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smallmovesal
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"If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also."
Of all the teachings of Jesus, this certainly leaves the most confusion.
Most folks pretty well ignore it. You hear it quoted a lot, but in the negative: "I'm not turning the other cheek! You hit me, I hit you back."
Then again, other folks take it so literally, they make it an invitation to be abused.
I've heard clergy tell battered wives & abused children, it's their "Christian duty" to go back home & take some more.
Well, if you think Jesus taught that, then somebody sold you a brutal lie.
Sure, on the surface, it sounds that way: "If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other....."
But if nothing else, this should prove that, in reading the Bible, we must understand its culture & people.
I'm indebted, again, to Professor Walter Wink, for the scholarship. Because he points to Jesus' specific reference here, to the "right" cheek. (1)
And we have to know: this was a totally "right-handed" Biblical world.
As in India today, the left hand was used only for unclean functions, & it was not used for anything in public.
We discover in the Dead Sea Scrolls, that if you even gestured with your left hand, you were sentenced to 10 days penance.
So in a right-handed world, how do you hit someone on the "right cheek?"
Can't do it with your fist, or with an open handed slap. You can only reach the left side, that way.
To hit someone on the right cheek, means you hit them with the back of your hand.
And in that rigidly, class-structured society, that was for only one thing: to insult & humiliate someone.
Legally, you were not allowed to hit someone of equal rank with the back of your hand.
That was reserved for abusing your inferiors - those who are less than fully human.
A master hit a slave with the back of the hand. A Roman hit a Jew that way. An adult would strike a child - a husband would humiliate his wife, with a back-hand slap.
One ancient law decreed: If you hit an equal with a fist, it was a fine of 4 days wages.
But if you used the back of your hand on an equal, the fine was 100 times that - for the insult.
The famous code of Hammurabi: if an inferior dared hit a superior with the back of the hand, punishment was 60 public lashes with an ox whip.
When Jesus pointed to the right cheek, everyone who heard him, knew that he was speaking, not just of being hit, but being humiliated.
And how did he suggest responding?
Not with violence. That would just bring on society's violence, & anyone who thinks Jesus would counsel returning violence anyway, has not understood the cross.
But neither did he teach just "taking it," & doing nothing. That's cowardice, & anybody who thinks Jesus wants cowards, hasn't looked at the cross either.
No, Jesus says, "In response, turn your left cheek toward your oppressor."
Because what happens then?
He can't back-hand you again, because that would mean using the forbidden left hand.
To hit you again, he's got to use his fist. And that would be making you his equal.
He can hurt you, yes, but he can no longer humiliate you. To continue, he has to acknowledge you as a human being.
Obscure detail - here 1900 years later, where "left hand" & "back-hand" are irrelevant?
No, you see, Jesus is not suggesting a new law to be followed every time you get hit. As a tactic, it would work only once, 'cause it depended on the surprise involved.
Jesus' timeless teaching here, is that we are not to cooperate with this world's patterns of humiliation.
Don't let people humiliate you. Without descending to their level of violence, still don't accept their degrading of you.
"Be creative" Jesus says. "Outsmart them. You can do it, because you've got truth on your side."
As Bishop Juan Gerardi of Guatemala proved again this week in his assassination, even if the world is going to kill you, it cannot defeat your dignity or your truth.
Don't give in to the put-downs. That's worse than getting clobbered.
#1 - Don't let anyone humiliate you, even if they have the power to hurt you.
And #2 - Don't participate in the humiliation of anyone else.
In the earlier gospel verses, Jesus gives an ascending order of judgement, for those who, even verbally, degrade someone else.
"Anger" is mild. "Insult" is medium. Calling someone "a fool" is the stuff of Hell.
Again here, the translation fails. The word isn't "fool" in Hebrew. There is equivalent English, but we don't use it in scripture lessons.
It's used in traffic, when somebody cuts you off.
Degrading someone, is the stuff of hellfire, Jesus says.
#1) Don't accept humiliation. Don't give in.
#2) Don't humiliate someone else, not even with words.
And #3) Don't sit by for the degrading of anyone. Nobody can get away with it, if you object. By your objection, you unmask the oppressor & you give dignity to the abused.
Why is it so important?
Well, you see, now we're going to receive Holy Communion, & we're going to sing another Easter hymn to close.
And we affirm that we're "not of this world." But we may also begin to feel, we're not in this world either.
But we are.
And this world thrives on the humiliation of people.
It happens at work all the time - it's done in the family - it's the rule in school & community: putting people down.
It's expected today - books tell you how to push your way by intimidation & humiliation.
If you go out to eat today, just watch what goes on with bus boys and waitresses.
The Kingdom of God is not off somewhere in "never-never land."
It's right here, in this world, in little sproutings of you who will not live by the rules of the game.
Walter Wink points to St. Mark's account of Communion.
Jesus sent disciples into Jerusalem, remember, & told them to follow a man carrying a water jar, to the Upper Room.
There's another kick in the pretensions.
Men didn't carry water jars in that world. That was women's work - degrading for a man. Just another example of Jesus' radical denial of hierarchy.
In fact, when Matthew re-wrote Mark's story, he took that detail out. Poor chauvinist guy, just couldn't handle the host of the Last Supper, being such a wuss.
Come receive Holy Communion, & ask Christ to be as patient with us, as he must have been with Matthew -
Ask God to build around you, a safe place -
Where nobody is abused or humiliated.
-----------------------------------------------------------
http://www.wpe.com/~firstumc/In03.html
Of all the teachings of Jesus, this certainly leaves the most confusion.
Most folks pretty well ignore it. You hear it quoted a lot, but in the negative: "I'm not turning the other cheek! You hit me, I hit you back."
Then again, other folks take it so literally, they make it an invitation to be abused.
I've heard clergy tell battered wives & abused children, it's their "Christian duty" to go back home & take some more.
Well, if you think Jesus taught that, then somebody sold you a brutal lie.
Sure, on the surface, it sounds that way: "If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other....."
But if nothing else, this should prove that, in reading the Bible, we must understand its culture & people.
I'm indebted, again, to Professor Walter Wink, for the scholarship. Because he points to Jesus' specific reference here, to the "right" cheek. (1)
And we have to know: this was a totally "right-handed" Biblical world.
As in India today, the left hand was used only for unclean functions, & it was not used for anything in public.
We discover in the Dead Sea Scrolls, that if you even gestured with your left hand, you were sentenced to 10 days penance.
So in a right-handed world, how do you hit someone on the "right cheek?"
Can't do it with your fist, or with an open handed slap. You can only reach the left side, that way.
To hit someone on the right cheek, means you hit them with the back of your hand.
And in that rigidly, class-structured society, that was for only one thing: to insult & humiliate someone.
Legally, you were not allowed to hit someone of equal rank with the back of your hand.
That was reserved for abusing your inferiors - those who are less than fully human.
A master hit a slave with the back of the hand. A Roman hit a Jew that way. An adult would strike a child - a husband would humiliate his wife, with a back-hand slap.
One ancient law decreed: If you hit an equal with a fist, it was a fine of 4 days wages.
But if you used the back of your hand on an equal, the fine was 100 times that - for the insult.
The famous code of Hammurabi: if an inferior dared hit a superior with the back of the hand, punishment was 60 public lashes with an ox whip.
When Jesus pointed to the right cheek, everyone who heard him, knew that he was speaking, not just of being hit, but being humiliated.
And how did he suggest responding?
Not with violence. That would just bring on society's violence, & anyone who thinks Jesus would counsel returning violence anyway, has not understood the cross.
But neither did he teach just "taking it," & doing nothing. That's cowardice, & anybody who thinks Jesus wants cowards, hasn't looked at the cross either.
No, Jesus says, "In response, turn your left cheek toward your oppressor."
Because what happens then?
He can't back-hand you again, because that would mean using the forbidden left hand.
To hit you again, he's got to use his fist. And that would be making you his equal.
He can hurt you, yes, but he can no longer humiliate you. To continue, he has to acknowledge you as a human being.
Obscure detail - here 1900 years later, where "left hand" & "back-hand" are irrelevant?
No, you see, Jesus is not suggesting a new law to be followed every time you get hit. As a tactic, it would work only once, 'cause it depended on the surprise involved.
Jesus' timeless teaching here, is that we are not to cooperate with this world's patterns of humiliation.
Don't let people humiliate you. Without descending to their level of violence, still don't accept their degrading of you.
"Be creative" Jesus says. "Outsmart them. You can do it, because you've got truth on your side."
As Bishop Juan Gerardi of Guatemala proved again this week in his assassination, even if the world is going to kill you, it cannot defeat your dignity or your truth.
Don't give in to the put-downs. That's worse than getting clobbered.
#1 - Don't let anyone humiliate you, even if they have the power to hurt you.
And #2 - Don't participate in the humiliation of anyone else.
In the earlier gospel verses, Jesus gives an ascending order of judgement, for those who, even verbally, degrade someone else.
"Anger" is mild. "Insult" is medium. Calling someone "a fool" is the stuff of Hell.
Again here, the translation fails. The word isn't "fool" in Hebrew. There is equivalent English, but we don't use it in scripture lessons.
It's used in traffic, when somebody cuts you off.
Degrading someone, is the stuff of hellfire, Jesus says.
#1) Don't accept humiliation. Don't give in.
#2) Don't humiliate someone else, not even with words.
And #3) Don't sit by for the degrading of anyone. Nobody can get away with it, if you object. By your objection, you unmask the oppressor & you give dignity to the abused.
Why is it so important?
Well, you see, now we're going to receive Holy Communion, & we're going to sing another Easter hymn to close.
And we affirm that we're "not of this world." But we may also begin to feel, we're not in this world either.
But we are.
And this world thrives on the humiliation of people.
It happens at work all the time - it's done in the family - it's the rule in school & community: putting people down.
It's expected today - books tell you how to push your way by intimidation & humiliation.
If you go out to eat today, just watch what goes on with bus boys and waitresses.
The Kingdom of God is not off somewhere in "never-never land."
It's right here, in this world, in little sproutings of you who will not live by the rules of the game.
Walter Wink points to St. Mark's account of Communion.
Jesus sent disciples into Jerusalem, remember, & told them to follow a man carrying a water jar, to the Upper Room.
There's another kick in the pretensions.
Men didn't carry water jars in that world. That was women's work - degrading for a man. Just another example of Jesus' radical denial of hierarchy.
In fact, when Matthew re-wrote Mark's story, he took that detail out. Poor chauvinist guy, just couldn't handle the host of the Last Supper, being such a wuss.
Come receive Holy Communion, & ask Christ to be as patient with us, as he must have been with Matthew -
Ask God to build around you, a safe place -
Where nobody is abused or humiliated.
-----------------------------------------------------------
http://www.wpe.com/~firstumc/In03.html
