Today's Reading: Exodus 21
"Eye For Eye"
These verses
are a part of the Old Testament law code given to the Israelites by God through
Moses. This particular section of the law deals with the principles of
retribution and restitution for wrongs committed.
Verse 23
specifies that if harm is done to a person, then the offender is to be punished
accordingly. The punishment must fit the crime, and in some cases, it may be a
matter of "life for life" – in other words, the offender may face the
death penalty.
This law was
intended to ensure that justice was done in cases of wrongdoing, and that the
punishment was proportional to the offense. It was also designed to deter
people from committing crimes, knowing that they would face serious
consequences if they did.
Jesus
addressed the principle of "an eye for an eye" in his teachings,
specifically in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:38-39. In this passage,
Jesus says: "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a
tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if
anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also."
In His teaching
on this, Jesus is not negating the Old Testament law, but rather he is
correcting a misinterpretation of it. Jesus is teaching that the principle of
"an eye for an eye" should not be used as an excuse for personal
revenge or retaliation. Rather, he is encouraging his followers to respond to
evil with love and forgiveness, rather than seeking retribution.
Similarly, the
Apostle Paul emphasizes the importance of forgiveness in his letters to the
early Christian communities in Ephesians 4:32, he instructs his readers to
"be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in
Christ forgave you." As followers of Christ, our quest should be
reconciliation rather than retribution.
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