"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 one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; and if any one would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." (Matthew 5:38:45 RSV)
On Not Resisting Evil- Jesus counceled against retaliation, not against submission. Jesus never submitted, he resisted and actively fought against the evils he saw. His message was to not let evil dictate the terms of your opposition, don't let your enemy turn you into the very thing you hate. Which is why he counseled to love your enemies and pray for your persecutors.
Turn the other cheek -Luke 5:39, Matt 5:29, and Did 1:4 is often translated incorrectly. The misunderstanding arises out of the *nature* of the blow (slap). Most people think of a blow with the fist. But a right-handed blow would strike the left cheeck. A left hook would hit the right cheek of the victim. However, in Jesus' time the left hand was never used publicly. It was a punishable crime to even gesture with it in some areas. The only way to strike someone's right cheek with the right hand is with the back of the hand. This is not a blow to cause injury, but rather a symbolic act intended to humiliate. It was always administered from a superior to inferior, master to slave, man to woman, parent to child, Roman to Jew. The message was "get back in your place, submit to authority. You are my inferior and as such are scum."
Jesus assumes those listening are accustomed to such treatment...thus "If anyone slaps you..." In effect Jesus is advising: Don't take this kind of treatment anymore. Turn the other cheek. (role play it if it helps...) It is an act of defiance. It is now impossible with the other cheek presented to repeat the backhand blow. If it didn't work the first time to put the intended victim in his/her place, it won't ever work, because the power is symbolic. The master will dare not use his fist because only equals fight with fists and that is the last thing the master wants for the inferior to believe he is equal.
By turning the other cheek the victim is saying, "I am a human being and will not be treated this way." It is not the way to avoid punishment. It is not the way of submission.
Giving Cloak- people in Jesus' day only wore an inner garment (chiton) and an outer garment (himation). When poor people wanted/needed to take out a loan they often mortgage they very coats on their backs. The creditor was allowed to keep the garment by day but was required to return it at night so the person would not freeze. When a person fell behind on his loan due to the exorbitant interest (up to 250%!) he was often taken to court. It is to this situation that Jesus is speaking (and he is speaking to the debtors not the creditors). By offering not only the outer garment but also the inner garment Jesus is suggesting the debtor strip naked--in the courtroom! Nakedness was very taboo in Israel and the shame belonged to the viewing party. What shame the creditor would feel having the tables turned on him exposing the whole economic structure.
Second Mile- Roman legions were allowed to conscript civilians (which often meant Jews) to carry their gear. But the law stipulated a limit of 1 mile. By refusing to give back the gear and walking the 2 mile the Jew puts the Roman soldier in the unenviable position of being noticed by their Centurion who was at liberty to impose any punishment he saw fit. So this has nothing to do with extending yourself out of goodness. It is about not allowing yourself to be taken advantage of but instead to turn the tables on the persectors.
Jesus is not giving legalistic rhetoric in response to unfair situations instead he is offering ideas for his followers to think on and then provide their own creative responses to break the cycle of humiliation. To shake the foundations of oppression with humor and even ridicule.
This knowledge was imparted to me by Walter Wink, a noted seminarian at Auburn Theological Seminary in NYC. I'm not claiming that bombing is non-violent. I am not claiming that Bush believes that bombing is non-violent. I am claiming that Jesus advocated ACTIVE resistance via non-violence not submission. FRC-Just because you haven't heard anything like it doesn't make it wrong...do some research on the laws of Rome...and aren't most forms of non-violent protest by their vary nature acts of defiance ala MLK, Ghandi, and gasp, Jesus?!"
My job can best be described as making sure that someone who turns the other cheek can reasonably expect to survive doing so.
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