40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak also.
Exodus 20:15 You shall not steal.
This feels a little counterintuitive. The Mosaic command says to not steal, and Jesus isn’t saying ‘let them have everything’ as a universal rule, but Jesus is inviting us to a place of non-retaliation, generosity, and trust in what God provides. Now there is some nuance to the phrasing on Matthew 5:40 because it’s connected to seeking revenge over stealing. However, the idea of someone taking more than they deserve from us can feel wrong, and for good reasons – but Jesus is talking about the spirit of how we respond to that loss. How we understand Jesus’ words in the context of stealing can help us understand the original command a little better but can also remind us how to not view materialism is a priority over those around us.
REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: How you view Jesus’ words in the context of the 8th commandment?
In first-century Judea, legal disputes were common. The Jewish legal system was based on the Torah. To sue someone created a legal proceeding, often involving a grievance or a debt. The Mosaic Law gave ways to resolve disputes, and Jesus is challenging them. If someone took your tunic, give them your cloak.
Your tunic was a basic piece of clothing. Losing it would leave someone with just their out clothing. To sue for a tunic shows the seriousness of the lawsuit because they are taking someone’s personal necessity. Your cloak was more than just clothes. It was a blanket for warmth, especially for the poor that may not have other means of protection. The cloak was protected by law, and a creditor was to return it by the end of the day if a deal was taken. Jesus’s instruction to offer the cloak is a radical move of self-sacrifice and generosity, even if we’re uncomfortable and insecure.
REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: This can be read as someone taking something that isn’t theirs is because they need it. Why do you feel people steal?
People sometimes steal things because they are in desperation key items for survival. Of course, not everyone who steals is in a desperate situation, but many of those who are forced to steal are who Jesus wants us to care for. The cost of a lot of essential items is extremely high in our society. Between high costs of rent and house purchasing, increase prices of groceries and gas, cost of utilities ever rising, and more – it makes it hard to survive. This is for all people. The costs tend to increase when you’re married or married and have kids. Note that these prices vary by location, but here they are:
All of this averages to about the cost of $2,400 to $3,400 per month. The average monthly income for all workers (part-time, full-time, seasonal, etc.) is $4,281 per month BEFORE taxes. That’s $3,330 to $3,650 per month. Sounds doable, right? However, this doesn’t include things like insurance, car maintenance, childcare if you have children, health care, and more. Now, let’s look at what this was like 10 years ago, 20 years ago, and 30 years ago:
| 10 years ago | 20 years ago | 30 years ago | |
| Home Purchase | About $240-260k | About $170-190K | About $100-120k |
| Rent | About $900 – $1,000 | About $700 – $800 | About $500 – $600 |
| Groceries | About $240 – $280 | About $180- $220 | About $130 – $170 |
| Gas | About $2.00 – $2.50 per gallon | About $2.00 – $3.00 per gallon | About $1.10 – $1.30 per gallon |
| Utilities | About $150 – $200 | About $120 – $170 | About $90 to $130 |
| Clothes | About $70 – $90 | About $50 – $70 | About $35 to $50 |
Things have increased dramatically over the years. Within the last 10 years, the average cost of the house increased by approximately $110,000. Monthly rent increased by approximately $700, Groceries increased by almost $60 per month, Gas increased by approximately $2 per gallon. Utilities increase by almost $200 per month. Clothes increased by about $40. These increases totaled almost $1,000 for the monthly expenses, but income only increased by about $400 per month from 2016.
What do I mean by sharing all this information? We are all trying to make it in our consumer capitalist society. The focus of profits over people drives a lot of division into the world. Non-profits to try and help meet people caught in the struggle, but they struggle with the resources (financial, material, and physical) to help. This causes a lot of people to struggle and do what they can do to survive.
For us, it’s a reminder that we need to go out and help others as much as possible. To give out of our surplus. To give to those in need when they need. We also need to help create resources and organizations that can meet those needs. To create a centralized hub that allows everyone to have access to it. We tend to create barriers of entry to ensure an “equitable” distribution of resources, but these systems have felt victim to inherent bias, stereotypes, and racism. We need systems that focus on the needs of others first without the format of the system. We need to be more receptive to their needs, and more trusting. A lot of people tend to not help because we cannot trust that they will use the given resources to meet those needs. I come in and out of these thought loops often when someone approaches me that they need help. My philosophy tends to keep towards: “I will help when I can, trust they will use the resources for what they need, and let God determine what happens.” I cannot control how they use their resources. My call is to serve, care, and obey. God’s is the ultimate source of how things are given and used, and it’s between them and God on if they use it wisely.
“Marc, none of this connects back to stealing.” It kind of does, actually. Many people who cannot get what they need to survive through themselves or help from others, will get it in some capacity. People will take, regardless of the consequences, so they can feed themselves, care for their family, keep a roof over their heads, and more. We see a lot of people in trouble for taking from someone’s surplus without the proper permissions, so they can survive. This is a reminder to us that there needs to be a system of distribution that allows all of the equal rights of life to survive. If we can’t receive it from our elected officials, it’s up to us to help our communities. Overall, Jesus’s teaching is not an excuse to ignore the true harm of theft, but it’s a reminder to ask why people steal and to shape a world where survival is not a crime.
REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: How can you help your neighbors survive?
Next part: Careless Words || You Have Heard It Said || Part 9
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