Turning the other cheek more or less means: "Do not submit to evil, but do not DO evil in return." Turning the right cheek after they slap you on the left basically means that you're demanding that they treat you as an equal instead of you cowering before them or becoming as bad as they are.
Hebrew/Aramaic and Koine Greek to English, in point of fact. We have a lot of ancient texts from the original language.
But anyways, Jesus didn't say anything about not defending oneself or others. Just that turning the other cheek had very specific connotations which people nowadays don't automatically understand like they would have in the 1st century.
It's been explained countless times, but it's better translated as "do not diametrically oppose an evildoer" and the reason you were supposed to turn the other cheek is because
1.) In antiquity, you only hit someone with your right hand (the clean one)
2.) Backhands were to insult, a frontal slap showed quality and challenge.
3.) By turning your cheek the aggressor was forced to stop hitting you or acknowledge you as an equal, that was quite a statement to a Roman by a conquered Jew.
So, Jesus was telling us to fight back smartly, using public shame as a weapon, not just attack head-on like a moron. Of course Christians fights against evil; how could we not? The church is not just a material structure, but is sewed in the heart of every man who has known the almighty.
Jesus is the answer.
But doesn’t arrive on target for a second time nearly as fast
Turning the other cheek more or less means: "Do not submit to evil, but do not DO evil in return." Turning the right cheek after they slap you on the left basically means that you're demanding that they treat you as an equal instead of you cowering before them or becoming as bad as they are.
Hebrew/Aramaic and Koine Greek to English, in point of fact. We have a lot of ancient texts from the original language.
But anyways, Jesus didn't say anything about not defending oneself or others. Just that turning the other cheek had very specific connotations which people nowadays don't automatically understand like they would have in the 1st century.
It's been explained countless times, but it's better translated as "do not diametrically oppose an evildoer" and the reason you were supposed to turn the other cheek is because
1.) In antiquity, you only hit someone with your right hand (the clean one)
2.) Backhands were to insult, a frontal slap showed quality and challenge.
3.) By turning your cheek the aggressor was forced to stop hitting you or acknowledge you as an equal, that was quite a statement to a Roman by a conquered Jew.
So, Jesus was telling us to fight back smartly, using public shame as a weapon, not just attack head-on like a moron. Of course Christians fights against evil; how could we not? The church is not just a material structure, but is sewed in the heart of every man who has known the almighty.