Turning The Other Cheek (Matt. 5:39)

In this article, Prof. Bruce shows us what the Lord Jesus means by “turn the other cheek.”

Summary: The natural difficulty of this saying — Israel’s law put limitations on vengeance — Jesus limits retaliation even further — the way of Christ — the sphere of personal behaviour — applying this command in the modern world requires careful thought — the mind of Christ — what about secular communities? — what about a political office?

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Frederick Fyvie Bruce (1910 – 1990) was Rylands Professor of Biblical Criticism and Exegesis at the University of Manchester. He was born in Elgin, northern Scotland, and was educated at the University of Aberdeen, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Vienna. He wrote over thirty books and served as editor of The Evangelical Quarterly. He retired from teaching in 1978.

Bruce was a distinguished scholar, best known for his book, Paul, Apostle of the Heart Set Free. He also wrote commentaries on the Gospel of John, Acts, 1 & 2 Corinthians, and the Epistle to the Hebrews.

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This article first appeared in Hard Sayings of Jesus. (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1983). It is reproduced here,  edited (with summary) exclusively for the Krapf Project by permission of F.F. Bruce, Copyright International, Nashville, Tennessee, USA, and Bath, England.