What is mankind?

► Whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.  ► If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. ► Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. ► Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.  ► Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. Are these statements of Jesus from Matthew 5:38-42 and Luke 6:27-30 one-offs in His repertoire? Outliers from the rest of the Bible? Is the Sermon on the Mount not for today, only intended for Jesus’ day, or some future date?  Does obeying them make us weak in the eyes of the world? Isn’t it okay to push back, to retaliate in kind, or at least protect what’s our own? Don’t Christians need to stand up for themselves and, if given the opportunity, force our good way of life on everyone else?  In other words, can we safely ignore any words of Jesus? Context is key ...