“As a mundane proverb “Turn the other cheek” is simply bad advice. Such action makes sense only if the God and Father of Jesus Christ actually is the ultimate judge of the world and if his will for his people is definitely revealed in Jesus. To use Matthew’s own language, turning the other cheek make sense if and only if it really is true that the meek will inherit the earth, if and only if it really is true that those who act on Jesus’ words have built their house on a rock so that it will stand in the day of judgment. Turning the other cheek makes sense if and only if all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus.”
-Richard B. Hayes, The Moral Vision of the New Testament
Richard Hayes is Dean of Duke Divinity School and the Ivey Professor of New Testament.
