One of the most oft used phrases in the English language has to be "turn the other cheek." We use it to denote times when we did not return anger for anger. More often than not, however, it takes on the connotation of someone who acts as a "doormat" and allows other to walk all over him or her. "Turn the other cheek" has come to mean a willingness to take abuse. Nothing could be further from the meaning Jesus intended when he used the phrase. Jesus does not tell his followers not to respond to evildoers, he tells them to resist without resorting to violence. One need not look deeply into scripture to read of allusions to non-violent resistance: Rejoice when you are persecuted, pray for deliverance from evil, love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you.
When Jesus admonished his followers to turn the other cheek, he was not telling them to acquiesce, but to stand against the persecutor. A superior would use the right hand to slap an underling, because the left hand was used only for unclean functions. In order to show superiority, the superior would use the back of the hand to strike the underling. If the underling then turns the other cheek and invites another slap, the superior is placed in the precarious position of having to use the palm of the hand to strike the underling or to not even try. To strike with the palm is to covey some sense of social equality. Even though the superior may choose to flog the underling mercilessly for the impudence shown, the action illustrates what is what is known as "standing against" and it has been used effectively recently in Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries where people's movements have sprung up. Sadly, the people have not always protested non-violently, nor have the governments responded non-violently. Thus, a cycle of violence has sometimes emerged, which is exactly what Jesus was speaking against.
Some have mistakenly called what Jesus taught a form of "passive resistance." Truth be told, there is nothing passive about it. In his day, a person who was owed a debt could take everything from the debtor, including his outer cloak. However, the cloak had to be returned at night, as many people had only their cloaks to keep them warm while sleeping. Jesus admonished his followers to give the upper cloak as well, which meant the debtor would stand stark naked before the lender. In keeping with the cultural mores of the day, the nakedness of the debtor brings shame to the person who observes his nakedness, not to the debtor. Conquering armies could require prisoners to carry their backpack for one-thousand paces. Rules of war being what they were, impelling someone to carry the pack any further than that could subject the soldier to disciplinary actions. So, carrying the pack more than the one-thousand paces could make a soldier very nervous, and the underling thus gained an advantage.
So, you see, there was noting wimpy about what Jesus suggested that his followers do when they were being persecuted. Standing against an oppressor puts that person or authority off-balance. It does not mean that retribution for the embarrassment will not be forthcoming for the underling, but it does mean that the one in power must act in the full light of the exposure which has been brought about by the underling standing against the powerful. It says "I am a human being just like you. I am a child of God. You can't put me down, even if you kill me." Martin Luther King, Jr. understood this concept, which is the reason his demonstrations and acts of civil disobedience changed a society. We need to reclaim Jesus' mandate never to return hate for hate and violence for violence. Instead we must claim the power inherent in recognizing all people as children of God. When an injustice is committed against one, it is commuted against all.
No comments:
Post a Comment