STORY OF THE WEEK: The Most Misunderstood Saying in the Bible
Exploring the Radical Meaning of “Turning the Other Cheek”
As I walked down the hallway, head down, trying to avoid any kind of confrontation, I felt a shove from behind. My books scattered across the floor, and laughter erupted from the group of bullies who surrounded me.
This was a daily occurrence.
With shaking hands, I bent down to gather my books, and as I did, I counted to ten. This is what my Mom told me to do when I was angry.
And I was angry.
In fact, more than anything, at that moment, I wanted to stand up and punch the ring leader in the nose. What made those ten seconds all the more agonizing was the fact that I believed I could land a few blows if I really tried. I had rehearsed it in my mind many times.
I was not a small kid by any means. In fact, I hit puberty in the fifth grade and shot up like a basketball player… at least compared to the other kids. At one point, I was the tallest in my class, so I knew that, given the opportunity, I could make an impact.
But I never did take a swing.
In fact, I never really stood up for myself.
I copped the bullying all through my elementary school years for one simple reason: I was taught in Sunday School that I had to turn the other cheek. That’s what Jesus wanted me to do. No fighting back allowed!
As a kid, I really wanted to make Jesus happy, so I took these words literally and chose the path of passive acceptance. But, inside, I was torn. Why should I turn the other cheek? Why should I passively accept mistreatment and humiliation? Wasn’t I justified in defending myself against those who sought to belittle and demean me?
These were the questions that I would ask myself, in my own ten-year-old way, of course. It wasn’t until a long time later that I learned the real meaning of Jesus’s words.
On turning the other cheek
Matthew 5:39 records these words of Jesus Christ:
“But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.”
In the church that I grew up in, this verse was often interpreted in a way that emphasized meekness and passive acceptance. We were taught that turning the other cheek meant enduring mistreatment without protest, submitting ourselves to the will of others even in the face of injustice.
It was seen as a noble act of self-sacrifice, a demonstration of humility and forgiveness in the face of adversity. We were encouraged to emulate Jesus’ example of non-resistance, to absorb the blows of life without retaliating, trusting that God would ultimately vindicate us in the end.
But as I reflect on those teachings now, I realize that they only scratched the surface of Jesus’ message. They failed to capture the radical nature of his teachings and the profound implications of turning the other cheek in the context of his time.
Let me explain
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