- - Gary DeMar, The Defense Department is not Supposed to Turn the Other Cheek (July 16, 2010), at
7.26.2010
Topics:
Military - Just War
President Barack Obama says that the Defense Department could not survive an application of the Sermon on the Mount. But Matt. 5:38-44 deals with personal relationships (here). The Defense Department is not supposed to use this passage. Rom. 13:4 says that the ruler has the power of the sword, so he can even execute people. But we can't use the sword in our personal relationships. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is addressing Bible passages that the Pharisees had taken out of context. The same thing happens in Matt. 4 and Luke 4 when Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness by quoting legitimate Bible passages, but took them out of context. Jesus sees this happening in Exodus 21:22f. where the phrase "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth" is found. This passage is talking about two men fighting and one of them hits a pregnant women. The passage says that "he shall pay as the judges decide." The Pharisees were taking this passage that was designed for the civil magistrate and applying it to personal relationships. Jesus sets them straight.
