"Turn the Other Cheek"

December 30th, 2024

If you've attended church for any length of time, you are not a stranger to reading or hearing messages from the Gospel of Matthew, chapters 5–7, aka "The Sermon on the Mount." Often discerned from a Western mindset, this passage's principles and rich teachings are lost when the context and culture in which they were spoken are not explored. Join Alyssa Glander in today's blog as she clarifies an often misunderstood challenge from the Lord to "turn the other cheek."

“Turn the other cheek.”

This advice has been given to me many times throughout my life, and, if I’m to be completely honest, it irritated me to no end. The idea of remaining passive in a situation of confrontation or even abuse isn't a notion I was particularly in favor of. In fact, I avoided reading Matthew 5:39 for a time because of the negative meaning I associated with this instruction from Jesus. Of course, as I grew in my faith, I began to confront the things in Scripture that made me uncomfortable. (By the way, that is often where growth takes place.) To my surprise, this verse’s interpretation, in its proper context, not only resonates positively with me, but understanding it increased my admiration and reverence for Jesus that much more. Let me explain.

The Significance of a Slap

A slap in the cultural context of Jesus’s day had a different connotation than we understand today. In biblical times, a physical slap was an insult, to be sure, but not considered a violent assault. To be more specific, www.biblestudytools.com clarifies its interpretation as follows:

In Jesus’ day, Israel was a Roman-occupied territory. If the Jews, as subjects of Rome, did not comply with a Roman soldier’s requests for anything, from a drink of water to handing over personal property, a swift backhand to the right cheek was common. But why would Jesus also instruct His followers to offer the left cheek? According to Paul T. Penley, it was a part of “Jesus’ Peaceful Plan to Challenge Injustice.”

Roman soldiers tended to be right-handed. When they struck an equal with a fist, it came from the right and made contact with the left side of the face. When they struck an inferior person, they swung with the back of their right hand making contact with the right cheek. In a Mediterranean culture that made clear distinctions between classes, Roman soldiers backhanded their subjects to make a point. Jews were second-class. The Roman slap was an insult to the Jews’ personal dignity.¹

The Way of the Master

To be clear, Jesus wasn't advocating for pacifism, nor did He want His followers to be pushovers. Instead, He sought a nonviolent approach to challenge social injustice. In short, turning the left cheek was considered an outright rejection of the blow to dignity, and it even challenged the offender to now strike with the palm of their hand, something done not to a lesser person but to someone of equal class and value. (Note: The left hand was considered unclean, so the only option for the aggressor would have been to use the palm of the right hand.) This act challenged the social norms of Jesus’ times and made an even bolder statement; I believe it screamed, “It is the Lord Most High who determines MY value.”

Deeper Than Face-Value

I think the heart of many of Jesus’s teachings is not what we perceive or assume at first glance. Whether it be “turning the other cheek” or “going the extra mile,” we are reading a set of instructions that should radically challenge our ideas of how to handle life. We don't have to be passive in a way that shrinks in fear. We also shouldn’t respond with violent retorts toward our offenders. Instead, we should challenge ourselves and others in creative acts of positive resistance to assert our dignity as being created in God’s image.

Thankfully, we don't struggle today with the same cultural circumstances that the Jewish people did while under Rome's occupation. But these teachings can still help us enact a biblical mindset amid the challenges we do face in our day. Understanding the context of biblical teaching is paramount to preventing the spreading of wrongful applications of Scripture. (For example, staying in an abusive relationship or allowing harmful power dynamics in a workplace or family setting.) If we take “turn the other cheek” at face value, we could genuinely harm ourselves and others.

So, I conclude with this challenge: Look deeper into the Scriptures to ensure you truly understand their context and applications. Using online resources such as Bible Study Tools, BibleGateway commentaries, The Bible Project, and Got Questions? will give you instant access to clear explanations and interpretations of God’s Word to enrich your study and continued spiritual growth as you read His Word. For apologetics support, we encourage you to tap into our FREE Reasons for Hope app as well!

May the richness of God’s Word bless us all and empower us to live righteously in our culture for the glory of God.

¹Access the full explanation in the Bible Study Tools article entitled, “What Does it Really Mean to Turn the Other Cheek?” https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/what-does-it-really-mean-to-turn-the-other-cheek.html#:~:text=Jews were second-class.”,a far more demeaning slap.

Author Bio:
Alyssa Glander has been walking with the Lord since she was about 17, and she's known since then that Christ has shouldered her all the way! She is a Content and Social Media Manager at Reasons For Hope, an integral part of our EQUIP Retreat team, and the second-youngest member of RforH! Happily married to her amazing husband Marc since 2018, they reside in Georgia with their beautiful baby girl, Genesis, and their certifiably insane (but sweet) Boston Terrier, Axel!