©Thomas B. Cundiff
Leviticus 19: 1-2, 9-18
Ritual and Moral Holiness
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel
When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien: I am the Lord your God.
You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; and you shall not lie to one another. And you shall not swear falsely by my name, profaning the name of your God: I am the Lord.
You shall not defraud your neighbor; you shall not steal; and you shall not keep for yourself the wages of a laborer until morning. You shall not revile the deaf or put a stumbling-block before the blind; you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.
You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor. You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not profit by the blood of your neighbor: I am the Lord.
You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbor, or you will incur guilt yourself. 18You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.
Matthew 5: 38-48
Concerning Retaliation
‘You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.
Love for Enemies ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
I. DUMMIE BOOKS FOR ANYTHING
A self-help book recently caught my attention.
The Bible for Dummies, by Jeffrey C. Goeghegan and Michael M. Homan
I don’t want to be caught with this type of “Self-Help” resource in my library so I didn’t buy a copy. Did you know you can also buy CLIFF NOTES for the Bible?
Why would someone go to a book like this? Because you can get a quick interpretation of a text like the one in today’s scripture….which my friends, is not a good idea. Scripture like the text today can be so easily miss-interpreted that it can distort the entire meaning of the text—even the whole Bible! Here is another translation of today’s lesson:
"…. 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.' Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it….”
The Cliff Notes would likely say: Simple! You have two options when faced with violence. “Hit back with the same level of violence you received…..if you lose a tooth, hit back so your opponent loses a tooth!” The second option suggested through a poor interpretation of this scripture: “Don’t hit back at all. Stand there and take the beating!” No wonder people get frustrated reading scripture. This lesson isn’t logical and doesn’t make any sense! “Stand there and take the beating?”
If a bully hits you just stand there and take the beating?
In domestic violence situations, we don’t say “just take what you get!”
Rape victims aren’t told to just “be raped” – my all means, fight back!
It doesn’t make sense. While we don’t want to face evil with more evil, we also don’t want to teach our children: “JUST STAND UP AND TAKE THE BEATING”!
Furthermore, though we don’t find a violent Jesus in our reading of scriptures, we also don’t find a PASSIVE Jesus when it comes to facing evil, violence – injustices in the world. Though Jesus took his fair share of beatings that in the end took his life – there was so much MORE behind the words “TURN THE OTHER CHEEK” than we get from any book for DUMMIES. We are not going to be dummies when it comes to our interpretation of scripture!
There is a third way to interpret today’s scripture that says,”Turn the Other Cheek”!
II. Walter Wink[1]
In visiting with a friend, a seminary roommate and former professor of urban ministry at McCormick Seminary, we are both preaching on this text and we both went to the scholarly work of Dr. Walter Wink in our sermon preparations.
Walter Wink, professor emeritus at Auburn Theological Seminary in New York
Wink’s earliest book, Naming the Powers, was published in 1984. His second volume, Unmasking the Powers published in 1989. His third book in this trilogy is titled, Engaging the Powers written in1992. I love his logical approach to addressing these powers that lead to so much violence in our world.
First, identify and NAME the POWERS that lead to the violence….
Second, UNMASK the POWERS; expose them so they can be addressed
Third, ENGAGE the POWERS – deal with them
Learning how to address the powers – particularly those that do harm – is critical in understanding today’s scripture. In fact Walter Wink talks extensively about today’s text: TURN THE OTHER CHEEK.
As an example, consider the tension that exists between Wall Street and
Main StreetMichigan
Main Street
The goal of making money in the case of Wall Street, or balancing a budget in the State of Michigan
Do we just TURN THE OTHER CHEEK and take these proposals without tweaking them first, to make them as fair as possible for people like you and me? TURN THE OTHER CHEEK!
In many ways the actions of Wall Street and Government is to intimidate common people with their POWER to do anything they want…..and this is a form of INSTITUTIONAL BULLYING if we don’t think there is anything we can do against these powers. Look at what’s happening in Wisconsin
Now to be perfectly honest: For me as a pastor I am so far out of my element in talking about politics and the economy. What I do know, as a pastor, is that I see what the abuse of power does to contribute to poverty, the deprivation of basic human rights, creating an environment where a hard working family cannot get a loan for a car or house or new washing machine.
In the modern world money is like the fist…..and some corporate institutions use this fist – perhaps unintentionally – and in the end hurt others. Banks are forced to protect themselves to the point they won’t give out risky loans – and who wants to see another market crash! I can understand why banks need to be cautious! At the same time millions of bonuses are given out, as announced this past week with GM; already rich executives are getting richer….while the institutions they work for are denying more and more loans foreclosing on more and more homes….and the poor get poorer.
III. Turning the Other Cheek
Turning to scripture, when power turns to the violence experienced through fights at ball games, bullying in our schools, domestic abuse and child abuse…..abuses in use of economic powers that some use just to get rich….
It just doesn’t make sense: TURN THE OTHER CHEEK? It would seem that this philosophy leads only to the entrenchment and strengthening of the powers that can do so much harm. Turn the other cheek when the bully strikes you? Just sit back and take it when a bank takes away your house. This doesn’t make sense. It would seem that total passivity leads to more bullying….
And what we really need to know: TURN THE OTHER CHEEK ISN’T REALLY WHAT SCRIPTURE IS SAYING--NOT LITERALLY! IN FACT THIS MAY BE ONE THE MOST MIS-INTERPRETED TEXTS OF ALL TIME. TURN THE OTHER CHEEK?
Look at the context of this text that says: ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’ but I say to you, DO NOT RESIST ONE WHO IS EVIL”…..
This is what scripture says. DO NOT RESIST. It’s time for a word-study from the original ancient Greek. The proper translation of this text leads to a different message, a third way of addressing violence. A better translation of these words, DO NOT RESIST is “TAKE A STAND”[2]
The word we are dealing with in the Greek is anti-stenai…..anti which means against and stenai which mans to stand…..or to stand against. This is a far cry from the translation we often hear: do not resist.
Where our bibles translate this word anti-stenai “Do Not Resist” this more accurate translation, ‘take a stand’ is more consistent with Jesus’ teachings to say instead: TAKE A STAND or STAND AGAINST those one who strikes you, the powers that weaken you….TAKE A STAND….when it comes to voicing your opposition to the POWERS that would tax your pension or hike your taxes or take away money from our schools…..if this is what you believe. TAKE A STAND is not saying HIT BACK!
The face of powers that tear away at the fabric of human justices….Jesus is saying, and this makes a lot of sense: Take a stand in addressing evil….just as Jesus took against evil forces (powers) throughout his life….
To quote Walter Wink who gives a wonderful interpretation of this text:
“Imagine if I were your assailant and I were to strike a blow with my right fist at your face, which cheek would it land on? It would be the left. It is the wrong cheek in terms of the text we are looking at. Jesus says, ‘If anyone strikes you on the right cheek...’ I could hit you on the right cheek if I used a left hook, but that would be impossible in Semitic society because the left hand was used only for unclean tasks….(like wiping your arse). You couldn't even gesture with your left hand in public. If I am the assailant the only way I could hit you on the right cheek would be with the back of the hand.
Now the back of the hand is not a blow intended to injure. It is a symbolic blow. It is intended to put you back where you belong. It is always from a position of power or superiority. The back of the hand was given by a master to a slave or by a husband to a wife or by a parent to a child or a Roman to a Jew in that period. What Jesus is saying is in effect – very important: When someone tries to humiliate you and put you down, back into your social location which is inferior to that person, and turn your other cheek."
Look at the whole of scripture: Jesus resisted evil with every fiber of His being – non-violently.
This word, anti-stenai is found in other texts: TAKE A STAND:
Ephesians 6:13 says, "Therefore put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand (anti-stenai) on that evil day and having done everything, to stand (stenai) firm."
When Jesus says, "Do not resist one who is evil," there is something stronger than simply resist. It's do not resist violently. Jesus is indicating do not resist evil on its own terms. Don't let your opponent dictate the terms of your opposition. Do not let your opponent have the power against you.
There is this third way of dealing with violence and powers that create injustices: “Take a stand! Hold onto your values. There are ways to stand against injustices in non-violent ways!
With all the conflicts taking place in Libya, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran and Yemen….I commend the president (Obama) for saying to all of these nations….stand your ground – non-violently.
IV.
“Turn the other cheek and take a stand.” Injustices in the world need to be addressed proactively and non-violently. When power is used as a tool to harm another person, these powers must be unmasked….and engaged non-violently in working for the good of all.
So much more can be said in applying Jesus’ teachings to conflicts that exist in the world today. What we have from the gospel is the fact that there have to be non-violent ways to take a stand against aggressors without striking the second blow….without harming the other person….. TAKE A STAND!
All I can say now in thinking about all of this: What does it mean to walk in Jesus’ shoes?. What does it mean to strive to achieve what Jesus achieved as the Son of God? He stood against injustices. He didn’t fight back with force. He didn’t run. He took a stand for all that was right in the world….for God…..that took him eventually to the CROSS.
If we learn anything from today’s scripture…..after identifying, unmasking, engaging the powers that that bring about suffering and oppression…..take a stand. Do not resist evil with evil……take a stand for what Jesus stood for….resist evil with LOVE.
The best and most powerful we have in our arsenal of tools…..LOVE! May God be with us as we stand up for GOD and GOD’s LOVE in the name of Jesus our Lord.
Amen.
[1] Dr. Walter Wink is Professor of Biblical Interpretation at Auburn Theological Seminary in New York City
And these notes found on TEXT WEEK:
[Dr Walter Wink is Professor of Biblical Interpretation at Auburn Theological Seminary in New York City. Previously, he was a parish minister and taught at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. In 1989-1990 he was a Peace Fellow at the United States Institute of Peace. This essay is posted.
[2] The problem begins right there with the word resist. The Greek term is antistenai. Anti is familiar to us in English still, "against," "Anti"-Defamation League. Stenai means to stand. So, "stand against." Resist is not a mistranslation so much as an under translation. What has been overlooked is the degree to which antistenai is used in the Old Testament in the vast majority of cases as a technical term for warfare. To "stand against" refers to the marching of the two armies up against each other until they actually collide with one another and the battle ensues. That is called "taking a stand."
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