Matthew 5:39

But whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek] Socrates, a heathen, when he had received a box on the ear, answered, What an ill thing is it that men cannot foresee when they should put on a helmet, before they go abroad? {d} And when he was kicked by another, If an ass should kick me, said he, should I spurn him again? But we have those, that professing to be Christians, lest they should seem to he Anabaptists in taking two blows for one, will give two blows for one, yea, for none, sometimes: it is but a word and a blow with them, as it was with Cain, Lamech, Esau, who said, "The days of mourning for my father are at hand, then I will slay my brother Jacob," Gen 27:41. In which words he either threateneth his father (as Luther thinketh) for blessing his brother, q.d. I will be the death of my brother, and so cause my father to mourn: or else he threateneth his brother (as most interpreters sense it) after his father’s head is once laid, without any respect at all to his mother, whom he not so much as mentioneth. He took no great care how she would take it; and his deferring till his father’s death was more out of fear of a curse than conscience of a duty. There are those who read the words by way of a wish, Let the days of mourning for my father draw nigh, &c. And then it is a double parricide. Sure we are, that as concerneth his brother he comforted himself, purposing to kill him. He threatened him, saith the Septuagint (απειλει), Gen 27:42, q.d. I will sit upon his skirts, and be even with him. The nature of ungodly men is vindictive, and rejoicing in other men’s hurt (which is the devil’s disease), especially if provoked by any injury or indignity, as smiting on the cheek. {e} But God will smite them on the cheek bone so hard, as that he will break the teeth of the ungodly; smite them in the hinder parts, where we use to whip froward children, and so put them to a perpetual reproach, Psa 3:7; Psa 78:66. Neither only will he smite upon their loins, but through them, yea, he will crack their crowns, cleave their skulls, wound their hairy scalps, be their locks never so bushy, {f} their looks never so lofty and terrible, that count it courage to turn again and revenge, which every Turk and heathen, nay, every bull and boar, can do. The Lamb of God gave his cheeks to the smiters: so did Michaiah the meek, Job the just, and Paul the patient, Isa 50:6; Joh 18:23; 1Ki 22:24; Job 16:10; Act 23:2-3; yet not so patient, but he could set forth his privilege, when he was to be scourged, and clear his innocence with meekness of wisdom; and so may we, yea, we may safely decline a likely danger, in some cases especially, as our Saviour did. Apud Mahometanos ferunt paucas brevesque lites esse, quod temere litigantes publiae flagellis caedantur.

{a} In rixa, is inferior est qui victor est. α δικεισθαι η αδικειν αυεινον.

{b} Non minus mali est referre iniuriam, quam inferre. Lactant.

{c} Cur adeo laboramus ulciscendis infirmissimorum hominum iniuriis? Dum haec tela eminus proiecta frangimus, a diabolo opprimimur. Roloc. in locum.

{d} Quam molestum est nescire homines quando prodire debeant cum galca?

{e} καν με φαγης επι ριζαν ομως ετι καρποφορησω, οσχον επισπεισαι σοι, τραγε, θυομενω, dixit vitis hirco cum ab eo roderetur. Aesop.

{f} Lacones comam nutriebant ad terrorem.