The intent of the old testament law, an eye for an eye, was that the punishment should not exceed the injury done. It would appear that Jesus is forbidding retaliation and is commanding us to do whatever is demanded of us. Does this mean we must passively let others harm us and take away everything we have? Of course not. Jesus is using the literary form hyperbole, which is an extreme exaggeration to emphasize a point. Jesus wants us to know that his gospel message isn’t about revenge and retaliation; it’s about forgiveness and love.
Lord, help me to stand up to evil, not with vengeance but with love.
Reflections on the Word of God 