But I say to you, do not resist him who is evil; but whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.  Matthew 5:39

Right Cheek – Stand in front of a friend.  Go through the motion of slapping him on the right cheek.  What did you discover?  If you are right-handed, the natural way of slapping on the right cheek of another person is with the back of your hand.  Yeshua’s illustration intends us to realize that this is a back-handed slap.  Why?  Because a slap with the back of the hand was considered a much more grievous insult.  The point of Yeshua’s remark is not just about non-resistance.  It is about refusing to seek reciprocity even in the face of abusive and insulting behavior.  The Greek expression here (dexios siagon) is calculated to bring an instant emotional response, not simply a protective reflex.

This passage is often used to support Christian non-retaliation.  In fact, on the surface it goes much further.  It advocates non-resistance.  This is very difficult to accept since it is quite clear that the offending party is a bad, even deliberately harmful, person.  In a culture where “face” was extremely important, Yeshua’s demand must have seemed impossible.  Does He really mean that we are to offer no resistance to evil?  Are we to allow any injury to ourselves or others without even the slightest attempt to forestall such atrocities?  Stripped of its context, this verse seems to uphold a standard no reasonable man could accept.

What is the context?  The teaching begins in verse 17.  The entire section is typically rabbinic.  Yeshua, the great rabbi, is explaining principles from the Torah.  He is giving commentary on the words delivered to Moses.  But His commentary isn’t designed to provide a history of the insights of past rabbis.  His commentary is intended to take his disciples right back to the original.  In other words, Yeshua is not commenting on specific ethical applications.  He is directing us to think about they way the world – God’s world – is supposed to work, and how we are to exhibit that Kingdom view here and now.  The topic here is injustice in the world.  Injustice is slap in God’s face.  It is an affront to His hesed and His creative sovereignty.  Every act of injustice calls into question the benevolence and the authority of God.  Evil is not found simply in acts of aggression.  It is found in the metaphysical implications behind the aggression.  Yeshua’s commentary addresses these implications.  Unless we see the true nature of the problem, we will not be able to execute a principled solution.  We don’t want a list of prescribed ethical actions.  We don’t need a “if this happens, then do this” ethics.  We want to know how to apply the underlying principle in any situation.  Yeshua engages us in an insight into the principle by imagining a situation that is both harmful and insulting.  So, the principle must meet both attempted injury and damage to pride.

What is the underlying principle here?  The principle is not about taking a stand for good.  The principle is about taking a stand for myself.  Torah clearly calls us to defend what is right and just.  God is the God of justice.  God is good.  Nothing Yeshua says can be understood as an endorsement that allows evil to reign.  What is at stake here is not resistance to evil but rather defending my pride.  Yeshua is not calling His disciples to refuse resistance against evil.  He is calling His disciples to refuse resistance on the basis of protecting my self-image.  What He says is that turning the other cheek is a back-handed compliment to God.  Turning the other cheek defends God’s honor by refusing to take the question of honor in our own hands.

Topical Index:  turn the other cheek, honor, Matthew 5:39

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