Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Bill Rea <cctr114 AT cantsl.canterbury.ac.nz>]

> 
> Available is the following article titled "Turning the Other Cheek (The
> Non-Hebraic Pre-Christian Origins of)"
> 
> An important aspect of Christ's teachings to his disciples was that they
> should not seek revenge on their enemies, they are to "turn the other
> cheek"-
[snip]
> 
> This concept of not giving "evil for evil" to one's enemies is not to be
> found in the Hebrew Bible. I have posited that this is a Hellenistic Greek
> notion which was assimilated by some sects of Hellenized Judaism. If
> interested, please access the following url
> 
>  http://www.bibleorigins.net/PacifismChristian.html
> 
> All the best, Walter
> 
> 

Walter, 

Perhaps you've misunderstood the whole thing. It has been explained to
me that the point of what Jesus was saying was that everyone is equal
in the sight of God and that the actions he described were a denial of
the superiority of the striker. Your quotation says:- "But if any one
strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also;" Most
people are right handed, if they use their right hand and strike you on
the right cheek they've given you a back-handed slap, i.e.  and
insult.  Thus they have set themselves up as being above you. Instead
of whacking them, offer then the other cheek, i.e. the left, as a
denial of their assumed superiority. Because as if they hit that with
their right hand they've got to do it forward, hence they are no longer
your superior, but your equal, as things should be in the sight of
God. Each of other two things is essentially the same, some things people
can demand of you by assuming they are superior, but give to them what
is beyond their power to take. Resenting their actions only confirms their
superiority and that is a real evil in the world.

I'm not going to read your anti-Christian article in the URL, but your
proposal as outlined in your mail message seems to fall into the
"scholarly" trap that I've read so many times and that is to deny the
Jewish people the power to have an original idea. What evidence do
you have that Jewish people, of all people on the earth, can't think
and original thought? Next you'll be telling me Jonah swallowed a
whale! :-)


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