“Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
Deuteronomy 19:21 (NIV)
Eye for eye – tooth for tooth sounds so mean to us in Canada in 2018.
But in 1,500 BC eye for eye and tooth for tooth was revolutionary in its fair approach.
Before this Law the strong and the rich could take a life for an eye, and take a family for a life.
Leviticus 24 applies it to any instance, and Deuteronomy 19 softens it in the case of accidental homicide and then applies it harshly in a case of false testimony. It teaches that if someone tries to have an innocent party condemned by giving false testimony, they shall suffer the punishment they wanted to have inflicted on the innocent party. (Brings to mind Haman in the story of Esther, being impaled on the pole he had made for Mordecai)
Rule of law is the basis of all free societies, when every individual is equally subject to the law.
Where justice rules and there is no place for vengeance.
The Rule of turn the other cheek is the basis of the kingdom of heaven,
where every individual is forgiven.
Where Christ reigns in our hearts and there is no place for self.
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