Chapter XIX.

56. Hence the Lord goes on to say: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: but I say unto you, that ye resist not evil;165    Adversus malum; Vulgate, malo. but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat [tunic, undergarment], let him have thy cloak166    Vestimentum; Vulgate, pallium. also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee,167    Omni petenti te, da; Vulgate, qui petit a te, etc. and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.” It is the lesser righteousness of the Pharisees not to go beyond measure in revenge, that no one should give back more than he has received: and this is a great step. For it is not easy to find any one who, when he has received a blow, wishes merely to return the blow; and who, on hearing one word from a man who reviles him, is content to return only one, and that just an equivalent; but he avenges it more immoderately, either under the disturbing influence of anger, or because he thinks it just, that he who first inflicted injury should suffer more severe injury than he suffered who had not inflicted injury. Such a spirit was in great measure restrained by the law, where it was written, “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth;” by which expressions a certain measure is intended, so that the vengeance should not exceed the injury. And this is the beginning of peace: but perfect peace is to have no wish at all for such vengeance.

57. Hence, between that first course which goes beyond the law, that a greater evil should be inflicted in return for a lesser, and this to which the Lord has given expression for the purpose of perfecting the disciples, that no evil at all should be inflicted in return for evil, a middle course holds a certain place, viz. that as much be paid back as has been received; by means of which enactment the transition is made from the highest discord to the highest concord, according to the distribution of times. See, therefore, at how great a distance any one who is the first to do harm to another, with the desire of injuring and hurting him, stands from him who, even when injured, does not pay back the injury. That man, however, who is not the first to do harm to any one, but who yet, when injured, inflicts a greater injury in return, either in will or in deed, has so far withdrawn himself from the highest injustice, and made so far an advance to the highest righteousness; but still he does not yet hold by what the law given by Moses commanded. And therefore he who pays back just as much as he has received already forgives something: for the party who injures does not deserve merely as much punishment as the man who was injured by him has innocently suffered. And accordingly this incomplete, by no means severe, but [rather] merciful justice, is carried to perfection by Him who came to fulfil the law, not to destroy it. Hence there are still two intervening steps which He has left to be understood, while He has chosen rather to speak of the very highest development of mercy. For there is still what one may do who does not come fully up to that magnitude of the precept which belongs to the kingdom of heaven; acting in such a way that he does not pay back as much, but less; as, for instance, one blow instead of two, or that he cuts off an ear for an eye that has been plucked out. He who, rising above this, pays back nothing at all, approaches the Lord’s precept, but yet he does not reach it. For still it seems to the Lord not enough, if, for the evil which you may have received, you should inflict no evil in return, unless you be prepared to receive even more. And therefore He does not say, “But I say unto you,” that you are not to return evil for evil; although even this would be a great precept: but He says, “that ye resist not evil;”168    With Augustin, Calvin, Tholuck, Ewald, Lange construe this as neuter, evil; Chrysostom, Theophylact, the devil; De Wette, Meyer, Alford, Plumptre, as also the Revised Version, the man who does evil. Renan says the practice of this doctrine put down slavery: “It was not Spartacus who suppressed slavery, but rather was it Blandina” (“Ce n’est pas Spartacus qui a supprimé l’esclavage, c’est bien plûtôt Blandine”). so that not only are you not to pay back what may have been inflicted on you, but you are not even to resist other inflictions. For this is what He also goes on to explain: “But whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also:” for He does not say, If any man smite thee, do not wish to smite him; but, Offer thyself further to him if he should go on to smite thee. As regards compassion, they feel it most who minister to those whom they greatly love as if they were their children, or some very dear friends in sickness, or little children, or insane persons, at whose hands they often endure many things; and if their welfare demand it, they even show themselves ready to endure more, until the weakness either of age or of disease pass away. And so, as regards those whom the Lord, the Physician of souls, was instructing to take care of their neighbours, what else could He teach them, than that they endure quietly the infirmities of those whose welfare they wish to consult? For all wickedness arises from infirmity169    Imbecillitate. of mind: because nothing is more harmless than the man who is perfect in virtue.

58. But it may be asked what the right cheek means. For this is the reading we find in the Greek copies, which are most worthy of confidence; though many Latin ones have only the word “cheek,” without the addition of “right.” Now the face is that by which any one is recognised; and we read in the apostle’s writings, “For ye suffer,170    Toleratis; Vulgate, sustinetis. if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face:” then immediately he adds, “I speak as concerning reproach;”171    2 Cor. xi. 20, 21. so that he explains what striking on the face is, viz. to be contemned and despised. Nor is this indeed said by the apostle for this reason, that they should not bear with those parties; but that they should bear with himself rather, who so loved them, that he was willing that he himself should be spent for them.172    2 Cor. xii. 15. But since the face cannot be called right and left, and yet there may be a worth according to the estimate of God and according to the estimate of this world, it is so distributed as it were into the right and left cheek that whatever disciple of Christ might have to bear reproach for being a Christian, he should be much more ready to bear reproach in himself, if he possesses any of the honours of this world. Thus this same apostle, if he had kept silence respecting the dignity which he had in the world, when men were persecuting in him the Christian name, would not have presented the other cheek to those that were smiting the right one. For when he said, I am a Roman citizen,173    Acts xxii. 25. he was not unprepared to submit to be despised, in that which he reckoned as least, by those who had despised in him so precious and life-giving a name. For did he at all the less on that account afterwards submit to the chains, which it was not lawful to put on Roman citizens, or did he wish to accuse any one of this injury? And if any spared him on account of the name of Roman citizenship, yet he did not on that account refrain from offering an object they might strike at, since he wished by his patience to cure of so great perversity those whom he saw honouring in him what belonged to the left members rather than the right. For that point only is to be attended to, in what spirit he did everything, how benevolently and mildly he acted toward those from whom he was suffering such things. For when he was smitten with the hand by order of the high priest, what he seemed to say contumeliously when he affirms, “God shall smite thee, thou whited wall,” sounds like an insult to those who do not understand it; but to those who do, it is a prophecy. For a whited wall is hypocrisy, i.e. pretence holding forth the sacerdotal dignity before itself, and under this name, as under a white covering, concealing an inner and as it were sordid baseness. For what belonged to humility he wonderfully preserved, when, on its being said to him, “Revilest thou the high priest?”174    Principi sacerdotum; Vulgate, summum sacerdotem. he replied, “I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, Thou shall not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.”175    Acts xxiii. 3–5. And here he showed with what calmness he had spoken that which he seemed to have spoken in anger, because he answered so quickly and so mildly, which cannot be done by those who are indignant and thrown into confusion. And in that very statement he spoke the truth to those who understood him, “I wist not that he was the high priest:”176    Interpreted by modern commentators usually of temporary forgetfulness, or, what is much better, failure to recognise through infirmity of vision. as if he said, I know another High Priest, for whose name I bear such things, whom it is not lawful to revile, and whom ye revile, since in me it is nothing else but His name that ye hate. Thus, therefore, it is necessary for one not to boast of such things in a hypocritical way, but to be prepared in the heart itself for all things, so that he can sing that prophetic word, “My heart is prepared,177    English version, “fixed”— Ps. lvii. 7. O God, my heart is prepared.” For many have learned how to offer the other cheek, but do not know how to love him by whom they are struck. But in truth, the Lord Himself, who certainly was the first to fulfil the precepts which He taught, did not offer the other cheek to the servant of the high priest when smiting Him thereon; but, so far from that, said, “If I have spoken evil, hear witness of the evil;178    Exprobra de malo; Vulgate, testimonium perhibe de malo. but if well, why smitest thou me?”179    John xviii. 23. Yet was He not on that account unprepared in heart, for the salvation of all, not merely to be smitten on the other cheek, but even to have His whole body crucified.

59. Hence also what follows, “And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak180    The coat or tunic was the under-garment. The cloak, or pallium, was the outer-garment, and the more precious. also,” is rightly understood as a precept having reference to the preparation of heart, not to a vain show of outward deed. But what is said with respect to the coat and cloak is to be carried out not merely in such things, but in the case of everything which on any ground of right we speak of as being ours for time. For if this command is given with respect to what is necessary, how much more does it become us to contemn what is superfluous! But still, those things which I have called ours are to be included in that category under which the Lord Himself gives the precept, when He says, “If any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat.” Let all these things therefore be understood for which we may be sued at the law, so that the right to them may pass from us to him who sues, or for whom he sues; such, for instance, as clothing, a house, an estate, a beast of burden, and in general all kinds of property. But whether it is to be understood of slaves also is a great question. For a Christian ought not to possess a slave in the same way as a horse or money: although it may happen that a horse is valued at a greater price than a slave, and some article of gold or silver at much more. But with respect to that slave, if he is being educated and ruled by time as his master, in a way more upright, and more honourable, and more conducing to the fear of God, than can be done by him who desires to take him away, I do not know whether any one would dare to say that he ought to be despised like a garment. For a man ought to love a fellow-man as himself, inasmuch as he is commanded by the Lord of all (as is shown by what follows) even to love his enemies.

60. It is carefully to be observed that every tunic181    English version, “coat.” is a garment,182    English version, “cloak.” but that every garment is not a tunic. Hence the word garment means more than the word tunic. And therefore I think it is so expressed, “And if any one will sue thee at the law, and take away thy tunic, let him have thy garment also,” as if He had said, Whoever wishes to take away thy tunic, give over to him whatever other clothing thou hast. And so some have interpreted the word pallium, which in the Greek as used here is ἱμάτιον.

61. “And whosoever,” says He, “shall compel183    The Greek word ἀγγαρεύω is derived from the Persian, to press one into service, as a courier to bear despatches. (See Thayer, Lexicon.) thee to go a mile, go with him other two.” And this, certainly, not so much in the sense that thou shouldest do it on foot, as that thou shouldest be prepared in mind to do it. For in the Christian history itself, which is authoritative, you will find no such thing done by the saints, or by the Lord Himself when in His human nature, which He condescended to assume, He was showing us an example of how to live; while at the same time, in almost all places, you will find them prepared to bear with equanimity whatever may have been wickedly forced upon them. But are we to suppose it is said for the sake of the mere expression, “Go with him other two;” or did He rather wish that three should be completed,—the number which has the meaning of perfection; so that every one should remember when he does this, that he is fulfilling perfect righteousness by compassionately bearing the infirmities of those whom he wishes to be made whole? It may seem for this reason also that He has recommended these precepts by three examples: of which the first is, if any one shall smite thee on the cheek; the second, if any one shall wish to take away thy coat; the third, if any one shall compel thee to go a mile: in which third example twice as much is added to the original unit, so that in this way the triplet is completed. And if this number in the passage before us does not, as has been said, mean perfection, let this be understood, that in laying down His precepts, as it were beginning with what is more tolerable, He has gradually gone on, until He has reached as far as the enduring of twice as much more. For, in the first place, He wished the other cheek to be presented when the right had been smitten, so that you may be prepared to bear less than you have borne. For whatever the right means, it is at least something more dear than that which is meant by the left; and if one who has borne with something in what is more dear, bears with it in what is less dear, it is something less. Then, secondly, in the case of one who wishes to take away a coat, He enjoins that the garment also should be given up to him: which is either just as much, or not much more; not, however, twice as much. In the third place, with respect to the mile, to which He says that two miles are to be added, He enjoins that you should bear with even twice as much more: thus signifying that whether it be somewhat less than the original demand, or just as much, or more, that any wicked man shall wish to take from thee, it is to be borne with tranquil mind.

CAPUT XIX.---56. Sequitur ergo Dominus, et dicit: Audistis quia dictum est, Oculum pro oculo, et dentem pro dente. Ego autem dico vobis, non resistere 1258 adversus malum: sed si quis te percusserit in dexteram maxillam tuam, praebe illi et alteram; et qui voluerit tecum judicio contendere et tunicam tuam tollere, remitte illi et vestimentum; et qui te angariaverit mille passus, vade cum illo alia duo. Omni petenti te da, et qui voluerit a te mutuari, ne aversatus fueris. Pharisaeorum justitia minor est non excedere in vindicta modum, ne plus rependat quisque quam accepit: et magnus hic gradus est. Nemo enim facile invenitur qui pugno accepto pugnum reddere velit; et uno a conviciante verbo audito, unum et quod tantumdem valeat referre contentus sit: sed sive ira perturbatus immoderatius vindicat; sive quia justum putat, eum qui laesit prior gravius laedi, quam laesus est qui non laeserat. Talem animum magna ex parte refrenavit lex, in qua scriptum est, Oculum pro oculo, et dentem pro dente: quibus nominibus significatur modus, ut injuriam vindicta non transeat. Et haec est pacis inchoatio: perfecta autem pax est, talem penitus nolle vindictam.

57. Inter illud ergo primum quod praeter legem est ut majus malum pro minore malo reddatur, et hoc quod Dominus perficiendis discipulis dixit, ne pro malo ullum malum reddatur; medium quemdam locum tenet, ut tantum reddatur quantum acceptum est, per quod a summa discordia ad summam concordiam pro temporum distributione transitus factus est. Quisquis ergo malum infert prior studio laedendi et nocendi, vide quantum distet ab eo qui nec laesus rependit. Quisquis autem nulli prior male fecit, sed tamen laesus rependit gravius, vel voluntate vel facto, recessit aliquantum a summa iniquitate, et processit ad summam justitiam, et tamen nondum tenet quod lex quae per Moysen data est imperavit. Qui ergo tantum reddit quantum accepit, jam donat aliquid: non enim tantam poenam meretur nocens, quantam ille qui ab eo laesus innocens passus est. Hanc ergo inchoatam, non severam, sed misericordem justitiam ille perficit, qui legem venit implere, non solvere. Duos ergo adhuc gradus qui intersunt, intelligendos reliquit, et de ipso summo misericordiae culmine dicere maluit. Nam est adhuc quod faciat, qui non implet istam magnitudinem praecepti, quae pertinet ad regnum coelorum; ut non reddat tantum, sed minus, velut pro duobus pugnis unum, aut pro evulso oculo aurem praecidat. Hinc ascendens qui omnino nihil rependerit, propinquat praecepto Domini, nec tamen adhuc ibi est. Parum enim adhuc videtur Domino, si pro malo quod acceperis, nihil rependas mali, nisi etiam amplius sis paratus accipere. Quapropter non ait, Ego autem dico vobis, non reddere malum pro malo; quanquam hoc etiam magnum praeceptum sit: sed ait, non resistere adversus malum; ut non solum non rependas quod tibi fuerit irrogatum, sed etiam non resistas quo minus aliud irrogetur. Hoc est enim quod etiam consequenter exponit: Sed si quis te percusserit in dexteram maxillam tuam, praebe illi et alteram: non enim ait, Si quis te percusserit, noli tu percutere; sed, Para te adhuc percutienti. Quod ad misericordiam pertinere, In maxime sentiunt, qui eis quos multum diligunt, tanquam 1259 filiis vel quibuslibet dilectissimis suis aegrotantibus serviunt vel parvulis vel phreneticis: a quibus multa saepe patiuntur, et si eorum salus id exigat, praebent se etiam ut plura patiantur, donec vel aetatis vel morbi infirmitas transeat. Quos ergo Dominus medicus animarum, curandis proximis instruebat, quid eos aliud docere posset, nisi ut eorum quorum saluti consulere vellent, imbecillitates aequo animo tolerarent? Omnis namque improbitas ex imbecillitate animi venit: quia nihil innocentius est eo qui in virtute perfectus est.

58. Quaeri autem potest quid sibi velit dextera maxilla. Sic enim in exemplaribus graecis, quibus major fides habenda est, invenitur: nam multa latina, maxillam tantum habent, non etiam dexteram. Facies est autem qua quisque cognoscitur: et legimus apud Apostolum, Toleratis enim si quis vos in servitutem redigit, si quis devorat, si quis accipit, si quis extollitur, si quis in faciem vos caedit: deinde continuo subjungit, Secundum ignobilitatem dico (II Cor. XI, 20, 21); ut exponat quid sit in faciem caedi, hoc est contemni atque despici. Quod quidem non ideo dicit Apostolus, ut illos non sustinerent; sed ut se magis qui eos sic diligeret, ut seipsum pro eis vellet impendi (Id. XII, 15). Sed quoniam facies non potest dici dextera et sinistra, et tamen nobilitas et secundum Deum et secundum hoc saeculum potest esse; ita distribuitur tanquam in dexteram maxillam et sinistram, ut in quocumque discipulo Christi contemptum fuerit quod christianus est, multo magis in se contemni paratus sit, si quos hujus saeculi honores habet. Sicut idem Apostolus, cum in eo persequerentur homines nomen christianum, si taceret de dignitate quam habebat in saeculo, non praebuerat alteram maxillam caedentibus dexteram. Non enim dicendo, Civis Romanus sum (Act. XXII, 25), non erat paratus hoc in se contemni quod pro minimo habebat, ab eis qui in illo nomen tam pretiosum et salutare contempserant. Numquid enim ideo minus postea vincula toleravit, quae civibus Romanis non licebat imponi, aut quemquam de hac injuria voluit accusare? Et si qui ei propter civitatis Romanae nomen pepercerunt, non tamen ille ideo non praebuit quod ferirent, cum eos a tanta perversitate corrigere cuperet patientia sua, quos videbat in se sinistras partes magis quam dexteras honorare. Illud est enim tantum attendendum, quo animo faceret omnia, quam benevole et clementer in eos a quibus ista patiebatur. Nam et pontificis jussu palma percussus, quod contumeliose visus est dicere, cum ait, Percutiet te Deus, paries dealbate, minus intelligentibus convicium sonat; intelligentibus vero prophetia est. Paries quippe dealbatus, hypocrisis est, id est simulatio sacerdotalem praeferens dignitatem, et sub hoc nomine tanquam candido tegmine interiorem quasi luteam turpitudinem occultans. Nam quod humilitatis fuit, mirabiliter custodivit, cum ei diceretur, Principi sacerdotum maledicis? respondit, Nescivi, fratres, quia princeps est sacerdotum; scriptum est enim, Principi populi tui non maledices (Act. XXIII, 3-5). Ubi ostendit 1260 quanta tranquillitate illud dixisset, quod iratus dixisse videbatur, quod tam cito, tam mansuete respondit, quod ab indignantibus et perturbatis fieri non potest. Et in eo ipso intelligentibus verum dixit, Nescivi quia princeps est sacerdotum: tanquam si diceret, Ego alium scivi principem sacerdotum, pro cujus nomine ista sustineo, cui maledicere fas non est, et cui vos maledicitis, cum in me nihil aliud quam ejus odistis nomen. Sic ergo oportet non simulate ista jactare , sed in ipso corde esse ad omnia praeparatum, ut possit canere illud propheticum: Paratum cor meum, Deus, paratum cor meum (Psal. LVI, 8). Multi enim alteram maxillam praebere noverunt, diligere vero illum a quo feriuntur ignorant. At vero ipse Dominus, qui utique praecepta quae docuit primus implevit, percutienti se in maxillam ministro sacerdotis non praebuit alteram; sed insuper dixit: Si male locutus sum, exprobra de malo; si bene, quid me caedis (Joan. XVIII, 23)? Non tamen ideo paratus corde non fuit, non solum in alteram maxillam caedi pro salute omnium, sed etiam toto corpore crucifigi.

59. Ergo et illud quod sequitur, Et qui voluerit tecum judicio contendere, et tunicam tuam tollere, remitte illi et vestimentum, ad praeparationem cordis, non ad ostentationem operis praeceptum recte intelligitur. Sed de tunica et vestimento quod dictum est, non in eis solis, sed in omnibus faciendum est, quae aliquo jure temporaliter nostra esse dicimus. Si enim de necessariis hoc imperatum est, quanto magis superflua contemnere convenit? Verumtamen ea quae nostra dixi, eo genere includenda sunt, quo Dominus ipse praescribit, dicens, Si quis vult judicio tecum contendere, et tunicam tuam tollere. Omnia ergo illa intelligantur, de quibus judicio nobiscum contendi potest, ita ut a nostro jure in jus illius transeant, qui contendit vel pro quo contendit; sicuti est vestis, domus, fundus, jumentum, et generaliter omnis pecunia. Quod utrum etiam de servis accipiendum sit magna quaestio est. Non enim christianum oportet sic possidere servum, quomodo equum aut argentum: quanquam fieri possit ut majore pretio valeat equus quam servus, et multo magis aliquid aureum vel argenteum. Sed ille servus, si rectius et honestius et ad Deum colondum accommodatius abs te domino educatur, aut regitur, quam ab illo potest qui eum cupit auferre; nescio utrum quisquam dicere audeat, ut vestimentum eum debere contemni. Hominem namque homo tanquam seipsum diligere debet, cui ab omnium Domino, sicut ea, quae sequuntur ostendunt, etiam ut inimicos diligat imperatur.

60. Sane animadvertendum est omnem tunicam vestimentum esse, non omne vestimentum tunicam esse. Vestimenti ergo nomen plura significat quam nomen tunicae. Et ideo sic dictum esse arbitror, Et qui voluerit tecum judicio contendere, et tunicam tuam tollere, remitte illi et vestimentum; tanquam si diceret, Qui voluerit tunicam tuam tollere, remitte illi et si 1261 quid aliud indumenti habes. Ideo nonnulli pallium interpretati sunt, quod graece positum est ἱμάτιον.

61. Et qui te angariaverit, inquit, mille passus, vade cum illo alia duo. Et hoc utique non tam ut pedibus agas, quam ut animo sis paratus. Nam in ipsa christiana historia, in qua est auctoritas, nihil tale invenies factum esse a sanctis, vel ab ipso Domino, cum in homine quem suscipere dignatus est, vivendi nobis praeberet exemplum; cum tamen omnibus fere locis eos invenias paratos fuisse aequo animo tolerare quidquid eis improbe fuisset ingestum. Sed verbi gratia dictum putamus. Vade cum eo alia duo? an tria compleri voluit, quo numero significatur perfectio; ut meminerit quisque cum hoc facit, perfectam se implere justitiam, misericorditer perferendo infirmitates eorum quos vult sanos fieri? Potest videri propterea etiam tribus exemplis haec praecepta insinuasse: quorum primum est, si quis te percusserit in maxillam; secundum, si quis tunicam tollere voluerit; tertium, si quis mille passus angariaverit: in quo tertio exemplo simplo duplum additur, ut triplum compleatur. Qui numerus hoc loco si non, ut dictum est, significat perfectionem; illud accipiatur, quod in praecipiendo tanquam tolerabilius incipiens paulatim creverit, donec perveniret usque ad duplum aliud perferendum. Nam primo praeberi voluit alteram maxillam, cum fuerit dextra percussa, ut minus perferre paratus sis quam pertulisti. Quidquid enim dextera significat, et charius est utique quam id quod sinistra significat, et qui in re chariore aliquid pertulit, si et in viliore perferat, minus est. Deinde illi qui tunicam vult tollere, jubet et vestimentum remitti: quod aut tantumdem est, aut non multo amplius; non tamen duplum. Tertio de mille passibus, quibus addenda dicit duo millia, usque ad duplum aliud perferas jubet: ita significans, sive aliquanto minus quam jam fuit, sive tantumdem, sive amplius quisque improbus in te esse voluerit, aequo animo tolerandum esse.