Turn the Other Cheek

LearningToLetGo

LearningToLetGo

We read in Matthew 5 about retaliation:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you." (Matthew 5:38-42 ESV)

This is a lot to ask. When we are wronged, we rightfully want to defend ourselves. Often that defense includes retaliation. But here, Jesus plainly says that is not the way.

Much of the Bible is written as poetry or parable and is subject to interpretation. This passage is not like that at all. It is very straightforward.

How are we to live in this manner? In many areas of life we are literally and metaphorically attacked. It comes natural to want to take a righteous stance and defend ourselves, yet we are told otherwise.
 
LearningToLetGo said:
How are we to live in this manner? In many areas of life we are literally and metaphorically attacked. It comes natural to want to take a righteous stance and defend ourselves, yet we are told otherwise.
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I would say two things.
1. We live in the light of the cross. Jesus did more than turn the other cheek in our place.
(while we were enemies He died for us.)
2. We now have His Spirit who would move us in His way as He conforms us to His image. (Takes time)
 
Hello Jason;

Turning the Other Cheek is a correct teaching by our Lord and Savior. But the Lord will also equip us with discernment and wisdom to be applied depending on the circumstance.

When Jesus' explains the eye for an eye He did not condone this, instead He taught we should not respond with "evil to evil."

If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, this is His teaching of patiently bearing light or extreme insults, offenses and trusting that God will defend us.

It is wrong to think Jesus means evil should never be resisted. Jesus demonstrated evil being resisted when He turned tables in the temple.

How many men and women, if only for a few seconds, followed Christ's teaching and today would not be serving in prison for violence or murder. If they only had a few seconds to think.

How are we to live in this manner? If I am literally attacked, once again, the Lord's wisdom and discernment equips us. Example, while serving in the pastoral ministry, if you ever wanted to confront me with an insult or bump me, get in line. At times I had to constrain myself but when I felt physically pushed to the wall I pushed back. God allows us to defend ourselves, physically but enough to pull away.

When those times I was verbally attacked the Lord equipped with constraint to guard my heart and tongue. This discipline wasn't learned overnight. It took years to develop the Lord's teaching of retribution in Matthew 5:38-42.

God bless you, Jason, and thank you for sharing this topic.
 
It is very difficult at times in our flesh we want to react and respond in our flesh. Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. When you live thru Christ - nothing is ever hidden and no one is ever getting a way with anything. We see the immediate result what we experience and not the eternal books that will be opened [righteous Judge]. I am going thru this right now. Cosia knows of it. It's an opportunity to grow and be steadfast to be obedient at all cost to the Lord. Be on our faces in prayer for these people and know that this kind is with prayer and fasting - when we realize we are dealing with demonic activity, wickedness, blinded individuals that are children of the dark. You can't help but pity them. Pray for them. For now their lives here are heaven, it's as close to heaven they will ever have if they aren't repentant and accept Christ. For us, our best life is with Christ has yet to come. Heaven is our best life! Sure we can be blessed here but we weren't promised ease and without trials. So as we deal with these people standing strong in the faces of our Goliath that seek to crush us [Satan uses them to destroy, cause fear and doubt God]. God is our deliverer. He has prove it over and over in His Word and by His only Son Jesus. ❤️
 
LearningToLetGo said:
We read in Matthew 5 about retaliation:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you." (Matthew 5:38-42 ESV)

This is a lot to ask. When we are wronged, we rightfully want to defend ourselves. Often that defense includes retaliation. But here, Jesus plainly says that is not the way.

Much of the Bible is written as poetry or parable and is subject to interpretation. This passage is not like that at all. It is very straightforward.

How are we to live in this manner? In many areas of life we are literally and metaphorically attacked. It comes natural to want to take a righteous stance and defend ourselves, yet we are told otherwise.
Click to expand...

Jason.....In Jesus day and the middle east, a slap on the cheek was an "Insult" to your honor not an attack.

I have always been taught that what Jesus was teaching was that it is OK to have honor tarnished than to attack someone.

Now may I say to everyone what the Scripture in question Does Not say............
1. It doesn’t mean we allow someone to abuse us physically, or even mentally or bully us.
2. It has nothing to do with PACIFISM.

I believe we can defend ourselves when we are left with no choice. When we do defend ourselves, we should use the least amount of force necessary to protect ourselves.

We have to remember that the Same Jesus told His disciples to take a SWORD with them in their travels!
 
I agree with bob.

We should not go looking for fights
But if someone attacks us physically, we mustn’t let them abuse us and we must defend ourselves. Jesus is talking about evil. We must not have a heart of evil toward evil.

Defending oneself means “ I won’t put up with your stuff, but I also won’t use evil or plotting mischief upon you.
 
I think turning the other cheek was like when Nicky Cruz was going to cut David Wilkerson to ribbons and David said he could cut up his heart into a thousand pieces but every piece of his heart would be crying out 'I love you'.
 
This was in 'The cross and the switchblade' book (also movie made of it) real life story of conversion in tough streets of NYC times Square. I don't know if NYC is still the tough place it was back then.

I think gangs etc have moved on to other parts of NYC. But gangs are still prevalent round my neighbourhood. I don't think they ever go away, though its not as bad it used to be. Growing up you couldn't walk round by yourself and not get mauled by roving dogs.
 
In prisons some teach NVC - non violent communication or peace studies. I think that's quite important, to be able to live in peace.
A lot of society wants to encourage conflict, and some schools such such as the one I was in, (and left) actually encourage war, competition and battles. So children learn early on to fight. They aren't given the tools to resolve confilict or to be able to live peacefully or the space to calm down and reflect.

This is why there was a fight in the library, nothing was done beforehand to prevent this - even when I notified the principal, hey we have a problem here - she did nothing. She let it happen.
 
Lanolin said:
This was in 'The cross and the switchblade' book (also movie made of it) real life story of conversion in tough streets of NYC times Square. I don't know if NYC is still the tough place it was back then.

I think gangs etc have moved on to other parts of NYC. But gangs are still prevalent round my neighbourhood. I don't think they ever go away, though its not as bad it used to be. Growing up you couldn't walk round by yourself and not get mauled by roving dogs.
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Right......NYC is now a place of peace and joy. In fact the jails have been turned into rest homes for the homeless.
 
Lanolin said:
In prisons some teach NVC - non violent communication or peace studies. I think that's quite important, to be able to live in peace.
A lot of society wants to encourage conflict, and some schools such such as the one I was in, (and left) actually encourage war, competition and battles. So children learn early on to fight. They aren't given the tools to resolve confilict or to be able to live peacefully or the space to calm down and reflect.

This is why there was a fight in the library, nothing was done beforehand to prevent this - even when I notified the principal, hey we have a problem here - she did nothing. She let it happen.
Click to expand...
Best tool against a bully or a violent person is..........A leg of lamb in the mouth!
 
LearningToLetGo said:
We read in Matthew 5 about retaliation:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you." (Matthew 5:38-42 ESV)

This is a lot to ask. When we are wronged, we rightfully want to defend ourselves. Often that defense includes retaliation. But here, Jesus plainly says that is not the way.

Much of the Bible is written as poetry or parable and is subject to interpretation. This passage is not like that at all. It is very straightforward.

How are we to live in this manner? In many areas of life we are literally and metaphorically attacked. It comes natural to want to take a righteous stance and defend ourselves, yet we are told otherwise.
Click to expand...

Like a lot of requirements in scripture it is not possible for us to do because we are living in the intellectual fallen condition. But consider if a person would recieve the revelation of who we really are and where the bride finds herself, you couldn't have an enemy, because everything is so far beneath you. We can see the Spirit doing the same work in the OX age, how could the martyrs stand how could they give up their children etc. I believe we are heading into a time when all scripture will be fulfilled and that also mean the perfecting of the saints, for scripture also says that they without us are not yet made perfect - why - because God has not yet fully expressed Himself in His bride.
I trust we are together on this...
 
2404 said:
Like a lot of requirements in scripture it is not possible for us to do because we are living in the intellectual fallen condition. But consider if a person would recieve the revelation of who we really are and where the bride finds herself, you couldn't have an enemy, because everything is so far beneath you.
Click to expand...
I agree we could not have an enemy, not because everything would be so far beneath us, but rather everything would be us since all would be one in Christ.


"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28 ESV)

"Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all." (Colossians 3:11 ESV)

"Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread." (1 Corinthians 10:17 ESV)
 
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