Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of The Iowa Statesman.
By Jon the Southern Baptist
On the Front Lines of the Culture War
Perhaps the most ignorant defense I’ve ever heard of “gun control” — translation: violating your Second and Fourth Amendment rights by engaging in the outright theft of the People’s guns to ensure only the Government is well armed — is this: “Well, Jesus said turn the other cheek.”
Perfectly executed cherry picking by the liberal elite.
In fifth chapter of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus does, in fact, use those very words. But let’s look at what he said in its full context.
The cherry-picked quote was a very small portion of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. He’s kicking His earthly ministry into high gear, and He wants His followers to know what is expected from each of them. He knows what will come, and in His perfect way, He’s telling them — and through Matthew, the rest of us — to be prepared to be:
- insulted,
- ridiculed,
- despised, and
- attacked within the acceptable scope of the cultural and legal mechanisms.
Sound familiar? Yeah, the only folks trying to tell you that Jesus promised you nothing but lollypops, gumdrops, and only sunny days for the rest of your earthly existence are those getting rich off of that message.
In the Bible, He equipped you with the Truth.
Not only did He tell you what to be prepared for, He also told you how to respond to it: with dignity, love, and respect for everyone around you. His line, “But whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also,” is a metaphor for that concept.
At the time of His earthly ministry, and for centuries that followed, no one used his left hand to attack, and any slap was with the palm side of the hand. So, a slap to the right cheek had to come from a left-handed attack.
Have you ever wondered why a handshake with a stranger is always right-handed? Not that many years back, to shake right hands, one had to put his sword in his left, meaning both were safe to enter each other’s personal space without fear of being assaulted or killed. Anyone who would think to violate that concept was inherently evil.
That’s why Jesus prefaced His “turn the other cheek” quote by saying, “But I tell you not to resist an evil person.” He’s telling you to minister to those who are evil just as you would anyone else. He’s not telling you to be a doormat.
That’s further reinforced near the end of His earthly ministry when He tells the Disciples, “… and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.” Just before that, He reminded them that when they traveled with Him, they were never in need of anything, but His time was coming to an end, and they must be prepared for what is to come.
The Roman Empire, persecution, and genocide were about to come falling right on their heads. They were going to be expected to continue His ministry while He returned to Heaven. They needed to be prepared to take care of themselves — including self-protection.
So don’t for a second buy the liberals’ feel-good anti-gospel in which you’re the doormat. Stand up for what is right, and just as importantly, be prepared to defend yourself, your family, and your neighbors.
• • •
Jonathan Montgomery Harrington is the pseudonym for the anonymous author of Jon the Southern Baptist, who is fighting on the front lines of the culture war on a daily basis. If you have a suggestion for his contributions to The Iowa Statesman, write to him at jonsouthernbaptist@outlook.com.
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