How Does Walter Wink Interpret Jesus' Teachings in Matthew 5:38-41

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Most Christians do not follow teachings of Jesus about non violence because they have good reasons. Turn the cheek has made Christians to act cowardly and support injustice. It is said not to refuse evil, but this makes Christians to be disobedient.Going the second mile, is a cliché that makes Christians to join the oppressors. Jesus described this issue as masochistic, impractical and suicidal. In Jesus teachings, he never told Christians to do all those negative actions however, it is said to be a misunderstanding. According to Mathew 5, it says, ‘Do not resist an evildoer ’. This verse has been traditionally interpreted to mean that one should be non resistant to evil. In contract with Jesus, he resisted evil in every way he could. On the other hand, the gospel teaches about being non resistance, and therefore,Christians should not practice self defense. According the commandments, Christians are taught how to defend their neighbor and should use force and even weapons if necessary.This opened a chance for the military to defend the Roman Empire by using force and torture. The pacifists also interrupted the nonresistance, and they rejected non violence and civil disobedience. “If one is struck on the right cheek, turn on the other” (Matt. 5:39). To hit the right cheek a fit requires the left hand. According to Qumran, a Jewish religious comity of Jesus associated the left hand with unclean tasks. If one hits the right cheek with the right hand which is referred as back hand, the blow is not meant to hurt but to humiliate, degrade and insult. According to Roman Jews, masters backhanded slaves, husbands, wives, children and parents. The blow was meant for anyone who was out of line to come back to reality. When Jesus said to his people, “If anyone strikes you”, it meant that degraded people are the once who were told this. However, he asked them not to
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