The Bible saya "An Eye for an Eye" ... yet if I go and kill someone?

Question

who has killed a memeber of my family [this has not happened by the way!].. then I would have broken one of the 10 Commandments....
Explain that!!

So which is true the Old or New Testament????

DaisyKris. I didn't say that "An Eye for an Eye.." was one of the Commandments..

Uncle Thesis.. Please learn to read.... for the final time I did not say that "An Eye for an Eye" was one of the 10 commandments!!!

Answer 1

The bible was written by bronze age goat herders and rewritten countless times by bloodthirsty kings and queens to support their philosophy not by a divine being. Contradictions like this are to be expected.

Answer 2

"an eye for an eye" is from Exodus 21:23-27, and underlines the concept of retributive justice, particularly through mirror punishment, although not necessarily, and is reflected in the modern saying "let the punishment fit the crime". A distinction is made in the Old Testament between killing someone unlawfully and lawfully - "Thou shalt not kill" focusing on the former. Therefore, if a person commits murder, the retribution through excecution would be considered fair.

This verse served to limit the punishment meted to criminals/wrongdoers, attempting to prevent revenge being greater than the original crime. The Bible also underlines the need to forgive and love the wrongdoer, and not to bear grudges and so forth. Therefore, through the "an eye for an eye" method, justice would be carried out without abusing the system.

However, in the New Testament, during the Sermon of the Mount, Jesus says '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 an evildoer. If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.'

Note that this is not a rejection or contradiction of the Mosaic Law, but an extension of it, since Jesus did not believe the "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" principle to be wrong or outmoded, but instead, to Christians who were instead of living under the Law were living under Grace (i.e. redemption through Jesus Christ), Jesus asked them to obey this law and indeed take it further, forgiving the infraction entirely. Therefore, Jesus asks Christians to go further than the Law demands of them.

Answer 3

An eye for eye has been misconstrued like tooth for a tooth in a form of putting the laws into your hand. It does not go that way. If some one has made wrong against your person, it means that you have to confront him and tell him that what he did was wrong and he has to see it the way you see it wrong. Justice must be met to purge the evil done to you. If it is necessary that he has to pay for it, so be it; but let the law of the land by your petition do the judging or the sentencing. To take the law into your own hands will shed more evil deeds and it will become a vicious cycle between you and the offender. worse will be between families.
This was reversed by Jesus teachings of tolerance by giving the other cheek when your left cheek was slapped. It does not help purge the evil done against you. Instead you allow evil to proliferate by forgiving him rather than making him see and be responsible for the mistake he has done.

Answer 4

Dear Mr. Backpack:
The concept of 'an eye for a eye' is NOT one of the 10 commandments.
It is however among the many other laws God gave to Israel.
Not that it was to be practiced willy-nilly.
It applied in certain cases only.
But do you notice it was given to Israel .....the Jews.
Are you Jewish?
If not, why does a law given to another nation concern you?
Truth is, not even the Jews are under that law anymore.
Jesus put an end to that law system.
That is the main thought of:
Ephesians 2:15
Romans 6:14
Colossians 2:14
Luke 16:16 ..........is it not?

Answer 5

Find the scripture and read it, your quote is only part of what is said, Matthew 5:38- on up as far as you want to read, but at least to verse 47.

This note added because of your question in details:
This is part of the scripture that shows the New Testament replacing the Old Testament. The entire relationship with God changed with the coming, and death, and ressurection of His Son, Christ.

Answer 6

1) the "eye for an eye" thing is not in the 10 commandments, it's in another part.

2) Under the Mosaic law and "eye for an eye" was carried out through an appropriate court of law and judgment first. Sometimes in our law we do take the lives of murderers through the death penalty (I'm not going to get into the politics of whether that's right or not), all I'm saying is that it is still in practice in a way, and still through the appropriate process of the legal system.

Answer 7

That was in the Old Testament - things changed with the New Testament (for a lot of things) - Jesus said to love your neighbor as yourself; no "eye for an eye" - it's not What Jesus Would Do!

Answer 8

I love Martin Luther King Jr's take on this phrase:

" That old law about "an eye for an eye" leaves everybody blind."

Hopefully we have all improved and become more compassionate and forgiving since the Old Testament days.

Answer 9

an eye for an eye, this is about karma, what you do to another will come back on you. it doesnt necessarily come back on you in this life time, but the next one, say you were murdered, then in your next life time you maybe the the one who made this situation righted. say you hurt someone really bad, either you will be hurt yourself in this lifetime, or in the next one.. we all have lessons we have to learn, retribution is the working out of our karmic cycles to 0. we want to make then equal to 0 or balance, then we would be in true heaven, but until you work them out and make the wrongs turn right, you will always continue the eye for and eye.. that is what that means. in my opinion.

Answer 10

Because blah blah blah some qualifier that dodges admitting to yet another biblical contradiction

later: and 1st answerer guy, both of the things the ? refers to are in the old testament