The things that we often assume Jesus to be saying are, sometimes, not at all what He is actually saying. The meaning can be quite different than what we assume it to be – quite different than what we’ve often been taught that it means. And a big reason for this is the culture and context into which it was originally spoken. 

The original hearers would have understood what Jesus was saying by do not resist, turn the other cheek, give your coat, go two miles. The reality is, none of these statements are passive, none of them say, “give up” none of them are a charge to let yourself be walked over.

Every single one of them is a non-violent way of confronting and dealing with the abuse that was rampant in that society. And everyone hearing Jesus say these things would have understood because they were a part of the culture and the context into which these things were spoken.