us, and offers us the teaching of Jesus in scared text to help us live in a different way. It’s not easy. But it is what we are called to do.