Dear Eladar,
Let's say someone raped your wife, and he wanted to do it again, would you let him?
Let's say someone absolutely squished your kid, would you let that someone come near him/her again?
Or let's just say if a stranger at the store thought you took his parking spot and decided that you needed a lesson and absolutely belted you to a pulp, would you let the stranger decide when he was done? Then you notice that this stranger has dead bodies in his car, and a gun in pocket, and knifes sticking out everywhere... Honestly?
So, at what point would you say that a wife may have had enough of violence against her? Half dead, almost dead, or really dead dead before her turning the other cheek allotment was exercised?
Come to think about it, why would Joseph be warned in a dream to flee to Egypt?
Or why did some of the Apostles flee potential death?
In fact, why would the meekest man in all the earth kill an Egyptian? (Moses) (I know why)
But in a literal sense, why do you think that Moses thought that that was not right what was going on?
Or what about all the times in the Old Testament when judgment came upon the people that killed the innocent? When God's cup was full...
Consider the Law...there were consequences to people's actions. And Jesus said He came to fulfil them (not to abolish them). And in fact, Paul talks about government and why they are there, yes?
Of course.
They are there for a reason.
You do know that in America, one can be arrested now for striking another person.
How much more should it be in a marriage, when two people are to love one another?