I am always bothered whenever I hear the phrase “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” It reminds me of retaliation and revenge, Middle East justice such as cutting off the hand of a thief, Middle East international relations, and feuds like the Hatfields and the McCoys. I also think of what I once heard: “An eye for an eye and soon everyone is blind.”The phrase occurs twice in the Old Testament – in Leviticus 24:20 and Exodus 21:24, and both times the intent is to emphasize that punishment should fit the crime and not be excessive. An actual eye or tooth was not required to be the punishment. In a land of tribes and clans, feuds were a real possibility, and one of the purposes of this judicial principle was prevention. Another preventive step is related in Numbers 35:6-15; we are told that six cities were set aside as cities of refuge. Someone who killed someone could flee there for safety so that they were not killed before being tried by the assembly. The penalty for murder was death, but if the murder was ruled non-intentional they could continue to safely reside there. Despite this clear (at least to me) intent, some (e.g. the strictest Pharisees), like some today, nevertheless viewed the phrase as an excuse for private revenge.

In Matthew 5:38-48 (part of the Sermon on the Mount) Jesus speaks to this extreme view and makes clear that “eye for an eye” is a judicial principle and not an excuse for personal revenge. He asks us to turn the other cheek. Furthermore, we are to love our enemies. This doesn’t mean that we can’t defend ourselves. It also doesn’t mean that people are not to be held accountable for their evil actions. But their accountability comes from judicial process and not from private revenge. Even so, I find these instructions very difficult to follow. On my own, my ego gets in the way, and I am sensitive to insults and slights. I dwell on the actions of those I don’t like. Only with God’s help can I come close to what Christ asks.

Read Matthew 5:38-48 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Jim