“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is quoting the Old Testament law, but the common Jewish understanding had twisted it from a judicial guideline for magistrates to a license for personal revenge. They were using it to justify "paying back" injuries, rather than limiting judicial punishment.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is launching into a series of teachings that directly contrast with the common interpretations of the Old Testament Law held by the religious leaders of his day. He’s just spoken about anger and insults, and now he addresses the principle of retaliation, quoting a well-known principle from the Law. This sets the stage for Jesus to reveal a radical, counter-cultural approach to responding to harm that goes far beyond what the scribes taught.
Jesus quotes an ancient legal principle, but the way people were using it was completely backward. How did a law meant to limit vengeance become a justification for more of it?
The phrase 'an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth' comes from the Old Testament law (Exodus 21:24, Leviticus 24:20). But it wasn't a free pass for personal revenge.
A Judicial Principle
This was a guideline for judges in ancient Israel. It meant that when someone harmed another, the punishment should be proportionate to the injury. It was designed to prevent excessive retaliation and ensure justice was fair and balanced. The goal was to limit revenge, not to encourage it.
Misused by the Scribes
However, Jesus points out that some people, particularly the Scribes, had twisted this principle. They used it to justify their own personal anger and vengeance, taking the law into their own hands. Instead of limiting harm, they were using it as a license to inflict equal or greater harm in their private lives.
Jesus wasn't repealing a law meant for judges; he was exposing a dangerous heart issue. What happens when we decide our own 'justice'?
The core issue Jesus addresses here is not about the legal system, but about the individual heart and its tendency toward vengeance.
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A Slippery Slope
When people take the 'eye for an eye' principle and apply it to their own lives, it quickly spirals out of control. What starts as 'equal' retaliation often escalates. One perceived wrong leads to another, and another, creating cycles of bitterness and conflict. The original law was meant to stop this escalation by putting a judicial limit on retribution.
The Heart of the Matter
Jesus wants to shift the focus from external legal rulings to internal disposition. He’s teaching that his followers should not operate on the principle of matching injury for injury. Instead, they are called to a higher standard that goes beyond the demands of mere justice and embraces mercy and forgiveness, even when wronged.
Understand the original words
ophthalmos · Greek Noun
The organ of physical sight, frequently used in biblical imagery to represent spiritual perception, desire, or the legal principle of proportional retribution (lex talionis).
odous · Greek Noun
A part of the body used in legal contexts within the Old Testament law to illustrate the principle of equivalent justice and fair compensation for injuries.
Jesus references the 'eye for an eye' principle, which originated in the Mosaic Law as a judicial guideline for proportionate punishment, but had been distorted by some Jewish leaders into a justification for personal revenge. He contrasts this corrupted interpretation with God's higher call for self-sacrificing love and non-resistance to injury.
c. 1440 BC
Law Given at Sinai
The principle of 'an eye for an eye' is established in the Mosaic Law, intended as a guideline for judicial decisions to ensure proportionate punishment.
c. 900 BC - 700 BC
Development of Jewish Legal Tradition
During this period, the interpretation of the Law evolved. Scribes and Pharisees began to apply principles like 'an eye for an eye' to personal retribution rather than solely to judicial rulings.
c. 400 BC - 300 BC
Persian Empire and Royal Decrees
The Persian Empire established a system of royal messengers who had the authority to compel citizens to assist them in carrying the king's messages, influencing later Roman practices.
c. 20 BC - AD 10
Roman Road System Expansion
The Romans significantly developed their road network, which included regulations for travelers and officials, some of whom could requisition assistance or transport from locals.
c. AD 28-30— this verse
Jesus' Public Ministry Begins
Jesus begins teaching and healing throughout Galilee and Judea, challenging the prevailing interpretations of the Law and human traditions.
c. AD 30-33
Sermon on the Mount
Jesus delivers his most famous sermon, directly addressing and reinterpreting the Law, including the principle of 'an eye for an eye,' to reveal its deeper spiritual intent.
This is the original Old Testament law that Jesus is referencing, establishing the principle of 'eye for an eye' as a judicial guideline for judges, not for personal revenge.
Leviticus 24:20This passage reiterates the law of retaliation, showing it was a principle for administering justice within the community, intended to ensure fair judgment and prevent excessive punishment.
Romans 12:17Paul echoes Jesus' teaching, urging believers not to repay evil with evil but to overcome evil with good, highlighting the transformed mindset required of those in Christ.
1 Corinthians 6:7This verse directly addresses the problem of believers taking each other to court and suffering wrong, which connects to Jesus' teaching about not seeking retaliation or exacting full justice in personal disputes.
clarkeMatthew 5:38: "Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:"
An eye for an eye - Our Lord refers here to the law of retaliation mentioned See Exodus 21:24 , (see the note there, and see Leviticus 24:20 (note)), which obliged the offender to suffer the same injury he had committed. The Greeks and Romans had the same law. So strictly was it attended to at Athens, that if a man put out the eye of another who had but one, the offender was condemned to lose both…
calvinMatthew 5:38-41: "Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:"
You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. 39. But I say to you, Do not resist evil: but whoever, shall inflict a blow on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also: 40. And to him who wishes to enter into a law-suit with thee, and to take away thy coat, allow him thy cloak also: 41. And whoever shall constrain thee to one mile, go with him two.
To him…
Jesus is quoting the Old Testament law, but the common Jewish understanding had twisted it from a judicial guideline for magistrates to a license for personal revenge. They were using it to justify "paying back" injuries, rather than limiting judicial punishment.
Jesus is launching into a series of teachings that directly contrast with the common interpretations of the Old Testament Law held by the religious leaders of his day. He’s just spoken about anger and insults, and now he addresses the principle of retaliation, quoting a well-known principle from the Law. This sets the stage for Jesus to reveal a radical, counter-cultural approach to responding to harm that goes far beyond what the scribes taught.
Jesus is launching into a series of teachings that directly contrast with the common interpretations of the Old Testament Law held by the religious leaders of his day. He’s just spoken about anger and insults, and now he addresses the principle of retaliation, quoting a well-known principle from the Law. This sets the stage for Jesus to reveal a radical, counter-cultural approach to responding to harm that goes far beyond what the scribes taught.
"“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’" — Jesus is quoting the Old Testament law, but the common Jewish understanding had twisted it from a judicial guideline for magistrates to a license for personal revenge. They were using it to justify "…
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Last reviewed October 2026