What About Self-Defense

This week we continue our series looking at some of the hard sayings of Jesus. We have already covered Jesus' teaching on anger and on oaths. This Sunday we will see what Jesus has to say about retaliating against those who hurt or offend us. Quoting from Exodus 21 Jesus opens with "you have heard that it was said, 'an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'" That law was in place to limit the Israelites from retaliating to offenses in disproportionate ways. But Jesus takes it up a notch. New covenant living means you aren't worried about getting your hit in too. Jesus even prohibits responding to an offense with an equal offense. But what does this really mean for us? What about self-defense? What about legal defenses? What about looking out for ourselves? Are we being commanded to practice strict pacifism? These are some of the questions we will consider this Sunday.