Basics: Turn the Other Cheek

The text situates Jesus’ teaching on nonviolence as a demanding, strategic, and deeply humane practice aimed at people oppressed by empire rather than those who wield power. It reframes “turn the other cheek” not as meek submission but as a third way—neither retaliation nor collapse—that preserves dignity, reclaims agency, and forces the violator to confront the victim’s equal humanity. Drawing on historical context (hand etiquette, the backhanded slap, Roman requisitioning) the teaching is shown to be tactically shrewd: offering the other cheek or going a second mile exposes the oppressor’s illegitimacy and can place them outside their own acceptable norms. Stories and scholarship—Walter Wink’s “third way,” Howard Thurman’s reflections on hate, and Martin Luther King Jr.’s Ten Commandments of Nonviolence—are used to demonstrate how nonviolent discipline is both ethical and practical, capable of galvanizing movements while protecting souls.

The conversation refuses simplistic binaries. It recognizes the psychological lure of hate as a way to reclaim agency, yet also insists on the long-term spiritual price of hatred: fixation, corrosion of the self, and the outsourcing of one’s identity to the enemy. Nonviolence, by contrast, is presented as a spiritual discipline that must be cultivated daily—through practices like meditation, prayer, and community formation—so that people can resist without becoming the very thing they oppose. Practical, risky examples (a Palestinian man handing his infant to an occupying officer; civil rights-era tactics) illustrate how creative nonviolent acts can expose absurdity and win legal or moral victories, while acknowledging that such tactics do not always immediately succeed.

Ultimately, nonviolence is offered as an insistence on truth: the claim that every person is made in God’s image and deserves dignity, including those who do harm. This insistence is meant to preserve the integrity of those resisting, to keep liberation movements tethered to love rather than vengeance, and to orient communities toward reconciliation and flourishing. The service concludes by practicing a loving-kindness meditation to expand compassion even toward enemies, and by celebrating baptism as a communal pledge to resist domination and nurture new life in solidarity.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Nonviolence addresses the oppressed directly Nonviolent instruction is aimed at people under domination, not at those who hold power. It offers tactics that restore agency within asymmetric contexts and recalibrate what counts as dignity and resistance. By centering the experience of the disinherited, it reframes moral response as a communal survival strategy, not passive submission. This orientation helps craft actions that protect life and preserve the possibility of future reconciliation. [40:13]
• 2. Turn the other cheek reclaims dignity Offering the other cheek is a deliberate move to shift social posture, forcing an abuser to recognize the victim as an equal rather than a subordinate. It refuses both submission and violent reprisal by demanding visibility and mutual accountability. This act reframes the encounter so that power is exposed as a social performance rather than a natural order. In doing so, it recovers personal and communal agency. [51:35]
• 3. Hate restores agency, corrodes soul Hatred can temporarily restore a sense of self-worth against dehumanization, but it binds identity to the oppressor and hardens the heart over time. The short-term psychological balm of hate accrues a long-term spiritual cost: obsession, moral narrowing, and loss of inner freedom. Rejecting hate is not naïve detachment but a disciplined refusal to trade freedom of spirit for reactive empowerment. Preserving the soul is essential for any durable path to liberation. [60:16]
• 4. Spiritual discipline precedes effective nonviolence Sustainable nonviolent resistance flows from intentional spiritual preparation—daily meditation, prayer, service, and bodily care—so that responses arise from love rather than fear. King’s commandments emphasize formation, community, and health as prerequisites for disciplined action. This inner work enables people to stand firm under pressure, resist collapse, and act creatively without becoming violent. Such formation is strategic: it cultivates the capacity to pursue justice while remaining tethered to wholeness. [65:51]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [36:08] - Series: Back to the Basics
• [36:59] - Nonviolence: Foundational, Not Simple
• [40:13] - Who Jesus Is Talking To
• [45:35] - What “Turn the Other Cheek” Means
• [51:35] - Cultural Context: Right/Left Hand Strike
• [54:16] - Go the Second Mile & Cloak Example
• [56:26] - Jabbar: Palestinian Nonviolent Resistance
• [60:16] - Howard Thurman on Hate
• [65:51] - MLK’s Ten Commandments of Nonviolence
• [70:59] - Loving-Kindness Meditation Practice
• [88:28] - Baptism and Community Vows

1. The sermon highlights that Jesus' instructions on nonviolence are primarily for those "under the boot of empire" and "crushed under the heel of domination," not for those in power. [40:13] How does this understanding shift your initial perception of Jesus' teachings on nonviolence?
2. The sermon explains that "turning the other cheek" in Jesus' cultural context was not about passive submission but a strategic move to reclaim dignity. [53:15] What specific cultural details mentioned in the sermon help illustrate this strategic aspect?
3. The sermon discusses how hate can offer a temporary sense of agency but ultimately corrodes the soul. [01:01:16] What are some of the "psychological advantages" of hate that Howard Thurman describes?
4. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Ten Commandments of Nonviolence" are presented. [01:05:51] Which of these commandments seem to focus more on internal spiritual discipline rather than outward action?

1. The sermon suggests that Jesus' teachings on nonviolence are a "third way" that is neither retaliation nor collapse. [49:56] How does this "third way" challenge the common societal understanding of how to respond to injustice or violence?
2. The sermon emphasizes that nonviolence is a spiritual discipline that must be cultivated daily through practices like prayer and meditation. [01:07:39] Why might this spiritual preparation be considered more crucial than the outward tactics of nonviolent resistance itself?
3. The sermon states that the core of nonviolence is the insistence on the truth that "every person is made in God’s image and deserves dignity, including those who do harm." [01:04:35] How does this insistence on inherent dignity, even for an oppressor, complicate the idea of seeking justice?
4. The sermon mentions that the goal of nonviolent resistance is not necessarily immediate victory but the preservation of one's own humanity and capacity for love. [59:20] How does this reframe the definition of "success" in the face of oppression?

1. The sermon points out that Jesus' instructions on nonviolence are for the oppressed, not the oppressor. [40:13] In what areas of your life do you feel you are "under the boot of empire" or facing domination, and how might Jesus' teachings offer a different path than retaliation or submission?
2. The sermon explains that offering the other cheek was a way to force the violator to confront the victim's equal humanity. [53:32] Can you think of a situation where you felt your humanity was not recognized, and how might offering a "third way" instead of reacting with anger or withdrawal have shifted the dynamic?
3. The sermon warns that hatred, while it can feel like it restores agency, ultimately "corrodes the soul" and "outsources all the control to the enemy." [01:03:08] When you feel wronged or angry, what are the subtle ways that hatred might be taking root in your life, and what are some concrete steps you can take to resist that corrosion?
4. The sermon highlights Martin Luther King Jr.'s emphasis on daily meditation on Jesus' teachings and striving for good spiritual and bodily health as prerequisites for nonviolent action. [01:06:12] What is one specific spiritual discipline you can commit to practicing daily this week to fortify yourself for responding with love and dignity, even when challenged?
5. The loving-kindness meditation practiced in the sermon extended compassion to oneself, loved ones, vulnerable neighbors, difficult people, and even enemies. [01:10:59] Who is one "difficult person" or "enemy" in your life right now, and what is one small, tangible way you can practice extending loving-kindness towards them this week, even if it's just in your thoughts or prayers?
6. The sermon concludes by celebrating baptism as a communal pledge to resist domination and nurture new life. [01:28:28] How can you, as part of this community, actively participate in nurturing new life and resisting domination in tangible ways this week?