Thread by @Rev_Mente

"If someone hits you on the right, turn the other cheek"

Let's talk about how this text is misinterpreted

[A THREAD] Theology Twitter

Matthew 5:39b "If anyone slaps you on the RIGHT, turn the other cheek also". This is one of Christ' statements that has be taken out of context by may to advocate for passivity.They suggest that if you are a follower of Christ you should allow people to treat you anyhow

If this indeed was true, then we would have a problem because it would mean Christ himself did not follow his own advice. When he was in court before Annas and a soldier slapped him, he didn't turn the other cheek

When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face.“Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.“If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?”
John 18:22-23 NIV

(Context) he was before the judge answering on the allegations laid against him. In the course of the exchange one officer of the court was not happy with how he spoke to the judge, he approached him and struck him in the face.

Jews also subscribed to this universal principle in law that the accused must be treated inocent until proven guilty and Christ appealed to that principle. "If I am guilty prove it, but if am not, why are you punishing me" he did not turn the other cheek, but he demanded justice

Whenever you read scripture always understand that you are not the intended or immediate audiance of the passage. There is a gap of time, culture and language between us and the bible and in your quest to interpret it,you are seazed with the task of bridging that gap.

First lest establish this: for one to slap you on the right cheek they would have to use either the left hand or if using the right hand, its going to he a back-handed slap. This is VERY CRUCIAL in applying this text.

This text should he understood against the backdrop of the Mediterranean and Jewish culture.

In Anciet Jewish culture, sticking a person's cheek was a way of inflicting shame, not just pain and such acts would end up in a civil court.Their law details compensation to be awarded for victims of abuse.

If you slap someone you were charged 200 Zuzim ( Jewish coin) but if you slap someone backhanded you were fined 400 Zuzim. A backhanded slap was considered twice as offensive as an opehanded slap, thus subject to double fine. Why was that?

To give someone a backhanded slap was a sign of disrespect and an open declaration that you regard them as sub-human, and low class. It was dehuminising to give someone a backhanded slap according the their Ancient Jewsish culture

Around the time of Christ, the Jews lived under Roman authority as slaves. They lived in a Mediterranean culture that made clear distinction between classes. Slaves, children and women were not treated the same.

A Roman soilderir would slap a slave with his left hand on the right cheek as a sign that he is not an equal, he is beneath him. It was not the slap that mattered but the hand he uses to administer the slap.

In a nutshell, when Jesus said "if someone slaps you on the right turn the other cheek" they clearly understood him to be make a call for them to DEMAND to be treated with respect. He was calling for a revolution and standing against abuse and inhumane treatment

DEMAND TO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT

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