Just before Easter, Jewish people celebrated a holiday in their tradition called Purim. During Purim, the story of Esther is read aloud, sometimes enacted. The story of Esther tells of a an upright, young Jewish woman who becomes Queen of Persia and reveals to the King the evil intentions of his right hand man, Haman, who is out to exterminate the Jewish people. Esther’s uncle Mordechai has angered Haman, who builds a gallows intending to have Mordechai hanged upon it. But when his treacherous plan to manipulate the King is revealed, he ends up being hanged on the very gallows that he built to murder Mordechai.
In the scriptures, time and time again, we see an interesting rabbinic concept coming to the fore. It’s called in Hebrew midda k’enegged midda. It means “measure for measure.” In other words, the actions you take against another will often be returned upon you. We might say today that our actions have due consequences. It’s a spiritual and ethical principle of reciprocity, kind of like a Jewish “karma.” You do something bad, and it will often boomerang back to you in a similar way.
This is not just the case in the story of Esther. The rabbis noticed throughout scripture a pattern of this happening, that when one acts with hostility, judgment, or bad intent toward another, he or she will inevitably end up suffering from a similar circumstance. Think about it for a moment.
When Pharaoh declares he will drown all Jewish boys in the waters of the Nile, the result is that Pharaoh’s army ends up drowning in the Red Sea.
When David kills Bathsheba’s husband and marries his wife, his son ends up dying.
Now, we might initially be tempted to see this as some kind of retribution on God’s part, but this is not the case. It’s not a matter of God punishing; it’s a matter of knowing that what we do in this world matters! That when we treat people badly, we often will set ourselves up for some bad consequences. On the other hand, when we treat people with the kind of grace that God offers us, we have the power to change the world for the better.
The story of Joseph and his stepbrothers demonstrates the potential for this. Joseph’s stepbrothers had thrown him into a pit and left him to die. Later, successful Joseph notes incognito to his brothers that perhaps his brother Benjamin should suffer. This is a test to see how they will react. But when his brothers protect Benjamin, Joseph turns things around and creates a different future. He forgives his brothers and reveals who he is, healing his family dynamic.
We know that Rabbi Jesus also used the concept of midda k’enegged midda in his own teaching. In Matthew 7:2, “With the measure you use it will be measured to you,” he says. He quotes a similar line in Luke 6:37-38. In fact in our very Lord’s prayer, listen to these words:
“And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive the trespasses of others.”
That is midda k’enegged midda, “measure for measure.” And we say it every time we repeat that prayer. We ask God to treat us in the way that we treat others! The Lord’s prayer is a prayer of humility, because in that prayer, we are challenging ourselves to love and live in a way that grows, not depletes, God’s kingdom. We humble ourselves before God and acknowledge our penchant for delivering judgements upon others, grateful that God will not act out of this concept to us, but will instead deliver mercy upon us, due to the gift of Jesus.
Instead, “measure for measure” becomes a different concept for Jesus –a way to change the world and to cultivate a kingdom kind of community, one act at a time.
Think for a moment about the parable of the wheat and weeds in Matthew 13. Jesus tells us to “let” them grow together until the harvest. God will take it from there. The word for “let” in that passage and in others like it is the same word used in our passage in John for today. But in this passage, we translate the Greek word “aphete” as “forgive.”
When Jesus met with his disciples in that upper room on the night before his death, he washed their feet, and he told them, with his new ritual of body and blood, he would declare a new “law,” the one that would rule over all others: “Love one another.” This is the way, everyone will know you belong to me. Love one another.
Or let’s put this another way: Return harm with grace.
In fact, some of Jesus’ last words on the cross were, “Forgive them.” Those who persecuted him, taunted him, disbelieved him, and killed him. “Forgive them.”
We could call this “changing the outcome.” When someone harms you, instead of responding with like measure, change the outcome: measure for measure. Show forgiveness and grace, just as Jesus showed forgiveness and grace to you. In return, you will feel the favor of God upon you, and you will have transformed not only your own life but those whom you’ve forgiven.
Have you ever tried to do that with someone who is upset with you? Instead of responding in anger, defensiveness, or rebuke, respond with kindness, understanding, and grace. It’s as though you switched a switch. The anger subsides. And you are able to connect with that person in a whole new way.
When Jesus meets with his disciples post-resurrection for the first time, they are behind locked doors. They fear retribution from the authorities as Jesus’ supporters. But Jesus appears suddenly among them.
Listen to what he says:
“Peace be with you.
“As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
“If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
In other words, the power to act as my disciples, to cultivate a kingdom-like world, to receive my grace and therefore bestow that grace upon others….is now given by me to you.
Use it wisely.
Jesus knows better than anyone the power of forgiveness. He knows that it doesn’t let people off of the hook. It doesn’t excuse bad behavior or forget or ignore threats. Those who act unkindly will still likely receive the consequences of their actions all on their own. But Jesus also knows that those he has healed have become his most ardent disciples. To those he has shown unexpected grace, they have become his most passionate followers. When we bestow forgiveness and grace upon others, no matter what they’ve done or not done to us, we act out our own version of “measure for measure.”
As Jesus has forgiven us –for we all fall short of the glory of God—so we will forgive others in his Name. And in so doing, they themselves will experience the power and glory of God in their lives, often for the very first time.
You are all Jesus’ disciples. You’ve all been given a great power. You can use Jesus’ gift wisely, bestowing love and grace upon all those in your lives, not bearing upon what they’ve done, but bearing upon the gift you’ve received in Jesus. Or you can resort to a “eye for an eye” mentality that in the end will merely leave both of you with only one eye.
As the superhero Spiderman learns, “with great power comes great responsibility.” Or as Jesus taught us to pray, “forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
For yours (not ours) is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory! Amen.