Matthew 5:38-39
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus highlights that the popular understanding of "an eye for an eye" had twisted a judicial limit into a license for private revenge. The original law was meant to restrict retribution, not to fuel personal vengeance, a crucial distinction often missed.
Jesus is continuing his sermon on the mount, explaining that his teachings aren't canceling the Old Testament law but fulfilling it in its deepest spirit. He's just addressed violence and anger, and now he's tackling retribution, showing how the common understanding of "an eye for an eye" had been twisted from a judicial principle to justify personal revenge. He's setting up a radical contrast between the human desire for payback and God's call to radical forgiveness and love.
Jesus quotes an ancient legal principle, but the way people were using it was totally twisted. What was it really meant for?
The phrase 'an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth' comes from God's Law given in the Old Testament (Exodus 21:24, Leviticus 24:20).
Designed for Justice, Not Vengeance
This wasn't a free pass for personal revenge! It was meant to guide judges and magistrates.
The People's Twist
However, the religious leaders and the people of Jesus' day had twisted this into a justification for private revenge. They felt if someone wronged them, they were entitled to inflict the exact same injury back, as a matter of personal right. This distorted the original purpose of justice into a license for unending retaliation.
Jesus doesn't just explain the law; he introduces a completely new way of responding to wrong. What does this radical command look like in practice?
Jesus immediately contrasts the twisted 'eye for an eye' mentality with His own teaching: 'But I say to you...' (Matthew 5:39).
Beyond Retaliation
He calls His followers to a path that transcends personal vengeance. This isn't about seeing the law of retaliation as perfectly applied by magistrates, but about how individuals should respond 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.
anthistēmi · Greek Verb
To set oneself against, withstand, or oppose. In a legal or personal sense, it refers to standing against an adversary or taking up a defensive position.
rhapizō · Greek Verb
To strike with the palm of the hand. Culturally, this was often an act of personal insult, social shaming, or contempt rather than an attempt to cause severe physical injury.
c. 1446 BC
Law Given at Sinai
God gives the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai, including statutes that later form the basis of the 'eye for an eye' principle in civil justice.
c. 900 BC
Proverbs Warns Against Retaliation
The book of Proverbs offers wisdom, stating, 'Say not, “I will repay evil”; wait for the LORD, he will deliver you.' This indicates a tension already present regarding personal vengeance.
c. AD 27-30— this verse
Jesus Teaches the Sermon on the Mount
Jesus delivers the foundational teachings of the Christian faith, including His interpretation of the Law, in what is known as the Sermon on the Mount.
c. AD 30-33
Apostles Preach and Live Out New Principles
Following Jesus' teachings, the apostles, like Paul in 1 Corinthians 6, address the early church on matters of conflict resolution, emphasizing love and forbearance over legalistic revenge.
This is the foundational Old Testament passage where the principle of 'an eye for an eye' is first stated, establishing it as a rule for justice and retribution within the community.
Leviticus 24:20This passage reiterates the principle of 'an eye for an eye,' further emphasizing its intended application within the judicial framework for the administration of justice.
Deuteronomy 19:21Here, the 'eye for an eye' principle is applied specifically to false witnesses, showing its role in ensuring that consequences match the severity of the offense within the legal system.
Romans 12:17Paul echoes Jesus' teaching by urging believers not to repay evil for evil, offering a New Testament perspective on how to respond to those who wrong us, which contrasts with the misuse of the Old Testament law.
1 Corinthians 6:7This passage directly addresses the tendency to take fellow believers to court and seek retribution, suggesting that the Christian community should find ways to bear wrong rather than engaging in legal disputes, aligning with Jesus' radical teaching.
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 highlights that the popular understanding of "an eye for an eye" had twisted a judicial limit into a license for private revenge. The original law was meant to restrict retribution, not to fuel personal vengeance, a crucial distinction often missed.
Jesus is continuing his sermon on the mount, explaining that his teachings aren't canceling the Old Testament law but fulfilling it in its deepest spirit. He's just addressed violence and anger, and now he's tackling retribution, showing how the common understanding of "an eye for an eye" had been twisted from a judicial principle to justify personal revenge. He's setting up a radical contrast between the human desire for payback and God's call to radical forgiveness and love.
Jesus is continuing his sermon on the mount, explaining that his teachings aren't canceling the Old Testament law but fulfilling it in its deepest spirit. He's just addressed violence and anger, and now he's tackling retribution, showing how the common understanding of "an eye for an eye" had been twisted from a judicial principle to justify personal revenge. He's setting up a radical contrast between the human desire for payback and God's call to radical forgiveness and love.
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The Goal?
They illustrate a heart attitude of humility, concession, and a willingness to absorb wrongs rather than escalating conflict. This allows for a response that overcomes evil with good, rather than mirroring it.
siagōn · Greek Noun
Part of the face; being struck on the cheek in the ancient world was a profound symbol of public humiliation and the loss of personal honor.
"“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." — Jesus highlights that the popular understanding of "an eye for an eye" had twisted a judicial limit into a license for private revenge. The original law was meant to restrict retribution, not to fu…
