But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Matthew 5:39 (ESV)
Turning the other cheek is one of the better-known teachings of Jesus. For many people, this saying implies passivity, being a doormat, or not acting in self-defense. But that is not really what Jesus meant by this.
In Jesus’ day, to strike someone on the cheek was a form of insult rather than assault. You can sometimes see this depicted in movies, where one person removes a glove and strikes another person on the cheek with it. The intent is not so much to physically hurt the one being struck as to insult or challenge them.
So, if being slapped on the cheek is a form of insult, how should you respond? In the Beatitudes, Jesus tells us that we are blessed when we are reviled, persecuted, or slandered for the sake of Jesus. To rejoice and be glad because of our reward in heaven (Matt. 5:11-12). If we are insulted for the cause of Christ, we should be happy. Consider it a good thing.
In the passage quoted above, Jesus tells us to turn the other cheek. When I am insulted, my inclination is to insult back. Jesus tells me that, rather than retaliate, I should allow them to continue to insult me. That is hard, unless we can recognize that it is actually a blessing to us. That is not what the one insulting us intends. But it is what God makes of it.
Peter takes this one step further. In 1 Peter 3:9, he instructs us to return insults with blessings. When someone insults me, I should be able to respond with something positive. I am blessed when I do so. And it may well have a positive impact on the one insulting me (Rom. 12:17-21).
