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Matthew 5:39 – Turn the Other Cheek
“Not long ago, I was reading the Sermon on the Mount with a rabbi. At nearly every verse he showed me very similar passages in the Hebrew Bible and Talmud. When we reached the words, ‘Turn the other cheek,’ he did not say this too is in the Talmud, but asked with a smile, ‘Do the Christians obey this command?’ I had nothing to say in reply, especially as at that particular time, Christians, far from turning the other cheek, were smiting the Jews on both cheeks” (Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910), My Religion).
For us today, I doubt very many are literally and physically assaulting anyone. But let us remember James’ admonitions about the tongue. Are we smiting or hitting others – because we are not turning the other cheek – by yelling when yelled at, insulting when insulted, and criticizing when criticized?
Living the Sermon on the Mount is a daily challenge oft forgotten because we don’t contexualize the 2nd Great Command into daily realities.
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