One of Jesus’ most well-known and yet often misunderstood teachings is His instruction to “turn the other cheek” when struck. This principle is found in Matthew 5:39, where Jesus said, “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.” To properly understand what Jesus meant, we need to examine the context, intent, and application of this challenging command.
The Context of Jesus’ Teaching
Jesus’ statement about turning the other cheek is part of His famous “Sermon on the Mount” recorded in Matthew 5-7. At the beginning of this sermon, Jesus makes the stunning claim that He came to fulfill the Law and Prophets (Matthew 5:17). He then proceeds to contrast the external, performance-based righteousness of the Pharisees with the heart-level righteousness required for entrance into the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:20). Jesus illustrates what this deeper, more radical righteousness looks like in a series of statements that follow a pattern: “You have heard that it was said…But I say to you…” In each statement, Jesus takes an accepted interpretation of Old Testament law and reveals its deeper spiritual meaning and application.
It’s important to understand that Jesus is not overturning the Old Testament law itself, but rather correcting a surface-level, external understanding that missed God’s intent. With the “turn the other cheek” statement, Jesus is specifically speaking to and contradicting the lex talionis principle of retributive justice spelled out in Exodus 21:24: “eye for eye, tooth for tooth.” While this Old Testament principle was meant to limit vengeance, it had been wrongly used to justify retaliation. Jesus makes it clear that His kingdom calls His followers to a higher standard—to not retaliate but instead turn the other cheek.
The Intent Behind Jesus’ Command
So what did Jesus mean by telling us to turn the other cheek? First, it’s critical to understand what He did not mean. Jesus was not teaching pacifism or that a believer should just passively accept abuse or injustice without objection. Turning the other cheek is an active, subversive form of nonviolent resistance that undercuts the power of the oppressor.
When Jesus told His Jewish audience to turn the other cheek, He was referring to a specific insult—being backhanded across the face. This was not seen as a lethal attack but an insult to your honor and dignity. By turning the other cheek, the victim would force the oppressor to hit him with an open palm, which signaled an acknowledgment of equality.
Furthermore, Jesus’ Jewish audience would have instinctively recognized “turning the other cheek” as an allusion to the suffering servant in Isaiah 50:6: “I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard.” In other words, by willingly undergoing abuse without retaliation, the disciple of Jesus embodies the servant mentorship of Isaiah. This act subverts the oppressor by asserting the image of God in both victim and perpetrator.
Finally, turning the other cheek forces the oppressor to acknowledge his victim’s humanity. It neutralizes his attempts to dehumanize or do further harm. Rather than responding in kind, the disciple absorbs the insult and responds in love.
How Are We to Apply “Turn the Other Cheek”?
For Christians seeking to apply this teaching today, context is key. Just as Jesus was speaking to a specific issue within Jewish culture, so too we must evaluate what turning the other cheek means in our specific situations. Here are several principles to guide the application of this challenging command:
- Our human instinct is to retaliate—to answer insult with insult. Jesus calls us to absorb minor offenses and insults without retaliation.
- Turning the other cheek does not prohibit self-defense against lethal force. The Bible permits protecting oneself, others, and even nation (Exodus 22:2, Nehemiah 4:14).
- While personal retaliation is forbidden, we have a duty to protect others from harm. Turning the cheek should not be twisted into permitting further abuse.
- There are creative, loving ways to respond that don’t compromise truth yet reach oppressors with the gospel. Our actions should be Spirit-led.
- When oppressed or attacked, we must remember that our real enemies are sin, Satan and death—not flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12).
- This principle applies interpersonally to insults and offenses. However, we have additional options when confronting injustice in areas like society, law, government, etc.
- Following Jesus’ example, we must couple non-retaliation with loving action. Turning the cheek neutralizes evil, overcoming it with good (Romans 12:21).
Jesus’ command to turn the other cheek is admittedly difficult. Every fiber of our flesh cries out to answer insult with insult. But that is exactly the old, surface-level righteousness Jesus wants to free us from. By His grace and with His Spirit, we can embody creative, subversive love that interrupts cycles of violence. We can choose to absorb minor offenses, assert our God-given dignity and neutralize evil through unexpected, world-changing kindness.
