Measure for Measure

The Venerable Joan Clark

Matthew 18:21-35

“Poetic justice!” we say, when we feel a certain “punishment” exactly meets the “crime.” A bad guy in a movie ends up falling into the trap he set for someone else.  A thief ends up losing everything. A murderer who prepares a poison ends up drinking it himself. While these make for great plots in fiction, they seldom apply to real life. Or do they?

How about the overprotective mother who in her smothering loses the very daughter she seeks to shield?

Or what about the wealthy woman who values accumulating money over building relationships, and who later is surrounded only by her jewels as she battles cancer alone.

Or the successful businessman who devotes all his time and energy to his career in order to make a good life for his family only to lose them all in the process as they go on with their lives without him.

Remember the famous song by Harry Chapin, “Cat’s in the Cradle?” In the lyrics, a man is too busy to spend time with his son. When his son grows up, he becomes too busy to spend time with his dad.
“Poetic justice.”

In the Jewish tradition, this kind of “poetic justice means, measure for measure.

“Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth.” “You reap what you sow.” “Choice and consequences.” “Tit for tat.” You can probably think of a few others. These are popular phrases that have their core root in scripture.

The scriptures are filled with stories that demonstrate “measure for measure.”

Jacob substitutes himself for his brother Esau to cheat him from his birthright. Later, Leah is substituted as a wife for her sister Rachel by Jacob’s uncle.

Pharaoh decrees that all Israelite boys be drowned in the river Nile. Later Pharaoh’s army drowns in the Red Sea.

Haman constructs a gallows to kill the Jew Mordechai. In the end he is hanged on his own gallows due to Queen Esther’s ingenuity in revealing his plot.

However, here’s the catch. Often, we take the idea of “measure for measure,” which yields the natural consequences of our deeds, which often reflect back upon us, or are reflected back upon us by God, for another idea: revenge.

But measure for measure is not revenge.

Think of it this way.  When a child reaches into the cookie jar too many times, “measure for measure” might be that the child becomes ill from eating the very cookies that taste so delicious. (Have your ever been berry picking?)

Gluttony’s own consequences are a sick tummy.

However, if someone plots to “create” a consequence by for instance lacing the cookies in the jar with an illness-inducing substance, so that if the child eats them when not supposed to, that child will become ill, that is NOT measure for measure.  That is revenge. And that is sinful in God’s sight.

Remember Jesus’ encounter with the woman accused of adultery? He challenges those persecuting her, “he who is without sin can throw the first stone.”

Remember Jesus’ message today to his disciples in Matthew 18 when asked how often Peter should forgive? Jesus says, “Not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Or in current lingo, an infinite amount of times!

Jesus is trying to “correct” the disciples’ understanding of measure for measure. In fact, Jesus says in Luke, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you (Luke 6:37-38).

Jesus does not negate the Jewish idea of measure for measure. But like many of his teachings, he re-interprets their understanding of it. Jesus explains that only God can judge. Their job in the sense of measure for measure is not to dole out punishments, retributions, judgments, and revenge, but to dole out love, forgiveness, mercy, and grace.

Treat others as you would have them treat you.
Seek and you will find.
Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?
Forgive and you will be forgiven.

This concept was so important to Jesus that he placed it into the very prayer he taught his disciples.

Say it with me now (silently or out loud):
Our Father, in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us
Save us from a time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory, are yours now and for ever. Amen.

Every time you pray that prayer, you are asking God to treat you the way you treat others, to judge as you judge others, to bestow upon you the mercy that you are willing to bestow upon others.

You are asking God to impose upon you the just consequences for your thoughts and actions.

If you don’t think that’s a tough vow and commitment, you haven’t paid enough attention to the prayer you’ve been praying!

Jesus’ parable today about forgiving sins and debts is a powerful one. If we expect and yearn to be forgiven, we must first be willing to forgive.

All of us love the idea of “fairness,” “justice,” “equality,” and “come uppance.” But think about it. We love it a lot more when someone else receives it. When it comes our turn to kneel before God and confess our sins, will you want God to bestow upon you in fair share what you have done? Will you say, “God give me exactly what I deserve?” Or will you plead for God’s mercy and forgiveness and grace?

Jesus knew how hard it is for us to carry out God’s command of mercy and forgiveness, measure for measure. So Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice. He gave his own life, so that we could receive freely God’s forgiveness and mercy, despite our failings.

It is we who ask God to aid us in our attempts to live the way we should, when we pray together, “Forgive us our sins, to the degree that we forgive others.”

May this phrase wake you up and chill your bones, and make you everlastingly grateful for Jesus’ sacrificial gift of salvation grace.
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Amen.