Turning Cheeks or Tables?

One of the most popular movements in evangelicalism today is the cult of “niceness.” Some, like Voddie Baucham, have remarked that “Thou Shalt be Nice” has been practically elevated as an 11th Commandment. Christians are expected to be nice above all else, and they must expect others to follow suit. In this movement, niceness is typically defined as affirming and loving people no matter what they do or say, and refusing to retaliate when wronged. 

This desire for niceness has become so intense within certain circles that it trumps the desire for Biblical truth and doctrinal clarity. Many today feel that because objective truth and Biblical doctrine divide, it is only right for Christians to abandon these things in favor of treating others nicely.

It should be little surprise, then, that one of the oft-repeated verses in today’s evangelical circles is Jesus’s commandment: “But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also” (Matt. 5:39). The cult of niceness loves this commandment because, in isolation, it fits their cultural paradigm.

But to cherry-pick one commandment like this is dangerous. Jesus did not merely turn His cheek when He was wronged. On other occasions, He turned tables. Take, for example, Matthew 21:12-13: “And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. And he said to them, ‘It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a robbers’ den.’” A desire for holy worship and delight in God’s glory caused Him to violently chase sinners and robbers from His house with righteous indignation. 

Of course, the Christian who only turns and flips tables is also living dangerously. There must be some sort of balance. The only way proper balance can be struck is by understanding both passages from Matthew and asking the Holy Spirit for situational awareness in a given situation. As John Calvin famously said: “The pastor ought to have two voices: one, for gathering the sheep; and another, for warding off and driving away wolves and thieves. The Scripture supplies him with the means of doing both.” We may add that the Scriptures also provide every Christian with the means of knowing when to turn cheeks and when to turn tables.

So, when do we turn cheeks, and when do we turn tables?

Turning one’s cheek is about refusing to take vengeance into one’s own hands.

Context is key when attempting to understand any part of Scripture, and this is especially true when seeking to understand Jesus’s famous Sermon on the Mount, of which Matthew 5:39 is a part. When Jesus commanded us to “turn the other cheek,” the commandment did not occur within a vacuum. It has a historical, grammatical, and even theological context.

In one sense, the Sermon on the Mount ought to be understood as an occasion wherein Jesus corrected the faulty understanding of the Jews regarding the Law. The Pharisees were notorious for their legalistic behavior, attempting to pursue holiness by adding their own commandments to God’s. In other examples, they had missed the very point of God’s commandments altogether, like paying more attention to a frame than the painting it contains.

So right before Jesus speaks about Christians learning to turn the cheek, He first explains the commandment He has in mind, which had been misinterpreted by the Jews: “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth’” (Matt. 5:38). Indeed, the Jews had heard this, for it was a commandment given in Exodus 3:24. It was given by God to govern the Jews so that, when crimes were committed, justice could be given as well. For example, if two men fought, and one knocked out the tooth of the other, he had to pay for his crime. The punishment had to be equal to the offense. Knocking out someone’s tooth could not lead to the removal of the offender’s eye in retaliation, for example.

But the one who utilizes the Law unjustly sees many opportunities to retaliate above what they are justly permitted. Jesus, on the other hand, commands His children to behave differently. Some offenses simply do not require immediate retaliation on our part. Often, the best thing to do is leave vengeance to the Lord (Rom. 12:19). Sometimes, we ought to ignore the injustices committed against us and go beyond the call of duty in making sure we “heap burning coals on his (our adversary’s) head,” by not being, “overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:20-21). This is why Jesus tells us that, “if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your garment also. And whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you” (Matt. 5:40-42). 

Turning the cheek is not about permitting evil to prevail or allowing injustice to go unpunished. This isn’t about niceness for niceness’ sake. Instead, this is about not allowing oneself to become easily offended or to seek out retributive justice on your own. This is about overcoming evil with goodness. This is about living holy lives, and then proclaiming the gospel to see adversaries saved.

But there are other times when turning the cheek simply is not permitted. In certain scenarios, tables must be turned instead.

Turning tables is about seeking the glory of God above all else.

Seeking God’s glory ought to be our all-consuming, life-occupying, unwavering purpose above all else. It was, after all, zeal for the Lord’s house that consumed Jesus (Ps. 69:9; John 2:13-22), and zeal for God’s glory ought to consume us as well. When this happens, we begin to understand why Jesus turned and flipped tables, violently chasing sinners and robbers from the temple.

In Jesus’s own words, those moneychangers had turned God’s house from a house of prayer to a den of thieves (Matt. 21:13). There isn’t much that is nice about flipping over people’s tables and chasing them away with whips. But sometimes being holy requires us to put niceness aside.

This same attitude is witnessed in Peter and John when, in Acts, they are told to stop preaching Jesus by the authorities. Their response is defiant: “Whether it is right in the sight of God to hear you rather than God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20). When they continue to preach the gospel of Jesus, they are brought before the authorities once more. Their response this time is even more defiant still: “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

God’s Word is worth fighting for. Doctrine is sometimes worth dividing over. Truth, goodness, and beauty are all worth fighting for. This does not mean we should love flipping tables, or love fighting. Rather, as Faramir says in The Lord of the Rings, “I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend.” Our love for God, His glory, right theology, and right worship ought to compel us to stand our ground, refuse the cult of niceness, and be bold and courageous. We ought to defend truth, goodness, and beauty as they are revealed in God’s Word. If tyrants oppose us, then we must fight, not for the love of the battle (or debate), but because we love what is being defended; namely, the pure Word of God and unadulterated worship of His Holy Name.

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