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|  fireforchrist | Mar 12, 2007 2:15pm | KJV:Mattew 5:40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.
People of that day did not have more than one cloak if they were poor and they used it to keep warm at night*. This would have been like Jesus saying. If someone takes away your shirt give him your blankets as well!
*New American Standard © Deuteronomy 34:12,13 "If he is a poor man, you shall not sleep with his pledge. 13 "When the sun goes down you shall surely return the pledge to him, that he may sleep in his cloak and bless you; and it will be righteousness for you before the LORD your God. |
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Sponsor |  Ewtn2000 | Mar 12, 2007 2:37pm | | I think that for believers to bring suits against other believers can and does bring scandal to the Church of Christ. Not living by how Jesus taught us. |
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|  3DJelly | May 6, 2007 5:41pm | | Surprised nobody yet quoted 1 Corinthians 6:1-11. |
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|  timwat | Aug 7, 2007 11:22am | Rather than presume that anyone wants my attempts to exegete these passages, I will just offer a few Scriptures (all ESV):
The most direct reference, as 3DJelly points out: 1 Cor 6:1-8 - "What one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud - even your own brothers!"
From our Lord's Sermon on the Mount: Mat 5:25-26 - "Come to terms quickly with your acuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, adn the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny."
Within the context of our Lord's promise of persecution and suffering: Mat 10:16 - "Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves."
Finally, one of Paul's exhortations for conduct as new men and women in Christ: Col 3:12-17 - "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
These are the passages that immediately come to my mind on the topic, perhaps these will spark some discussion.
Blessings,
Tim |
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