The Deeper Meaning- "Turn the other cheek"

7/27/2020

“Turn The Other Cheek” (Matthew 5:38-40)

Jesus said “When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to
him as well.” Did Jesus mean that we should allow others to bully us? NO!
In the culture of Jesus’ day, and in many Eastern Cultures even today, the right
hand is considered clean, and is used for ‘clean’ activities, such as eating. The left
hand is used for other things, and is considered ‘unclean’. ( I won’t elaborate!)
When a person struck someone, it was done with the back of their hand. In this
case, Jesus is very specific. The person who is struck is hit on their ‘right cheek’.
This means that the bully used the back of their right hand to strike. This would be
the common method of striking someone, using the ‘clean’ hand.
By telling his audience to ‘turn the other cheek’, Jesus was not telling his listeners
to be passive. Jesus was telling them not to retaliate by returning violence for
violence. Instead, stand your ground and challenge the bully by turning your head
and inviting them to strike you on the left cheek, forcing them the use the back of
their unclean hand. This would have been an inappropriate use of that left hand
according to their culture, and would create a dilemma for the bully.
So, you see, Jesus wasn’t telling his listeners, and us, to acquiesce to injustice.
Jesus was encouraging us to refuse to cooperate with violence, and to challenge
an injustice by using a creative response.
Bishop Robert Baron told a story to illustrate this response. Bishop Desmond
TuTu of South Africa was walking along a narrow sidewalk, when a white man
approached. He told Bishop TuTu, “Get off the sidewalk. I don’t make way for
gorillas.” The Bishop quickly moved aside and replied, “I do!”
Let’s ponder and pray about Jesus’ words, and how we might respond whenever
we have the opportunity to ‘turn the other cheek’
In Christ’s Peace…..
Carol Mullins

14 Comments

Wendy Vania

3/16/2021 11:02:52 am

Thank you for this, it makes so much sense...i knew Jesus didn't mean for his children to be mere punching bags

Barbara M. Garnaut

1/9/2022 09:09:46 am

Thank you for sharing! Well said and spot on, Wendy.

1/9/2022 09:07:33 am

Thank you very much indeed, Carol, Your article has channeled to me the strength and courage of Jesus, His Actual Grace, to stand up to bullying and spiritual abuse precisely where I should and am called to by Jesus to be and to do.

Regards........Barbara

Robin

1/13/2022 09:52:19 pm

Sorry...but for me this is cleary not the "deeper meaning" of the words of jesus.
jesus words aren't meant to be some to think about much and undesrtand in complexity and creativity.
They are meant to be felt in your heart.
Sentences like pray for your enemy are also ones...that show how jesus has not bad intentions for his "enemies".
He even----- let them slap the other cheek. No he "gives" it to them...like...i love you. Hear is the other.
This is also in my impression with that what he says before the shown quote.
He says: "But I tell you, do not resist an evil person"
This words are everything but to be clever and offend the other person in any way...to trick them...to be superior in your ideas or anything.
It is the absurdity to be so full of loving and taking care...that you even "turn him the other cheek"
-"pray for your enemies" dont fight them

Sofia

1/21/2022 10:58:32 am

I came to this blog while looking for an explanation I had heard of "turn the other cheek" before, which was not the same as this explanation (it hinges on "Roman slapping etiquette" rather than Eastern hygiene customs). I found the explanation here: https://www.reenactingtheway.com/blog/turning-the-other-cheek-jesus-peaceful-plan-to-challenge-injustice

According to this explanation, there were differences in the way a Roman soldier would slap an equal as opposed to an inferior person. Equals would be slapped with the palm while second-class people would be backhanded. So if you were backhanded by a Roman soldier, turning the other cheek was essentially a non-violent way of asserting your human dignity. I guess (under this interpretation) it's kind of like saying "hit me like a man". It's refusing to crumple/cower as the oppressor expects, but it is also a kind form of resistance because it challenges him without causing harm to him.

John

5/25/2024 02:52:36 pm

Here is another deeper meaning, implied by the word cheek.
In Hebrew the letters in the word cheek (the part of the face we regard as representing beauty) represent making an offering of a testament and a covenant to another, shepherding them toward a new state/place/condition.
The right cheek represents the higher Law that Christ brought. The left hand, the less favorable, represents the lower law, like the law of Moses.
So, if someone attacks your more beautiful gospel, then turn them to the lower one. They may not strike that one, and may accept it. It has the ability to lead them to the greater law later.
This is (in addition to other parallel meanings) symbolically an instruction to give anything good that they will accept until they repent and are prepared to be better.

Donna

3/12/2022 12:57:52 pm

Hello all I thought this was pretty cool info about standing up for justice. I agree Jesus is not telling us to be passive. He did give us authority over snakes and scorpions and dominion over all the enemy! Have a quick question, when I looked up Jewish culture articles I didn't find anything about the hands. Could you please reference your Jewish source? I would appreciate it! We are all learning God's Word together God Bless!❤

Carol Mullins link

3/22/2022 01:23:13 pm

My "Jewish source" is not a written publication. I learned this through experience while in the Holy Land in 2019. Some close friends from the Far East also confirmed this is a cultural norm in their homeland as well.

In addition, there is an explanation by well-known Catholic teacher, Bishop. Robert Barron, at this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXxUSKzLjOs
Check it out. It's not the best quality video, but a similar message.
Blessings......

Mary

4/30/2022 07:47:02 pm

Look up the Jewish Rabbi Maimonides and see that this was something that if the person was struck anywhere on the head - a fine was imposed on the person doing the striking. Double if struck with the palm of the hand. Also Act 23:2 And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.
Act 23:3 Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law? - the Law of Moses. The Apostle Paul wasn't very passive here now was he?

Mike

5/4/2022 09:08:31 pm

Thought there would have been a little more to the explanation of this verse. The answer given focused on an ancient cultural application and how it would have been easily comprehended back in first century Israel. In the Gospels we read that Jesus was horribly beaten, struck repeatedly and treated terribly at His crucifixion yet even still, He prayed for His tormentors. No mention in the essay of any wider application or deeper insight for contemporary readers contending with the modern era.

7/15/2022 05:26:24 am

If I look at Jesus, He called a spade a spade: "Go tell that Fox" ... "Brood of Vipers" ... "Whited sepulchres" And in driving the money sellers from the Temple, He seemed to drop His bundle completely - had enough, fed up, lost His Cool.
I don't think Jesus was flinging insults around for the heck of it, rather He was trying to wake people up to themselves.

Taking the road of least resistance - I think it was the easiest and the best way.to get them to take a hard look at themselves. He wasn't doing it because He didn't like them, He did it because He Loved them................doses of Hard Love we tend tp call it today, in the Hope they would wake up to themselves......get honest, get real.

John Davis

8/5/2022 06:12:55 am

My father gave me this advice frequently. In fact it was just about the only advice I can remember him giving me. It turned me into a ready-made victim. The modern view is that you stand up to bullies - it's almost a social responsibility. How does the Bishop know that, emboldened by his physical success, the person who he allowed to force him off the sidewalk (yes that's right - he allowed himself to be forced off) did not go on to do worse to the next person of colour? Allowing bullies to have their way is a poor example to set and does nothing for others. Putin, Crimea, Ukraine comes to mind. We don't live in the world of the Bible and it's not a good idea to walk quietly into the gas chamber.

Franklin Eckenroad

10/7/2022 01:48:45 pm

What about 2 Corinthians 11:19-20? It mentions specifically a slap in the face as something not to be tolerated.

Kramer Kosmo

12/13/2022 07:43:18 am

Paul is being sarcastic like in 1 Cor 4; he's saying that they consider themselves so wise that they will tolerate the lunacy of those morally worse off than they are....kind of like what is going on in society right now.
Romans 1:22 "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools."
Psalms 14:1; "The fool says in his heart, there is no God."

The Deeper Meaning- "Turn the other cheek"

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