Your eye shall not pity: life shall be for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
Deuteronomy 19:21 NKJV
If I had a dollar for every time I heard this verse misquoted or taken out of context, I would be very wealthy by now. I may have misquoted it myself before I started studying the Bible. It’s easy to read this and think that God is telling us we can do to others as they do to us. We can’t use this to justify vengeance on someone who has done something wrong to us.
Of course, we know the verse says in Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” How we treat others is not according to how they treat us, but to how we would like to be treated. This is known as the Golden Rule. It does not contradict our Scripture passage, but reinforces Matthew 5:38-42, read on and I’ll explain.
This is why I say Bible study is so important. If you were to study this Scripture passage, you would see that God is basically explaining to the Israelites how to set up their judicial system. He’s speaking of what we have in our court system today. For example, under the Louisiana Criminal Code, a person who commits murder can be put to death or receive a life sentence without the benefit of parole, a life for a life. God establishes law so we can have order. In Romans 13:3-4, Paul explains that rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. If you want to not be afraid of law enforcement, don’t break the law.
When we began our Sunday School curriculum using Answers in Genesis, it was explained to us that Scripture confirms Scripture. Whenever we are presented with a Scripture passage, we should consult a good Study Bible or Bible commentary to see if there is corresponding Scripture that explains it further. In the case of the “Eye for an eye” quote, Jesus explains this in Matthew 5 in His Sermon on the Mount. He explains in verses 38-42, “You have heard it said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on the cheek, turn the other cheek to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.”
Romans 12 covers Christian ethics, and in verse 11, we are told to outdo each other in showing honor. In verses 17-20, we are told to repay no one evil for evil, but to leave vengeance to the Lord. In Deuteronomy 32:32, God told the Israelites, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay.”
In the case of criminal behavior, we are to leave that to the judicial system and to God.
If you have started reading your Bible, it’s a great start. But I strongly encourage you to dive deep into what God is saying to you. This is how God speaks to us, through His Holy Word. You don’t want to get the message twisted, which can cause you some serious problems. Even if you don’t have a study Bible or commentary, most Bibles have reference verses that refer to the verse you are reading. Look at those verses to develop a better understanding of what is being said.
And of course, join a good Bible study and attend a Bible-teaching church. These will also help you to have a better understanding of God’s Word.
If you have ever told someone something only to have them misquote you to others, you know how frustrating that can be. Imagine how frustrated God gets when we do the same with His word. Don’t just read the Bible, study it. It’s a fascinating book, especially when you truly understand all God is saying to you. And it is a non-fiction book; it’s all true.
Have a great day!