Over the course of the human community we have a finely honed system of ‘justice’ that is, in fact, a system of retribution based on who holds power and how they see the world. Penal Codes may posture themselves as the keepers of public order and fairness, but the application of these codes is another matter entirely. One need only look at the application of the death penalty in this country to see the truth. The question that we must wrestle with is whether or not retributive justice is actually justice. Certainly, as compared to Jesus’ teaching, the answer to the question is a definite no.

The vision of justice that Jesus teaches is more about restoration than retribution. As we have worked our way through the Sermon on the Mount these last few weeks, we recognize Jesus’ emphasis on the establishing of a community that values the basic humanity and dignity of each person. No one is pushed to the side. In our text for this week, Jesus pushes the teaching into areas that challenge us. To love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, as a spiritual mandate, requires something of us. It calls us to give up our hurts, slights, and dreams of revenge in favor of a new vision of the community…it is a vision of a beloved community established and maintained by the ethic of self-giving love.