Eye For an Eye/ Turn the Other Cheek

[OneAccord]

Matthew 5:38,39

You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth but I tell you not to resist and evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

How is it that the Scripture "eye for eye, tooth for tooth" which appears three times in the OT Deut 19:21, Levitcus 24:20 and Exodus 21:24, is interpreted by Jesus to mean Resist not an evil person, turn the other cheek."

Jesus said early in Matthew 5:17,18, 19 "Do not think that I have come to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly I say to you till heaven and earth pass away not one jot or tittle will pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments...........

Surely when people were carrying out the eye for an eye tooth for a tooth judgements they believed that they were being obedient to the commandments in the Book of the Law.

Why is Jesus' command to "Resist not an evil person" such a seemingly complete opposite to the Law as it stood?

[Guest yod]

That's easy!

but it's a good question too.....

The Law regarding the punishment of an "evil doer" was for the governmental authority...the elders, kings, leaders, priests, parents, or the entire community...whatever authority any particular offense came under.

Yeshua was saying that we should not exact our own revenge because authority had been put in place by the Lord to take care of these things...and ultimately all will be revealed and judged.

So the short answer is that God never really allowed for personal retribution in Israel once He had established the government. He did allow for the offended party to be the executioner in some cases once the perpetrator had been judged guilty.

He gave cities of refuge for those who were guilty of killing by accident. However, once they left the borders of that city, the nearest kin of the victim was given permission to end the life of the careless killer.

I bet they didn't have any problems with DWI.

I'm sure that there was a danger of many innocent people being killed if someone tried to take revenge on a Roman soldier and it was viewed as rebellion against Caesar.

This was a different circumstance than when the prophets judged Israel.

[Guest shiloh357]

Matthew 5:38,39

You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth but I tell you not to resist and evil person.  But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

How is it that the Scripture "eye for eye, tooth for tooth" which appears three times in the OT  Deut 19:21, Levitcus 24:20 and Exodus 21:24, is interpreted by Jesus to mean Resist not an evil person, turn the other cheek."

Jesus said early in Matthew 5:17,18, 19  "Do not think that I have come to destroy the Law or the Prophets.  I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.  For assuredly I say to you till heaven and earth pass away not one jot or tittle will pass from the law till all is fulfilled.  Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments...........

Surely when people were carrying out the eye for an eye tooth for a tooth judgements they believed that they were being obedient to the commandments in the Book of the Law. 

Why  is Jesus' command to "Resist not an evil person" such a seemingly complete opposite to the Law as it stood?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

One thing to understand about the "eye for an eye" statement, is that it did not mean that if someone injures you, you get to injure them in like manner.

It was always understood, even in ancient times, to refer to monetary compensation. In other words, if you injured another person, you were bound according to Torah, to pay for all the damage that your injury caused. So, if you damaged someone's property, you payed for the repairs. If you caused bodily injury, either on purpose or accidentally, you pay for the medical cost, and any lost wages during their rehabilitation.

Jesus was speaking to misinterpretations and misapplications of the "eye for an eye" commandment by certain religious leaders. He was speaking against their misuse of the commandment to justify taking revenge (as Yod pointed out). He never spoke against the Torah itself, only the against the hypocritical ways that it was being emmployed by some of the Pharisees and other religious leaders in Israel during the 1st century.

Not all of the religious leaders of the 1st century in Israel were corrupt, but some of them took commandments and applied them to suit their whims.

[His son]

This is the principle that the communists use in their take overs of nations. They befriend the criminal element. When they first took over a nation after the war they would go in and set up a government made up of men taken from the prisons who had no compassion for the citizens. The murderers were made chiefs of police and that is how they had no trouble enforcing their strict laws after they were setup in power. This is satans way of control through fear of consequences. The control by fear is the same thing that Islam is based on. If you don't become an Islam you will be tortured, and killed. Thats the other program that is presented to all people. Serve God, or serve satan.

Law is made for criminals, and as an ex-criminal I can tell you for sure that lax laws make for much more crime. Iran has a law that says if they catch a thief they cut off his hand. For some unknown reason they have a very low crime rate.

[jesussaves]

I think Ezekiel kind of gives you an answer to your question.

"A new heart will I also give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stoney heart out of your flesh..." Ezekeil 36:26

The Law is our school master to lead us to grace. The Law was written on tablets of stone. Man's heart is hard like stone until he receives Christ. Then the Lord gives him a new heart...a heart of flesh that is under grace and now he has the word of God written in it...filled with love.

Jesus never told us to do anything we couldn't do...not because of our ability...but because He died to give us life, and He sent us His Spirit to change our hearts and the ability to "put off the old man and put on the new." The ability to love because He teaches us how to love.

We are different. If we live the eye for an eye of the "old man"...we are no different than the one who did us wrong.

The commandment the Lord gave us is ,"Come out from among them and be ye seperate."...He changed our hearts the minute we received Him, believeing Him to be the only begotten Son of God.

[OneAccord]

That's easy!

The Law regarding the punishment of an "evil doer" was for the governmental authority...the elders, kings, leaders, priests, parents, or the entire community...whatever authority any particular offense came under.

Yeshua was saying that we should not exact our own revenge because authority had been put in place by the Lord to take care of these things...and ultimately all will be revealed and judged.

So the short answer is that God never really allowed for personal retribution in Israel once He had established the government. He did allow for the offended party to be the executioner in some cases once the perpetrator had been judged guilty.

Easy, huh? I don't think so.

Anyway, I challenge your response with regard to the scene with the woman caught in adultery. It was those in authority who brought her to Jesus, and according to your reply, these are the ones who had been "put in place by the Lord to take care of these things".

Clearly this woman was guilty, caught in the very act. The law is very clear about adultery, it's even one of the Ten Commandments, and Jesus had a few words to say about adultery Himself.

And yet it was not an eye for an eye, nor judgement of any kind, neither condemnation. Rather this woman's law-breaking was put forth by Jesus as a mirror to each accuser's own sin.

God is the supreme judge and He will exact an eye for an eye, but none of us are righteous enough to condemn another.

I find the eye for an eye/resist not an evil person to be an extremely complex dichotomy. It epitomizes the entire Law vs Grace debates common in the church, as well as the New Testament principle of forgiveness.

Which do we heed as Christians: "An eye for an eye" or "resist not an evil person"

What does "Resist not an evil person" mean? This is a hard saying.

[Guest shiloh357]

And yet it was not an eye for an eye, nor judgement of any kind, neither condemnation.

[Guest yod]

the law regarding adultery also says that BOTH parties are guilty. To punish only one would be breaking that law.

"resist not an evil person" is written awkwardly but I think it is clearly saying that we should not sin on account of a sin done against us. This would also be in complete harmony with the way I've interpreted "an eye for an eye"

and btw....if there is no law then there is no need for grace or forgiveness or mercy or salvation.

[Guest shiloh357]

I think it would also be worth adding that "resist not evil" or, "resist not an evil person," as some translations have it, does not mean "confront not an evil person." The Lord is not telling us in Matt 5, not to stand against evil, but simply do not return insult for insult.

Turning the other cheek in Matt. 5 applies only to personal relationships. We are commanded not seek personal revenge in defending wounded pride. It however does not apply to grievous atrocities.

In Jewish culture of the 1st century, slapping someone on the cheek was the ultimate personal insult. It was their equivalent to giving someone "the finger" in our culture. We are not to respond in kind.

[OneAccord]

Resist in the Greek is Anthistemi and means to stand opposed to.

Evil is Poneros, which is evil in the general sense, evil person is not an accurate translation.

Resist not evil, do not stand opposed to evil........seems like an odd saying and is contradicted by both Paul and James when they say:

Therefore take up the full armor of God so that you will be able to resist in the evil day.

Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

You all are giving very thoughtful responses to this verse, it's still a stumbling block to me, as in context it is also alongside other verses such as Love Your Enemies and Bless those Who Persecute You.