Turn the Other Cheek
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Consider the very famous "Turn the other cheek" phrase that permeates our culture due to Christianity.
Here’s the relevant verses with surrounding context
Luke 6:27-36 (NSRV):
‘But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. 30Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. 31Do to others as you would have them do to you. 32 ‘If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return.* Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
My question is an honest one, although it will be hard pressed to make it seem so.
If you are a committed Christian, and you are wanting to seriously incorporate Jesus’ teachings on how to lead your life, this following situation is for you.
Imagine that someone slaps you on the cheek, and you offer him the other cheek. And he slaps you on the other cheek, too.
Now what?
Do you continue offering? Do you say that you may hit me as many times as you wish?
Jesus didn’t say something like, "if someone strikes you on the cheek, run away to protect yourself."
He doesn’t give a principle of how to act that can be applied, does He?
This moral He’s trying to teach… If you were to imagine the best way you could apply it, how you HOPE you would act if you could conform to Jesus’ teachings? What do you do next after the person slaps you the second time?
What if this slapper clearly has the afternoon free, and would like nothing better than to slap you all day if you let him.
How do you apply Jesus’ ethics to this situation?
LMFAO. That was funny. The question is valid, but your wording was hilarious.
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LOL! That was great!!! 🙂
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“for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. ” Eternity in hell = merciful? I’m confused. Great entry! Makes me want to run around slapping people outside of churches.
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I’ve heard “turn the other cheek” is a colloquialism that’s really been lost in translation over the years.
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If everyone followed that verse would it not imply that the man wouldnÂ’t slap you on the cheek in the first place? & didnÂ’t Jesus turn the other cheek so to speak when he allowed himself to be crucified? Perhaps that is where young Luke is getting his teaching from when describing the verse. Taking the readings of the Bible so literally as a tool against it has been done to death has it not?
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“If everyone followed that verse would it not imply that the man wouldnÂ’t slap you on the cheek in the first place?” Jesus is giving ethical statements about how His followers should act. Clearly, how they should interact with people who aren’t followers is being addressed. Hence, this entry is asking Jesus’ followers how they should act, given what Jesus is allegedly teaching. <P> It’s an honest question, I don’t know even what Jesus would be expecting the person to do after the second slap — which is why I asked it.
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“Taking the readings of the Bible so literally as a tool against it has been done to death has it not?” Taking the Bible literally to show how ridiculous it is has been done quite often. The Bible definitely says a lot of ridiculous things, that if people took it seriously, would lead to a bunch of problems. This entry doesn’t hinge on the Bible being taken literally, though. In context, it actually looks like Jesus is addressing what a person should do if slapped. He also, specifically addresses if a coat is taken, give the shirt as well. If it’s metaphorical, the question remains: how ought a Christian who wants to follow Jesus’ teachings act if He is slapped twice. Even metaphorically, if a Christian can’t answer that question, then what use is the moral teachings of Jesus as a guide to situations in everyday life? So, the situation and text are pertinent whether the Christian chooses the literal or metaphorical interpretation.
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What if this slapper clearly has the afternoon free, and would like nothing better than to slap you all day if you let him. How do you apply Jesus’ ethics to this situation? I think Jesus would know something about this. Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
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Act 8:32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. (Isaiah 53:7 KJV) It would seem Jesus
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meant it literally and I guess the application is that we should as well. Easier said than done. But then again being a true follower of Christ is much more difficult than just saying that we are. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. (James 2:18 KJV)
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Thank you for your reply Brother Jim. As far as I can tell, I think you’re right about what Jesus is allegedly saying to do.
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Nuance is lost on you, isn’t it. After the other cheek is offered and been slapped, feel free to defend yourself from the assault. The reason there are wars and will always be wars is because there is good and evil. Evil doesn’t have to be tolerated.
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shadowkat– The Bible clearly says in the Beatitudes in Matthew “Resist not evil.” Apparently evil does have to be tolerated rather than resisted.
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I guess if someone slaps you on your World Trade Center you slap them back on their Afghanistan and then again on their Iraq, and you keep on slapping until you have no hands left. Maybe Jeeze had a point.
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Lincoln had an interesting comment there.
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Huh. Turning the other cheek is the basis of passive resistance and civil disobeidience. You can’t protest a bully by running away or by fighting him, he will come back over and over again. You refuse to be moved and refuse to fight. Never protested actively have you? Ran away? Brought a Gun? Forget Jesus, this is the basis of non violent protest.
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What would you do in this situation Thinking Bum?
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