What does it mean? And how do you handle someone who insults you constantly? Should u fight back or let him insult you continuously by saying I love you?
2007-08-23 06:56:31 · 44 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The thing about the bible is that it has been translated so many freakin' times that we really don't know if what is in there now is what was really written. But in response to your answer, I think it is that the whole deal is blown out of context. Eye for an eye is for like a community. If a guy kills another guy, he deserves to die. Love thy neighbor is like if your neighbor is a total jerk towards you, turn the other cheek or something like that. Both of these common sayings walk a fine line between contradiction and context. It all in the way you, the reader interpret it.
2007-08-31 05:41:50 · answer #1 · answered by Will 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Bible does not contradict itslef. What you are talking about is two different subjects within the Bible.
Eye for an eye. Is found first in the Book of Exodus 21:24. This if you read the whole context that was written in Ex 21:23-25 is talking about the law of retaliation. Basicly the punishment was to fit the crime. An open, public justice sytem, not a closed private revenge system. But then next time it is mentioned is Matthew 5:38 when Jesus says "Ye have heard that it hath been saidan eye for an eye, and tooth for tooth. But I say unto that ye resist not evil, but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek turn to him the other also."
So actually Jesus WAS teaching Love thy nighbor in this lesson of the Bible. And if you read further in the next few verses you come across the passages where Jesus states love thy neighbor as your self.
Jesus was saying the violence has got to stop somewhere, and it will not unless everyone takes a stand against violence. If someone calls you a nasty name, is that just cause to fight? Or to even throw back a few of your own? Come on be a man.You cannot ake a few slurs and unkind words? You really do need to read and study what you will find the in the Bible.
2007-08-24 01:37:02 · answer #2 · answered by colway 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ahhh... that's where you get into the sticky area of the Bible as God's word and the Bible reflecting the history and biography of the time when it was written. That's the thing with channeled information. People interpret messages within their own contexts and much gets lost in the translation.
Insults I can handle. They come from the ego, and it's ultimately their issue, not mine. However, I am able to see past the insults and recognize the other person as a part of divinity.
Then there is the emotional component. I'm sounding all fluffy in the above paragraph, but if someone were to hurt my son or a loved one, the claws would be going for the eyes. Jeez... I think I still have a bit more evolving to do.
2007-08-23 07:08:36 · answer #3 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We are taught to turn the other cheek, but I don't think that means to stand by and get beaten, by words or physically. The next part is pretty long, but I believe it is important or I wouldn't have included it.
No matter how the Bible is analyzed, it is flawed. Strictly discussing only the New Testament, translators had complete discretion over content. If a story wasn’t complete, multiple stories were woven together to form one book. Pieces were moved around and put together like a puzzle. When a turn of a phrase seemed to even slightly disagree with the Church, it was removed in its entirety.
We now know that multiple scrolls of material, intended to be included as part of the Bible, were carefully hidden instead. This was necessary to avoid destruction of both the authors, and the information they were attempting to disclose.
Scripted Codices, have slowly been discovered. They’ve been carbon dated and authenticated by experts to prove they were written at the same time the Bible was written. Numerous experts believe these writings were intended to be part of the original Bible. However, it is also true to say that these compositions are still the cause of great debate.
The New Testament was written two centuries after The Christ was crucified. Before the Bible was let loose to commoners, these powerful people had just simply raped it.
When one controls the religion of a people, they then control those people. This is why it was so important to make sure the Bible only told the stories approved of by the King and his Church. It also explains the hiding of certain texts. If anything written even smacks of freedom for the common man, it must be destroyed. For if it was found that the King was not god, the King could loose his ability to control his kingdom. As the translators were loyal to the King, the Bible was edited very carefully indeed.
Speaking only of the New Testament, the Bible remains one of the very few best set of life instructions known to man. There is only one, most important law. It is: To love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your mind and with all your soul, and to love thy neighbor as you love yourself. If this Law is followed to the letter, it isn’t possible to break even one of the old Ten Commandments.
When Jesus was born, all prophecies from the Old Testament were fulfilled. The Old Testament passed away with the first coming of the Christ. The Ten Commandments were no longer relevant. This Commandment was the only one needed in order to not sin, and live as God wants man to live.
Blessed Be
2007-08-30 03:27:49 · answer #4 · answered by Linda B 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The eye-for-eye doctrine attributed to the Old Testament does no imply mandatory revenge. It should be interpreted as the limit for "just compensation" for a wrong done. Punishment for wrongdoing must no exceed the gravity of the original offense.
The love-thy-neighbor doctrine was pronounced in the New Testament. It does not prohibit sanctions against wrongdoings. It simply means that sanctions against wrongdoings must be tempered by compassion if the offender shows genuine remorse and make amends with the person offended.
There is not contradiction between the two doctrines. Both recommend justice with compassion.
2007-08-31 05:03:18 · answer #5 · answered by akoypinoy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Eye for an eye is the Old Covenant that Jesus fulfilled. He said to turn the other cheek. The Bible also says that returning evil with goodness heaps burning coals on their heads. It's not easy but with God's help, it can be done.
I don't believe God wants us to live in that situation, either. Do you have to see this person on a regular basis? Can you talk it out one-on-one or with a friend as a third party to manage the conversation? Is it a co-worker? That is anti-productive and your boss should be involved. If you have to see the person and can't work it out...refer to the first paragraph.
2007-08-23 07:08:54 · answer #6 · answered by starfishltd 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Does a mother love her child? When a mother is 'just' and reprimands her child for doing wrong, does that mean she doesn't love that child? Does eye-for-eye necessarily have to mean 'revenge'? Can it instead mean 'justice'? Can there be love in justice?
When you stand up for yourself as insults are being thrown at you, does it mean you do not love the one throwing insults at you? Does loving someone have to mean you like them? Can you love yourself while not liking yourself at the same time? Can you love someone else while not liking them or their actions at the same time? Can love not include justice?
Does "turning the other cheek" have to mean letting someone treat you as a door mat? Could you not "turn the other cheek... while also walking away"?
Just some questions to consider... hope it helps!
2007-08-23 07:13:01 · answer #7 · answered by Ariel Eldad 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It needs to be said very clearly that the Christian Bible does not say "eye for an eye." The Hebrew Bible talks of retributive justice but according to Christian tradition Jesus remarked: "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." (Matthew 5:38–39)
Remember that the deity represented in the OT is considered by many to be vengeful and retributive. The deity presented in the NT is considered to be tolerant and loving.
I am not of the Abrahamic tradition myself but I *do* feel that, as an element of the human experience, it should be presented truthfully.
2007-08-23 07:08:49 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Eye for an eye has more to do with Vengeance is mine saith the Lord that with the human idea of getting even. If you are insulted it is because you have allowed this to happen to you. Words can never hurt you at all- A punch in the eye is hurt. You can be comforted in knowing you don't have to get even because what a person does eventually comes back around on him.
2007-08-23 07:03:41 · answer #9 · answered by Premaholic 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Eye for eye, tooth for tooth is part of The Law given to Moses by God (see Exodus 21). It merely means that the punishment should match the crime. That was the Law given to the Israelites.
But before justice like THAT is meted out, "love thy neighbor"
demands that we think ahead about how our actions will effect those around us.
2007-08-23 07:07:15 · answer #10 · answered by Bobby Jim 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋