We live in a ‘dog eat dog’ world. Retaliation and revenge keep going the animosity and antagonism between people on all levels of society. “You hit me, I’ll hit you back twice as hard!” It has been like that since the beginning of time.
Genesis 4:23-24 NIV
[23] “Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me. [24] If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times.”
So, the cycle of injury and revenge escalates into war, between individuals, families, groups, and nations. Will it ever stop? What can we do to make it stop?
There is no strategy in the hearts of humans to put this destructive cycle to an end. Even if one individual forgives, others will continue to exact revenge, carrying on the harm it causes to society. They do it because they want to do it.
This is the situation into which Jesus came with a strategy so powerful that, where the same strategy is put into practice in groups of like-minded people with transformed attitudes, peace reigns.
1 Peter 2:23-24 NIV
[23] When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. [24] “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”
Here is another of Peter’s ‘gems’ that deserves close scrutiny. As we turn it over and examine its facets, from its beauty glints those truths that reveal the heart of our Saviour.
Instead of non-retaliation being a sign of weakness, Jesus showed us a strategy so powerful that, through His refusal to retaliate, He obliterated all the sins of mankind, for all time, and made possible a new way of forgiveness, reconciliation, and harmony that changes communities where it is put in place.
- What did Jesus do?
He faced, without reacting, all the hatred human beings could muster, which they threw at Him by their revenge for all the ‘wrong’ of which they accused Him. They carried out their wicked intent, with scorn, insults, and mocking, in the cruellest way possible…Roman crucifixion.
Isaiah 53:7-8 NLT
[7] “He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. [8] Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people.”
No human being in all history has suffered greater injustice than Jesus suffered. Had He retaliated, it would have been appropriate for the treatment He had received, and He had the power to carry it out but, not for Jesus! He came to take away the sin of the world, not to perpetuate it in His own life. He absorbed into Himself all the bitter hatred levelled against Him without uttering threats or defending Himself.
Jesus knew that the day of revenge on His enemies was coming. The Father had even given Him the role of divine Judge, but not now. This was the time to punish sin, not the sinner, by absorbing it into Himself and dying in the sinner’s place.
2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV
[21] “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
As difficult as it is for us to understand, it seems that God the Father took all the expressions of man’s rebellion, encapsulated in the cross, as one great burden of human guilt, placed it on Jesus and required that He accept is as His own.
- How did Jesus respond?
… “He entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”
That’s a huge response for a human to make. Trusting an unseen God to avenge the injustice and suffering He endured was a massive act of faith.
However, Jesus knew the Father. As a man, He had walked and fellowshipped with the unseen God, living in perfect submission and obedience to Him for more than thirty years. Would it be any different now? Could He come down from the cross? Yes, He could, if He resorted to using His divine power. Would He come down from the cross? No, because He had chosen to do His Father’s will.
- What was the outcome?
1 Peter 2:24 NLT
[24] “He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.”
Jesus stopped sin dead in its tracks, by refusing to retaliate. All the sin of the world was laid on Him. He took it on the chin, bore the Father’s wrath against sin in Himself, and died the sinner’s death in our place.
This is God, remember, in human form, not just some so-called ‘good’ person, doing this for us. God is perfect holiness, utterly separate from sin and any possibility to sin.
Habakkuk 1:12-13 NLT
[12] “O Lord my God, my Holy One, you who are eternal… [13]… You are pure and cannot stand the sight of evil….”
Yet, He became sin for us, and God the Father was happy about that!
Isaiah 53:10 NLT
[10]”But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands.”
The cross event goes much deeper than Jesus doing the Father’s will. He WANTED to do the Father’s will because of the love and unity between them, no matter what the cost. The Father’s will was to have a family of people redeemed from the penalty, power, and presence of sin… and only Jesus could accomplish His will…and Jesus gladly did it for Him.
John 14:31 NLT
[31]…”but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father….”
The outcome of Jesus’ refusal to retaliate is exactly what the Father planned from before the foundation of the world. He wanted a family of sons and daughters, perfectly and eternally righteous… forgiven, cleansed, restored, and healed of everything sin had broken and corrupted, body, soul and spirit… exactly like Jesus, to live with Him forever.
For Jesus, the outcome was pure joy.
Hebrews 12:2 NLT
[2] “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”
He won two great prizes, a family for the Father and the place of highest honour in God’s kingdom.
Philippians 2:9-11 NLT
[9]”Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, [10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
So, when we follow Jesus and do what He did,
- Refuse to retaliate
- Trust the Father’s justice
Romans 12:19-21 NLT
[19]” Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. [20] Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” [21] Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.”
We will also reap the reward…
- 1 Peter 1:9 NLT
[9]”The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.”