Near the top of my pet peeves list is hypocrisy. I have very little patience and grace for those who would say one thing and do another. Hypocrisy seemed to be one of the things Jesus hated as well. He was constantly reprimanding the Pharisees over their hypocrisy. In the last ten verses of Matthew 5, Jesus taught four lessons that He would put into practice during the last ten hours of His life. 

“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.” (Matthew 5:38-39)

“Then they began to spit in Jesus’ face and beat him with their fists. And some slapped him, jeering, ‘Prophesy to us, you Messiah! Who hit you that time?’” (Matthew 26:67-68)

“The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus.” (Matthew 27:41) 

Scholars believe there is significance in the fact that Jesus specifically said, “…slaps you on the right cheek.” In that culture, the left hand was considered the unclean hand; it was the hand you would use to clean yourself after using the restroom. So either you were getting slapped with someone’s left hand, the unclean hand, on the right cheek or you were getting hit with a backhand from the person’s right hand. Either way, this strike is an insulting one. When Jesus says to turn the other cheek, it is about not rising to an insult, not escalating an attack by responding. During the last hours of His life, not only would Jesus be slapped, but He would be mocked as well. He practiced what He preached and never insulted or hit back. 

“If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too.” (Matthew 5:40)

“After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.” (Matthew 27:35) 

“When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided his clothes among the four of them. They also took his robe, but it was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. So they said, ‘Rather than tearing it apart, let’s throw dice for it.’ This fulfilled the Scripture that says, ‘They divided my garments among themselves and threw dice for my clothing.’ So that is what they did.” (John 19:23-24)

In Jesus’ time, a shirt could be given over in a lawsuit, but no one could sue for a coat. A coat was a right that everyone had and it could not be taken from them, but Jesus had His clothes and coat unjustly taken from Him.

“If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles.” (Matthew 5:41)

“Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha).” (John 19:17)

Romans could demand anyone carry their gear for them and if they did, that person would be compelled to carry it for a mile, but not a foot more. Jesus taught that if you were called to carry a Roman soldier’s property, don’t just carry it one mile, carry it two. During the last hours of His life, Jesus was forced to carry Roman property. 

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” (Matthew 5:43-44)

“Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.’ And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.” (Luke 23:34)

 Jesus loved His enemies, He died for them, and He asked God to forgive them for killing Him as they were killing Him! Every lesson Jesus taught at the end of Matthew 5, He later put into practice during the last hours of His life. These aren’t just good teachings or advice—this is how Jesus lived His life. These are Jesus’ ways and, as His followers, we should strive to live the same way. Not only did He practice what He preached, we should too.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

—Redeemed