Thoughts

An Eye For An Eye?

The final verse in chapter nineteen says, "Don’t feel sorry for that evil person. A life must be taken for a life. An eye must be put out for an eye. A tooth must be knocked out for a tooth. A hand must be cut off for a hand and a foot for a foot."

And yet Jesus said in Matthew 5:38-42, 38“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye must be put out for an eye. A tooth must be knocked out for a tooth.’ 39But here is what I tell you. Do not fight against an evil person. Suppose someone slaps you on your right cheek. Turn your other cheek to them also. 40Suppose someone takes you to court to get your shirt. Let them have your coat also. 41Suppose someone forces you to go one mile. Go two miles with them. 42Give to the one who asks you for something. Don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow something from you.

Is Jesus contradicting the Old Testament? 

Let's look at the context of each of these teachings.

In Deuteronomy 19, we find that the chapter has to do with legal matters about criminal law...cities of refuge, how to deal with manslaughter, property lines, testimony in court, retribution for wrongdoing.

The eye for an eye principle was to be used in court, to set a limit on retribution, or punishment. Our human nature is that we want to repay wrongs done to us, with interest. We want to do more to the wrongdoer than they did to us. The eye for an eye principle says that the punishment must equal the wrong done, it must not exceed it.

In Matthew 5, which is part of Jesus' sermon on the Mount, Jesus was teaching not about courts of law, but of interpersonal relationships, how we should treat each other in our everyday lives. He didn't say that an eye for an eye was wrong. Instead he was making the point that using this to take revenge for something that someone had personally done to offend me was wrong. 

It had become the custom in that day to feel obligated to take revenge for a personal insult or attack. Jesus said in this teaching that an eye for an eye was a legal tool designed for the courtroom, not for personal relationships. Personal relationships were to be governed not by the law, but by mercy.

Isn't that interesting? God has the legal grounds to judge me based on the law, but because I have a personal relationship with Jesus, He treats me with mercy.

Today's Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 16 NIRV, Ch. 17 HCSB, Ch. 18 NASB, Ch. 19 ERV

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