Turn the other cheek

[Crusading_Canuk]

Hi, a while ago my friend (Salvation Army) thought Catholics were supposed to be hypocritical. He said that Christ said “turn the other cheek” and then we talked about the turning of the tables (money lenders in the Temple). He said that makes Jesus a hypocrite and as Catholics belive Christ is perfect we too are hypocrites. I have tried to explain this to him can somebody please help me with a short simple answer?

 

[MarkThompson]

Hi, a while ago my friend (Salvation Army) thought Catholics were supposed to be hypocritical. He said that Christ said “turn the other cheek” and then we talked about the turning of the tables (money lenders in the Temple). He said that makes Jesus a hypocrite and as Catholics belive Christ is perfect we too are hypocrites. I have tried to explain this to him can somebody please help me with a short simple answer?

At the Temple, Christ was not smacking people down for insulting him. It was for the profanation of his “Father’s house.” As a corollary, consider that turning the other cheek does not require failing to protect weak and powerless.

 

[ConstantineTG]

A deeper analysis of the incident at the Temple would explain why Jesus became mad. It was the ultimate hypocracy. You’d think, why are there money changers in the temple? Its because the priests at the temple would only accept perfect sacrifices (animals with no physical deformities). Some would purchase from vendors around the temple. But if you buy using Roman Dinarii, its considered blemished because its pagan money. So you go to the money changer to change the Dinarii to temple money. You also use this to pay the temple tax. Of course its hypocritical because it not like going through the money changer would have cleansed the source of your income. You still earned Dinarii. The process is only fooling yourself. It also opens up to corruption for the money changers.

 

[OraLabora]

All Christians, including Catholics, are hypocritical. Because, we are all sinners and fail to measure up to what be believe, and preach, in one way or another. I think it was Gandhi who said “I like your Christ, but I do not like your Christians”.

At least we admit it though, to the point of having the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

If we weren’t hypocrites, that is, sinners, we would have no need for Christ’s grace would we?