I've had to address Jesus' words about turning the other cheek twice now in 3 years (once during a Q and A and today during my sermon)....I confess that I haven't felt comfortable either time and I am unhappy with my efforts.
The Sermon on the Mount is difficult to understand and even harder to apply. I find myself spending half my time qualifying the words of Jesus, "He didn't really mean THAT..." or "Yes, you can defend yourself and the State can war justly when needed, etc" I often wonder if I believe Jesus on this point, really. We'd get eaten alive if we literally did what He commanded. It seems Jesus spoke in hyperbole much of the time...why didn't he just speak more plainly and save us the trouble?
What are the best resources you've read that are not way-out-there pacifist on the Sermon on the Mount? I am sure Jesus meant to challenge us, but I find myself diminishing his words by 1,000 qualifications every time I teach from His words ("He doesn't mean you cannot take ANY oaths", "No, we all don't have to sell all our possessions and give to the poor." "No, we don't have to just stand there and get beat up." "No, I don't have to give everything I own to people just because they ask for it."). To speak the truth, I am sometimes bothered by how Jesus puts things.
What are your best resources fro these hard sayings of Jesus? And how do I communicate to people the reason why Jesus' speaks in such a way so often?
The Sermon on the Mount is difficult to understand and even harder to apply. I find myself spending half my time qualifying the words of Jesus, "He didn't really mean THAT..." or "Yes, you can defend yourself and the State can war justly when needed, etc" I often wonder if I believe Jesus on this point, really. We'd get eaten alive if we literally did what He commanded. It seems Jesus spoke in hyperbole much of the time...why didn't he just speak more plainly and save us the trouble?
What are the best resources you've read that are not way-out-there pacifist on the Sermon on the Mount? I am sure Jesus meant to challenge us, but I find myself diminishing his words by 1,000 qualifications every time I teach from His words ("He doesn't mean you cannot take ANY oaths", "No, we all don't have to sell all our possessions and give to the poor." "No, we don't have to just stand there and get beat up." "No, I don't have to give everything I own to people just because they ask for it."). To speak the truth, I am sometimes bothered by how Jesus puts things.
What are your best resources fro these hard sayings of Jesus? And how do I communicate to people the reason why Jesus' speaks in such a way so often?