freeborn | ἐλεύθερος | 8r0gwg on Nostr: For many years, I struggled to understand Jesus' teaching, to "turn the other cheek." ...
For many years, I struggled to understand Jesus' teaching, to "turn the other cheek."
"What about justice? What about 'eye for an eye'? What about, say, masculinity and self-defense? Are we then supposed to be waify pacifistic punching bags? Are we supposed to simply...ignore assaults and offenses? Pretend it didn't happen?"
Oh, no. Not at all.
An enemy slaps you on the cheek. Justice demands a slap in return--the scales must be balanced. "Eye for an eye," slap for a slap. That slap of an enemy creates a debt.
Jesus says, rather than avenge yourself, turn the other cheek: take upon yourself the debt owed by the offender, take upon yourself the punishment due to your enemy. Substitute yourself for your enemy. In doing so, justice is not only satisfied--it is transcended. Transcended into what?
Grace.
"Divine grace addresses itself not only to the absence of merit, but to the presence of demerit." (MG Kline)
That 'turn the other cheek' is the #gospel in microcosm. It satisfies justice fully (yet vicariously)--and then piles grace on top of it.
"For...while we were enemies we were reconciled to the Father by the death of his Son..." (Romans 5:10a, paraphrase)
---
n.b., the only place I've ever encountered this interpretation is in William Ian Miller's captivating little book, _Eye for An Eye_.
Published at
2026-09-06 02:09:14 UTCEvent JSON
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"content": "For many years, I struggled to understand Jesus' teaching, to \"turn the other cheek.\" \n\n\"What about justice? What about 'eye for an eye'? What about, say, masculinity and self-defense? Are we then supposed to be waify pacifistic punching bags? Are we supposed to simply...ignore assaults and offenses? Pretend it didn't happen?\"\n\nOh, no. Not at all.\n\nAn enemy slaps you on the cheek. Justice demands a slap in return--the scales must be balanced. \"Eye for an eye,\" slap for a slap. That slap of an enemy creates a debt. \n\nJesus says, rather than avenge yourself, turn the other cheek: take upon yourself the debt owed by the offender, take upon yourself the punishment due to your enemy. Substitute yourself for your enemy. In doing so, justice is not only satisfied--it is transcended. Transcended into what?\n\nGrace. \n\n\"Divine grace addresses itself not only to the absence of merit, but to the presence of demerit.\" (MG Kline)\n\nThat 'turn the other cheek' is the #gospel in microcosm. It satisfies justice fully (yet vicariously)--and then piles grace on top of it.\n\n\"For...while we were enemies we were reconciled to the Father by the death of his Son...\" (Romans 5:10a, paraphrase)\n\n---\nn.b., the only place I've ever encountered this interpretation is in William Ian Miller's captivating little book, _Eye for An Eye_.",
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