Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
“Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot” belongs to God’s laws given through Moses, which guard against injustice and guide how people deal with one another, calling for contention to cease and for people to love one another with softened hearts. It belongs to the statutes and judgments given to Israel that were to be strictly obeyed, showing care for His people including the poor and the exalted and impartial character of His requirements. It guarded the person of a servant and restrained a master’s cruelty, so that even an injury such as the loss of a tooth at the master’s hand entitled the servant to freedom. It states the principle of proportionate retribution.
The saying as the Jews had heard it was used to justify hatred and revenge, especially toward their Roman oppressors whom they bitterly longed to have power to crush. That vengeful attitude grew in the setting of Roman occupation, where soldiers forced Jewish peasants to carry their burdens. In that setting troops were encamped by the seashore assembling under the Roman standard and forcing peasants to carry burdens up the steep bank, while the Jews felt bitter degradation, with hatred and revenge stamped on their faces and violent language against the compulsion. Jesus repeated the saying and looked on that bondage with sadness because the sins of the Jews had brought them into it.
Jesus set aside the retaliation rule and replaced it with the command not to resist evil but to endure wrong without revenge and respond with generosity beyond what is demanded. That means turning the other cheek when struck, letting one who sues also have the cloak as well as the coat, going two miles when compelled to go one, and giving to one who asks and not turning away from one who would borrow. Jesus Himself under slander and persecution never retaliated against His enemies, giving the practical illustration of that lesson, though it was a hard saying for the revengeful Jews who murmured against it.
“Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot” belongs to God’s laws given through Moses, which guard against injustice and guide how people deal with one another, calling for contention to cease and for people to love one another with softened hearts. It belongs to the statutes and judgments given to Israel that were to be strictly obeyed, showing care for His people including the poor and the exalted and impartial character of His requirements. It guarded the person of a servant and restrained a master’s cruelty, so that even an injury such as the loss of a tooth at the master’s hand entitled the servant to freedom. It states the principle of proportionate retribution.
The saying as the Jews had heard it was used to justify hatred and revenge, especially toward their Roman oppressors whom they bitterly longed to have power to crush. That vengeful attitude grew in the setting of Roman occupation, where soldiers forced Jewish peasants to carry their burdens. In that setting troops were encamped by the seashore assembling under the Roman standard and forcing peasants to carry burdens up the steep bank, while the Jews felt bitter degradation, with hatred and revenge stamped on their faces and violent language against the compulsion. Jesus repeated the saying and looked on that bondage with sadness because the sins of the Jews had brought them into it.
Jesus set aside the retaliation rule and replaced it with the command not to resist evil but to endure wrong without revenge and respond with generosity beyond what is demanded. That means turning the other cheek when struck, letting one who sues also have the cloak as well as the coat, going two miles when compelled to go one, and giving to one who asks and not turning away from one who would borrow. Jesus Himself under slander and persecution never retaliated against His enemies, giving the practical illustration of that lesson, though it was a hard saying for the revengeful Jews who murmured against it.