What Jesus meant by saying, “Turn the other cheek”.

Have you ever wondered what Jesus really meant when He said, “Turn the other cheek”? Let me give you some background information before we start. In Matthew 5 Jesus is teaching His disciples.  The Jews were being double taxed.  The Romans conquered Israel.  The Jews were a small minority during this time.  They were heavily oppressed. The Jews were humiliated on a daily basis by the Romans. So Jesus gives them 3 ways to stand against the violence…Turning the other cheek is the first one.

³⁹But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. Matthew 5:39

The right hand is considered to be the strong hand in their culture.  The right hand represented strength and power.  The left hand was used for unclean task only. The primary use of the left hand was for bodily functions.  When a person would slap they would use the back  of the right hand (again right hand being strength and might).  In that culture the higher up would slap women, slaves, and Jews. When you slapped someone you were telling them that they were lower class.  When the person turned the other cheek the person doing the slapping could no longer slap the person in front of them.  When the victim would turn the other check it would put the slapper in an awkward position. They could not use the back of the right hand to slap the persons other cheek. At that point they would have to punch them. To punch someone meant that you were calling them your equal.  This idea flipped the whole system. The person who was slapped was now in a position to think about what they had done. The slapper is now faced with two options: 1. Punch the person and call them an equal or 2. Walk away. I can assure you that the Romans were much to prideful to call a slave and equal.  But it made them think!

Amazing!