ideology and reinterpretations on Torah to many people. It also can be said that Jesus makes a movement based on his ideology.
As Jesus himself seems to support the colonialism then all the Jews who follow him must have the same idea with him. This kind of activity will slowly
but sure gives impact to the struggle of anti-imperial resistance in the land. By saying this, Jesus actually weakens the anti-imperial resistance of the Jews. This is
what the Jewish authorities very much afraid of. That is why they always try to stop Jesus‟ movement.
2. Reinterpretation of Revenge and Love for Enemies Matthew 5:38-42
In the Jewish law it is written that every fault must be paid fairly Exodus 21:24, Deuteronomy 19:21, Leviticus 24:20. It means that taking revenge is
allowed by the Jewish law. However, in an occasion when Jesus is preaching to many people, he says
…do not take revenge on someone who wrongs you. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, let him slap your left check too. And if someone takes
you to court to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well. And if one of the occupation troops forces you to carry his pack one mile, carry
it two miles. When someone asks you for something, give it to
him;…Matthew 5:39-42. From what Jesus says, he wants the Jews to know that taking revenge is
not allowed. From the examples Jesus gives to people, it is clear that Jesus wants them to pay the evil not with the evil but kindness. This reinterpretation of course
brings conflict in the society. Looking from the social context of the Jews at the time, the Jews live under the reality of colonialism. They are on the process of
identification, to find their identity. This means that they have to struggle to
realize their condition then start to fight for national identity and liberation from colonial domination. What the Jewish people need as the colonized nation is the
braveness and effort to resist the colonial rule. However Jesus‟ reinterpretation seems different from the context of the Jews at that time. The concept Jesus brings
about to pay the evil with kindness does not fit with the condition of the colonized people who are oppressed by the colonizer. If the oppressed people like the Jews
have to pay the evil of the Roman as the oppressor, then it will of course, first, prevent the Jews from fighting against the Roman Emperor. Second, to pay the
evil with the kindness can also mean to pay the all the domination of the Empire with the loyalty to the Empire. This is what the people and the Jewish authorities
find different not only from their interpretation of Torah but also from the context of being a colonized nation.
It is not only to pay the evil with the kindness that brings conflict in the society. As an additional, Jesus also gives another reinterpretation about this
matter. It is to love the enemies. As the addition to the previous reinterpretation, Jesus says that
…love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may become the children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun
to shine on bad and good people alike, and gives rain to those who do good and to those who do evil Matthew:44-45.
From what Jesus says, it is clear that Jesus wants people not only just to
pay the evil with kindness but also to love their enemies. From the social context, the Jews at the time are the colonized people. As the colonized people, they
always struggle for liberation by getting rid of their colonizer. Therefore, from the context, the enemy of the colonized people, the Jews, must be the colonizer; the
