Leviticus 24:13 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying ...
Leviticus 24:20 Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again.
Exodus 20:1 And God spake all these words, saying ...
Exodus 21:24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
Deuteronomy 19:21 And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
But Jesus said:
Matthew 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
Matthew 5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
If God never changes, and His Laws are absolute, why did Jesus tell the Jews to ignore God's repeated law on "an eye for an eye" (Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy) and try to replace that law with "turn the other cheek"?
2007-07-02 03:23:46 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
If you were a good Jew who used the Torah to determine who speaks for God and who doesn't, based on the compatibility of their message with scripture, would you not accuse Jesus of being a false prophet who is trying to twist the words of God ("eye for an eye") to mean something they do not?
If God were to introduce a new truth, would you not do as the Jews did and reject the messenger as a false prophet, because just like Jesus, his/her message would be incompatible with what already exists in scripture?
2007-07-02 03:24:16 · update #1
Perhaps Moses was hard of hearing and he missed the turn the other cheek part?
2007-07-02 04:04:54 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
The Jews were told that a Messiah was to come. There are many scriptures that tell of this event. Jesus filled many of them and many Jews at the time knew that He was (is) the Messiah. Paul was a Jew who heavily persecuted Christians but through the scripture (the Old Testament) he realised that he was wrong. God never changed His mind but has changed the rules a few times. Some would say that this is 'proof' that God changes His mind but it really shows God changing the hearts of men over time and imposing limitations on the original rules (like going from an 'hate your enemy' to 'love your enemy', or 'an eye for an eye' to 'turn the other cheek') I would not believe anyone who claimed to be God’s prophet because there are none to come until Jesus’ second coming (which will be an unmistakable event)
2007-07-02 03:39:50 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
God doesn't change, humans do. It helps to remember that time does not really exist. It's more the way that humans see things. So everything that God ever was and will be already is. the short answer is that God was making adjustments for us.
When Jesus came he replaced the old ways. As He came to die for our sins, He also gave us a new connection with God, one that had been damaged in the OT (thus creating the layers between God and his people). Turn the other cheek was what God always wanted, but because His people had hardened their hearts He was accomodating them.
2007-07-02 03:45:12 · answer #3 · answered by Thom 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree with you. When Jesus spoke with everyday sinners, he was humble, kind, understanding, and loving. Except for the pharisees, and we have those pretentious jerk-offs on YA everyday. Who cares what the Athiests' say? They aren't claiming to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. And they aren't going to change their minds by anything hostile or judgmental that Christians can throw at them. Jesus said that they are to know us by our love. LOVE!!! And honestly there isn't much love in the R&S section. From anyone. Just like in John 9, the begger said "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" That's how to testify.
2016-05-21 01:55:37 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is true that God never changes. He holy and righteous but how he deals with man sure does change. When Adam was in the garden he was sinless but when he sinned God ran him out of the garden and God had to kill a animal to cover his nakedness. Now God deals with all men as sinners. because all have sinned. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; God gave the law to the National of Israel but they could not keep it so He sends the Lord Jesus Christ to offer them the Kingdom and they reject Him as their King and have Him put to death on the cross. When that happen He died for the sins of the world and today we are saved by believing that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins. God is not dealing with Israel in the age of Grace. All people must believe that He died for their sins. When the Church is caugh off the earth God will deal with Israel again and the prophecy of Daniel 9: 24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. will happen.
Remember God never changes but how He deals with people through the ages does.
2007-07-02 03:51:27 · answer #5 · answered by Ray W 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The law came by Moses and truth & grace by Jesus Christ.
God still sees an eye for an eye, etc.... But there is truth & grace provided through faith in Jesus Christ. So the New Covenant is that Jesus shed blood atones for our sins & when we are born of God, when we sin, we confess our sin & He is righteous & just to forgive us this sin & cleanse us from it.
2007-07-02 03:37:11 · answer #6 · answered by t_a_m_i_l 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
When God told moses the famous "eye for eye" quote He was giving moses instructions on how to run a country. Jesus told His followers that they should personally turn the other cheek. It is the Governments responsibilty to get "revenge," or "right the wrong" not an individual persons. This is exactly the same way that every modern government works.This is not a contradiction if you read the whole Bible instead of looking for "mistakes" in individual verses it would probably make more sense to you.
2007-07-02 03:31:49 · answer #7 · answered by Marmeladov 3 · 5⤊ 3⤋
He unilaterally changed the covenant (contract) between God and man. Since he is god, he can do that.
If you are trying to find contradictions in the Bible in order to make Christians abandon their faith, then you are obviously not very good at this.
2007-07-02 03:37:48 · answer #8 · answered by Randy G 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
well, smart one, that's not an example of God changing. that's an example of God changing the law not himself.
2007-07-02 03:44:18 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋