![]() Crimes can still be prosecuted, and wars can still be waged, but the follower of Christ need not defend his personal “rights” or avenge his honor. He was not setting government foreign policy, and He was not throwing out the judicial system. Jesus’ command to turn the other cheek is simply a command to forgo retaliation for personal offenses. Turning the other cheek does not imply pacifism, nor does it mean we place ourselves or others in danger. If any say, Flesh and blood cannot pass by such an affront, let them remember, that flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God and those who act upon right principles will have most peace and comfort” ( Concise Commentary, entry for Matthew 5:38). And the sum of all is, that Christians must avoid disputing and striving. Matthew Henry’s comment on this verse is helpful: “Suffer any injury that can be borne, for the sake of peace, committing your concerns to the Lord’s keeping. Did someone insult you? Let him, Jesus says. ![]() Even in our day, a “slap in the face” is a metaphor for an unexpected insult or offense. The slap (or the “smiting,” as the KJV has it) does not have to involve literal, physical violence. Jesus here speaks of personal slights of any kind. In summary, Jesus is saying we need to be pure inside and out and as accommodating as possible for the sake of a lost world.Ī word about the “slap” that Jesus says we should endure. For instance, He tells us to go the extra mile for someone who abuses us (Matthew 5:41) and to love and pray for our enemies instead of holding enmity against them (verse 44). At the same time, Jesus affirms the “last is first” principle upon which the kingdom of God is based. Much of the material surrounding Jesus’ command to turn the other cheek complements the nature of His coming, which was characterized by mercy, sacrificial love, and longsuffering toward sinners. It’s not enough to obey the letter of the law we must conform to the spirit of the law as well. In the section of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in which He commands us to turn the other cheek, He addresses the need for true transformation, versus mere rule-keeping. Allowing a second slap after being slapped once does not come naturally. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.” The concept of “turning the other cheek” is a difficult one for us to grasp. 5:38–39).In Matthew 5:38–39, Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. Thus Jesus counseled individuals to “turn the other cheek” rather than pressing for “eye for an eye” justice (Matt. ![]() Justice can also be tempered by mercy in other ways. A person thus might avoid “an eye for an eye” if he provided appropriate compensation to the injured party. Numbers 35:31 specifies that no ransom can be accepted in a case of murder, suggest- ing that in lesser cases the guilty party could pay compensation. In a world without an extensive prison system, this may have liter- ally meant “an eye for an eye,” though not always. This promoted the common good and order of society by dis- couraging people from taking their own revenge. They direct courts to let the punishment fit the crime, which is a fundamental principle of justice. If they are seen as being too lenient, people may take matters into their own hands. To do their job properly, courts need to be seen as administering justice fairly. Courts exist to keep this from happening. A person who has been wounded or has seen a loved one wounded may kill the perpetrator. If people take their own revenge, they often do so excessively. The point of having a court system is to prevent people from doing that by seeing that justice is done when an innocent party is harmed. They aren’t instructions telling people to take personal revenge. Note that these passages are intended to be used by a court when a crime has been committed. ![]() In each passage a similar formula occurs: “you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe” (Exod. The third deals with a witness who lies in court to harm an innocent person. The second deals with a man who attacks and maims another. The first deals with the case of men who are fighting and accidentally injure a preg- nant woman, causing miscarriage. Three passages mention the “eye for an eye” principle: Exodus 21:22– 25, Leviticus 24:17–21, and Deuteronomy 19:16–21. Properly understood, these passages expressed a principle of justice and sought to promote the common good. ![]()
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