•Episode 15•April 8, 2024

What Jesus Means by “Turn the Other Cheek”

In Matthew 5:38-42, Jesus offers wisdom from the Torah about retaliation, justice, and nonviolent resistance to injustice. He references a series of laws in Exodus 21, Leviticus 24, and Deuteronomy 19, all of which contain the familiar language of “eye for eye, tooth for tooth.” Jesus reveals the surprising wisdom within these laws, using real-life scenarios that would have been familiar to oppressed Israelites living under Roman occupation: turning the other cheek, giving your cloak, and going the extra mile. In this episode, Jon, Tim, and Michelle discuss how these actions can open up our imaginations for boldly standing against injustice in creative, nonviolent ways.

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Episode Chapters

Scripture References

Matthew 5:38-42 Exodus 21 Leviticus 24 Deuteronomy 19 Deuteronomy 32:35 Psalms 94:1 1 Samuel 24 Romans 12:19 Matthew 5:39 1 Thessalonians 5:15 Romans 12:14 Exodus 22:26 Matthew 5:41-42 Luke 23:26 Matthew 5:38-39 Matthew 5:40

Referenced Resources

The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary by Craig S. Keener
The JPS Torah Commentary: Exodus by Nahum M. Sarna
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Strength to Love by Martin Luther King Jr.

Interested in learning more? Check out Tim's library for a list of recommended books and other resources.

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Show Music

Original Sermon on the Mount music by Richie Kohen
BibleProject theme song by TENTS

Show Credits

Jon Collins is the creative producer for today’s show, and Tim Mackie is the lead scholar. Production of today’s episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer; Cooper Peltz, managing producer; Colin Wilson, producer; and Stephanie Tam, consultant and editor. Tyler Bailey, Frank Garza, and Aaron Olsen are our audio editors. Tyler Bailey is also our audio engineer, and he provided our sound design and mix. JB Witty does our show notes, and Hannah Woo provides the annotations for our app. Today’s hosts are Jon Collins and Michelle Jones. Powered and distributed by Simplecast.