“Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”-Deuteronomy 19:21
Deuteronomy Chapter 19 concludes with a principle that Yeshua spoke often about and a formulation that has baffled gentile believers for centuries.
I’m talking about the “Eye for an Eye, Tooth for a Tooth” principle that scholars refer to via the Latin term LEX TALIONIS.
The standard dictionary definition of LEX TALIONIS is as follows…
“the law of retaliation, whereby a punishment resembles the offense committed in kind and degree”.
Now, like everything else we study in Scripture, it is important to take note of the context in which a certain principle is introduced.
In this case, LEX TALIONIS is being applied to perjury.
In other words, this is all about meting out a proportionally proper amount of justice to a false witness.
This “Eye for an Eye, Tooth for a Tooth” principle was NOT to be taken literally nor was it to be used for personal vengeance.
Islam has erred greatly in this sense.
God’s law strictly forbids mutilation as a form of punishment.
The “Eye for Eye, Tooth for Tooth” phrase was a Hebrew idiom meant to communicate the idea that the punishment was always to fit the crime.
For example, if a person stole a goat, he shouldn’t have to lose all of his land as punishment.
Or if due to financial hardship one failed to make good on a monetary debt, he shouldn’t be taken outside and lashed with a whip multiple times until he fell over half dead.
And under no circumstances should a person be sentenced the death penalty for a mere property crime.
The opposite was also true.
If a person intentionally killed or seriously maimed someone, he wasn’t to be let off via just paying a fine.
I’ve got a lot more to say about this topic that I’ll delve into later.
However, for right now the most important thing you need to know is that the principle of LEX TALIONIS only applied to civil and criminal cases.
This wasn’t a concept that was to be applied to personal relationships.
When I say “personal relationships”, I’m talking about how we treat one another on a daily basis and the behavior and actions that lie outside the realm of criminality.
For instance, if someone verbally insults you, according to Biblical ethics (and what Yeshua said), it doesn’t necessarily hold that it’s okay to insult the person back.
So let’s get this straight.
Application of the “Eye for Eye, Tooth for Tooth” Principle was restricted to the Lord’s justice system.
It was NOT to be applied to interpersonal relationships.
It’s when we mix the two up that we get into trouble.
Got it?
I’m done.
NEXT TIME WE BEGIN DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER TWENTY
Then why didn’t the inspired wise writers day so?
Much misery has resulted from this saying.
Thus puzzles me.
Because a lot of things were understood. Just as the New Testament authors assumes its readers understand Torah. This is why it’s so important to understand the Bible in its proper Hebrew context. Shalom.
Thank you.
But I admit that I understand some, but not all of the seemingly contrary instruction, and enlightenment of Yeshua on the subject.
I do understand that ” vengeance is mine daith the Adonai.
I do understand that of I turn the other cheek that my elohim can deal with my agressor in a better way than I can.
I do not understand that the one whose name is mercy and love gave men in that time period the discretion to gouge out eyes and pull out teeth.
Your answer seems inadequate to me if I may speak freely.