someone here mentioned that Roman culture held that slapping with the back of one's hand was reserved for doing to slaves, which means that turning the other cheek would suggest to the Roman to then slap you with the palm, as if you were an equal.
furthermore: in those times a Roman could lawfully force people to carry his gear/whatever for a mile, but any more was illegal and would get him potentially punished. "going the extra mile" isn't just being a pacifist pushover but trying to get said person in trouble.
Jesus told us to be defiant, not doormats. in that case He was speaking to destitute people who couldn't do much more than peaceful protest - in these times, if He spoke to an entire Christian continent, armed and dangerous as we are, i have faith He would tell us to do different things to the evil currently in the world.
someone here mentioned that Roman culture held that slapping with the back of one's hand was reserved for doing to slaves, which means that turning the other cheek would suggest to the Roman to then slap you with the palm, as if you were an equal.
furthermore: in those times a Roman could lawfully force people to carry his gear/whatever for a mile, but any more was illegal and would get him potentially punished. "going the extra mile" isn't just being a pacifist pushover but trying to get said person in trouble.
Jesus told us to be defiant, not doormats. in that case He was speaking to destitute people who couldn't do much more than peaceful protest - in these times, if He spoke to an entire Christian continent, armed and dangerous as we are, i have faith He would tell us to do different things to the evil currently in the world.