What is meant by “the right cheek” and “the other cheek” [Matt. 5:39]?

St. Augustine says, “this same apostle, if he had kept silence respecting the dignity which he had in the world, when men were persecuting in him the Christian name, would not have presented the other cheek to those that were smiting the right one. For when he said, I am a Roman citizen (Acts 22:25), he was prepared to submit to be despised, in that which he reckoned as least, by those who had despised in him so precious and life-giving a name. For did he at all the less on that account afterwards submit to the chains, which it was not lawful to put on Roman citizens, or did he wish to accuse any one of this injury? And if any spared him on account of the name of Roman citizenship, yet he did not on that account refrain from offering an object they might strike at, since he wished by his patience to cure of so great perversity those whom he saw honouring in him what belonged to the left members rather than the right.”⁹⁹⁷

994 Origen of Alexandria, The Commentary of Origen on the Gospel of St. Matthew. Vol. 2 , trans., Ronald E. Heine (Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2018): 89 p. 697 (and see PG 13:1740).

995 Origen of Alexandria, Homilies on Ezekiel 1–14 5.4 (ACW 62:82).

996 Origen of Alexandria, Homilies on Leviticus 1–16 3.2.3–4 (FOTC 83:54).

997 St. Augustine of Hippo, Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount 1.19.58 (NPNF I/6:25) amended.