by A.C. Turley

Created on: October 14, 2010

“But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.” Matt 5:39 (NKJ)

When Jesus spoke to the multitudes in what we refer to as the “Sermon on the Mount” he was illustrating how the new kingdom he brought differed from the religious and cultural traditions of that time. Throughout his teachings here, he charged his listeners to change and adopt a better attitude and lifestyle in accordance with His kingdom. The concept of turning the other cheek, as recorded in Matthew 5:39 and Luke 6:29, identifies one shift in lifestyle that is still a central challenge to a Christian’s quest for righteousness today.

To understand this concept, the entire context must be reviewed. Back in Matthew 5:20, Jesus stated that “. . . unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” Following this statement, Jesus focused on correcting and adding to certain traditions that Jewish leaders practiced and taught which perverted the original intent given in God’s law centuries prior. Those that conformed to these established traditions were labeled as “righteous” in their eyes, though they were not truly submitting to God’s righteousness. Jesus intended to change this misguided habit. By introducing these practiced traditions with the phrase “You have heard it was said” instead of “It is written,” Jesus brought up familiar topics in a manner suggesting that the original law had been abused, and then he explained what was truly required for those seeking righteous living in His kingdom. For example, the commandment not to murder is clarified in Matthew 5:21-22 as meaning not only in the physical sense, but in thought as well. This began Jesus’ emphasis on how thoughts and attitudes matter to God as much as our actions.

The concept of turning the other cheek further highlights the importance of this inner spirit. To introduce this idea fully, Jesus used the familiar phrase “You have heard that it was said” again in Matthew 5:38, followed by a reference to the tradition of ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ He prefaced his main point with reference to a portion of the actual law pertaining to retribution (found in Exodus 21:24, Leviticus 24:19-20, and Deuteronomy 19:21) to again stress how people had adapted the law

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