Most people have heard Jesus say, “Whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also” (Matthew 5:39). But many misunderstand what He meant. Some take it to mean you should never defend yourself. Others think it means Christians must quietly accept every kind of mistreatment. That’s not what Jesus was teaching.
In the verse before, Jesus said, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth” (Matthew 5:38). That phrase came from the Old Testament law. It was never meant to encourage revenge, but to ensure that punishment was fair and limited: that justice matched the offense. If someone wronged you, the law kept you from going beyond what was just.
But by Jesus’ day, that law was being twisted. People used it to justify getting even on a personal level. Jesus was correcting that mindset. When He said, “Resist not evil,” He wasn’t talking about ignoring sin or refusing self-defense. He was talking about how we respond to personal insult and disrespect.
That’s where the “right cheek” detail matters. In Jewish culture, to strike someone on the right cheek with your right hand meant a backhanded slap, a deliberate insult meant to shame more than injure. So when Jesus said to “turn the other cheek,” He was saying, “Don’t strike back when someone wounds your pride.”
Enduring Humiliation Without Retaliation
Christ was teaching His followers to rise above personal offense. Proverbs 19:11 says, “The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.” In other words, it takes more strength to keep your peace than to get even.
To “turn the other cheek” means to bear injuries patiently and forgive readily. It doesn’t mean to be silent against injustice or allow abuse. It means when someone mocks you or tries to shame you, you stay calm and let God handle it.
Strength Under Control
Proverbs 16:32 says, “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” That’s the point Jesus was driving home. Real power is self-control, the ability to master your emotions when someone else is trying to provoke them.
Jesus lived this perfectly. When He was struck before the high priest, He didn’t offer His other cheek literally. He calmly said, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?” (John 18:23). He didn’t retaliate or cower. He stood firm in truth and peace.
When He was mocked, scourged, and crucified, He could’ve called down angels in judgment. Instead, He said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). That’s what it means to turn the other cheek.
Romans 12:17–19 sums it up: “Recompense to no man evil for evil… avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
So, when Jesus said to turn the other cheek, He was showing us how to live above pride and anger. It’s not about being defenseless, it’s about being led by the Spirit. Anyone can strike back, but it takes a follower of Christ to stand steady, forgive freely, and let God handle the rest.
