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Monday 11th
Week OT
The Institute
June 15, 2015
1st NO
ABUSE ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ø Jesus’ sayings today
lead us to several reflections
Ø 1st, J says,
“When someone strikes you on your right
cheek, turn and offer the other one to him as well”
Ø Here J doesn’t mean
that we should allow selves to be abused or disrespected, physically or
verbally
Ø Instead, we have right
& responsibility to protect selves & remove selves from such situations
Ø Women in abusive
situations need to get out & take children w/ them
Ø J doesn’t will or
intend this kind of thing
2ND NO EYE
FOR EYE ++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ø 2nd, J refers
to law of early Hebrew Scriptures, “An
eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth”
Ø He’s not teaching this
or even reaffirming it
Ø Instead, quotes law
because his is an advance
Ø The law limited amount
of retribution you could take for an offense
Ø So if someone hits you
in eye, according to that law, you could hit them back in eye, but you could
not do more – like crippling them
3RD A
BETTER WAY – REFRAIN ++++++++++++++++++
Ø 3rd, J really
is raising the bar higher
Ø He doesn’t want an eye
for an eye, but wants us to refrain from anything that’s vengeful or
destructive
Ø He wants us to deal
with our anger and hurt in some other way, to process our feelings, and not act
out of them in vengeance
Ø He wants us to act
constructively
4TH A
BETTER WAY – WITHIN +++++++++++++++++++
Ø Finally, underneath J’
teaching is great truth that real strength lies in restraint & not in
hitting back
Ø Self-esteem comes not in
diminishing others as they have me, rather from living out of a center where
God is present
Ø We realize our innate
value & acquire a sense of this not by beating up another in return, but by
responding to another as J would do
2 NO’S / 2 YESES
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ø So, a challenging
passage with much to reflect on today!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
