The church teaches that in Jesus Christ, God dwells fully. Jesus' death gives us a clear picture that God responds to sin not by retaliating with evil, but by blessing. On the cross, Jesus prayed, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34). Through forgiving his enemies, Jesus blessed those who had cursed, rejected, and murdered him.
This is consistent with what Jesus taught his disciples to do:
You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.
You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:38-48
Through the cross, Jesus turned the other cheek, allowing his enemies to strike the fatal blow. He gave his cloak to the soldiers who divided it among themselves. He walked the second mile on the path to his execution. Through the cross, Jesus loved his enemies.
Often it seems that blessing one's enemies instead of cursing them makes one weak, surrendering that one's power to them. But actually blessing one's enemies subverts and overcomes their power because by blessing one's enemies, one transforms their attacks into a regenerative response. Curses decay, whereas blessings create. By blessing instead of cursing, one opens the possibility to transform the cycle of violence into a cycle of healing and blessing. Rather than mimicking his enemies, Jesus reflected the power and love of God, who holds true power and is the source of all authority.
Through Jesus' death, God has blessed not only those who killed Jesus, but the whole world. While we had turned away from God, in Jesus, God turned toward us.
We see this blessing also in Jesus' resurrection. Three days after Jesus died, God raised him from the grave, making him the first among many who will live after death. When Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection, he blessed them, saying "Peace be with you!" and then breathed on them, giving them the Holy Spirit (John 20:19-23). Whoever receives Jesus' blessing will also receive that abundant life which endures beyond death.
Who else but God, and those living in God, could respond to hatred with love, to curses with blessings?
One day early this semester, during my school's weekly Common Meal, a couple of ministers were visiting. One of them shared how, for a season, they had been persecuted for the work they were doing. One night, someone called, threatening them, and in response, the minister blessed the caller. The threats ended after that, thanks to God, but no matter what the result, in blessing their enemies, these ministers lived faithfully as followers of Jesus, resembling the perfect love of God.
As the Apostle Paul writes, "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. . . . Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:14, 21). Jesus' death and resurrection is God's ultimate blessing for the world which rejected the One who created all things. By dying, Jesus overcame evil with good, and after rising again, he breathed out on his disciples the Holy Spirit which empowered them and can empower us to respond to curses with blessings, and to overcome evil with good.
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