Jesus' Third Way

I really enjoyed reading the article, Jesus' Third Way by Walter Wink. I don't often completely agree with the readings for this class, or any other for that matter, but this description and explanation of a Biblical passage that I have misunderstood for years. Wink explains the true meaning behind Jesus' words in Matthew 3, verses 38- 42. I won't go into much depth, but the verses appear to advocate compliancy and submission on the part of the Jewish people to grossly unfair laws placed upon them by the Roman government.
The first example Jesus gives is that of turning the other cheek. It appears Jesus is telling His listeners to submit to physical beatings with no response. However, Wink explains that in order to strike a person the second time, with the right hand (as the left was considered dirty) and to the right cheek, it would have been backhanded. "We are dealing here with insult, not a fist fight." In offering the second cheek, the Jew, or other "inferior", was saying "you can't humiliate me". The "oppressor" has lost his power because he was unable to instill fear in his victim.
The second example involves poverty and clothes. Many of Jesus' followers were desperately poor, and Jewish law said that for the very poor, they would give their cloak (the outermost clothing that also served as a bedding) to pay the debt, but that the cloak must be returned each night so that the debtor might have somewhere to sleep. In telling His followers to not only give their cloak, but also their shirt, Jesus reversed the humiliation. Now, the one collecting the debt was humiliated, because according to Jewish law, nakedness was "taboo" but not to the naked party... to the one causing nakedness. So imagine going to court to settle a debt... you're required to give all your clothing and you leave stark naked. But in the Jewish culture, you wouldn't be humiliated... the one who has your clothes is shamed.
The final example involved the Roman military. Jesus said that the Jews should walk the extra mile, so to speak. According to Roman law, the soldiers could grab random civilians and make them carry their packs for one mile. This law was often abused, and many decrees about enforcing it had been issued. Jesus told His listeners to not only going the one mile, but to go the second mile, which would cause much confusion for the soldier. Instead of being proud and happy about the fact that he had a slave for one mile, the soldier now was wondering, "Am I going to get in trouble for this? What is this man doing? Give me back my pack!"
So while it at first appears that Jesus is saying, "Be a virtual slave for your oppressors", he was really advocating serious nonviolent resistance. He was providing a way for a much repressed group to regain their dignity, without and before a physical revolution.