Skip to main content

Eye for an Eye: No Justification for Vengeance


Dear Friend,

When I was with you recently, I heard several references to the phrase “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” We didn’t talk about it at the time, but I thought it merited a few special comments. That is reason for this letter.

The first time the sentence occurs is in Exodus 21:23-25: “If any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”

The actual context is in reference to men who are fighting and, in the process, a pregnant woman is hurt, and she has a miscarriage. This is in the law that God gave to the people of Israel the same time He gave the Ten Commandments.

This is not teaching vengeance; it is a law given for judges. It is putting upper limits on what a judge can do in sentencing. It seems very harsh, but in reality it was humane. If a man lost an eye in a fight, vengeance would say, “I will kill him.” Even an unjust judge might allow for the death penalty for losing an eye. But God said the most a man can be punished is the same as he inflicted; that is, an eye for an eye, not death for an eye.

In the middle of the 1700s in England, there were over 200 crimes for which you could be hanged. God was saying in Exodus that the punishment should fit the crime. God was not teaching vengeance. He was setting an upper limit for punishment for crimes. It should not be greater than the crime itself. Most of us would not vote for “eye for eye” laws. Some of our laws are easier; some are harsher. In either case, it is not an authorization for personal vengeance.

“When a man causes disfigurement in his neighbor, as he has done it shall be done to him, fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, as he has disfigured a man, he shall be disfigured” (Leviticus 24:19-20).

Deuteronomy 19:15-21 tells us very clearly the determination of this “eye for eye” is the responsibility of the judges, not the responsibility of the injured person.

Jesus really made it clear when He said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; and if anyone would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles” (Matt. 5:38-41).

There are related paragraphs in the Bible, like Romans 12:14-21.

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Some of you are in prison because you took vengeance into your own hands, or you returned evil for evil. At the time, you felt justified in doing it. If you thoroughly reject the false view of “an eye for eye,” you will find it easier to confess to God your own sin and so be forgiven. If you confess your sin with a belief that you had God’s endorsement for it, of course you will not be forgiven, and you will stay unhappy.

Neither the Old Testament nor the New Testament teaches revenge. Don’t ever quote “an eye for an eye” as an excuse for revenge. That is misquoting Scripture. That is trying to get God to endorse your actions.

Your friend in Christ,

Jim Wilson


This post coordinates with today's reading in the To the Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan, please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ripe for Harvest: Prepared to Give an Answer

As you read through the book of Acts, look at every conversion, and see what happened right before it: what was said, who said it. The situations are the same today.     A long time ago, my duty in the Officer’s Christian Fellowship was the east coast of the United States. I went to an officer’s office at Fort Lee, VA, and stayed overnight, then I went on to Norfolk and Fort Bragg.    Forty years later, I was no longer on the staff of OCF, but I had to go to Denver. While I was in Denver, I checked in at the OCF offices. There was the same Air Force officer I had met in Fort Lee, retired now, a colonel. I had stayed in his house when he was a first lieutenant. He asked me, “Do you know what happened when you stayed overnight?” I said, “No, I just remember staying in your home.” He said, “You led the next-door neighbor to Christ.” I had no memory of it.    Ten years after that, I was speaking at a banquet at the Hotel Salisbury, and who was th...
Post a Comment
Read more

Why Is Obedience So Hard?

There are several reasons why obedience seems hard. I will comment on some of them and then speak positively on how obedience is easy. We think: 1) Obedience is an infringement on freedom. Since we are free in Christ, and obedience is somehow contrary to that freedom, we conclude that obedience is not good. Yet we know it is good. Thus, we become confused about obedience and are not single-minded. 2) Obedience is works. We who have been justified by grace through faith are opposed to works; therefore, we are opposed to obedience. 3) We have tried to obey and have failed—frequently. Therefore, the only solution is to disobey and later confess to receive forgiveness. It is easier to be forgiven by grace than to obey by effort. 4) We confuse obedience to men with obedience to God. Although these are sometimes one and the same (see Romans 13, 1 Peter 2-3, Ephesians 5-6, Colossians 3, and Titus 2), sometimes they are not the same (see Colossians 2:20-23, Mark 7, 1 Timothy 4:1-5, a...
7 comments
Read more

Joy

Here are five biblical passages on joy: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness” (Galatians 5:22). “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior” (Habakkuk 3:17-18). “The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17). “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you” (Psalms 51:12-13). “The seventy-two returned with joy and said, ‘Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.’ He replied, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have give...
Post a Comment
Read more