Why do Christians focus on the punishments of Jewish law rather than the protections?

Question

An eye-for-an-eye provides protection from vengeance for taking another's eye. The punishment cannot be worse than the crime. For people of surrounding cultures, it was a "life-for-an-eye."

Jewish law provides protection from practices of other cultures they lived among. Taking a life in vengeance was the norm of the day -- God forbade His people from those practices. His people are to be a holy people and must provide justice for ALL -- for both Israelites and for strangers in their land. There were cities of refuge where people could receive protection from vengeance after having accidentally killed someone, or for other "crimes."

Love must be tempered by justice. We cannot have peace without both love and justice (tough love).

Answer 1

Peace! Since you are asking a question about Christians, I feel compelled to answer since I am one! As a Christian I do think the Law of Moses is important now and forever! In fact, Jesus said in Matthew 5:17-19, "Do not think I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven." The Law taught us important things about justice and mercy. It also taught us how much we missed the mark in being able to follow it!

The Law God gave to Israel IS perfect and there is much that Christians need to learn about the Law! I would never diminish the value of learning about the Law at all! Please do not stereotype all Christians!

If you are a Christian, you are supposed to study the whole Bible not one portion of it! Christians are aware that Christ himself was a practicing Jewish Rabbi who studied the Law. We are supposed to study the Law as Jesus did! The only difference is that the Law served to remind us that no one could ever keep the Law perfectly......no one! We believe we are not saved by just our keeping the Law God gave to Moses. Since we are unable to keep the perfect Law, (The Law was perfect because it was given by God)we realise we are saved by the blood of the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

I am not trying to convert Jewish people, but you addressed this question about Christians and like I said before, I feel the need to address your question! There are some things that both sides will not get right until Messiah comes and shows us! I do not think anyone will come under judgment for just being wrong....do you?emmeshalom, Christians don't always get it right. I am sorry if missionaries "demonized" Jews! If this is true, they were wrong for that! Don't judge all of us by what a few misguided ones do!

I love and support Israel and the Jewish people. I respect you have your own beliefs. So please, do not bash all Christians! At least ask whether we believe a certain way before you convict all of us of it! And please, do not bash my beliefs as I do not bash yours! I am just as sincere in my love for the Lord and my belief as you are! Let's agree to disagree and respect each other!
Peace!

Answer 2

A lot of problem stems from the fact that Christians do not understand the function or the gift of the Law.

Christians follow the writtings of St. Paul - who claims that the Law is a prison, a burden that entraps the followers. He teaches Christians that no one can find any hope or salvation in the Law - instead it merely shows them how far from G-d they have fallen.

Looking at this, it is easy for those familiar with the Law, the true Law, to know why Christians focus on what they do. They have no true concept of it's gift, it's hope or that it offers a type of salvation, if faith is present. And only if faith is present, not just if one follows the functions of the Law like an instruction manuel. One would be better off following a manuel for programing a VCR, at least one would be innocent of shoving off G-d's gift.

Christians focus on the punishment because they cannot see the whole picture. They are unaware of the history that surrounds their own faith, what the Tanakh holds. Because of this, or rather from this, springs the prefunctionary use of the Law that is commonly seen on here.

A lot of Christians claim that they follow a loving G-d. If one simply accepts Jesus as their savior then one has a completely loving and forgiving G-d. Those that do not get a vengeful and jealous G-d, one of punshiment. They create a division that cannot be reconciled - they forget that G-d is both judgement and mercy - justice and compassion. They two temper the other - they are not complete without the other half for each can run amuck when they are not unopposed.

Answer 3

I have to agree with you. Alot of things in the Torah are not to be taken literally. "Eye for an eye" means "the value of an eye for the value of an eye" not a literal eye. If a person has blinded you, he must pay you wages that have been lost due to the loss of that eye. Make sense? My teachers always explained it better.

Jewish law has never allowed intentional harm and pain upon others. It's a sin.

I don't understand why people can't be more open and tolerant about religions. Just because I'm a Jew doesn't mean that I'm never going to speak to my Christian or Catholic friends again. It doesnt mean that I will insult their religion. Actually, Id rather learn about it than anything else. I find religion and beliefs so interesting. I guess most people arent like that though. .

Answer 4

Christian Missionaries must demonize the Jews, Torah Law {Halachah} and G-d. If they do not demonize us, what are they? A polytheistic religion that has a torturer's dream for an afterlife and a crazed, sadistic chief god who, like the Red Queen, is always yelling: "Off with their heads, Off with their heads!!!! who kills his son so that his sense of justice is not offended, Talk about a god with an ego problem!!!!!. If people actually knew the truth about Judaism rather than the 2000 year campaign of lies, falsehoods and distortions that Christian Missionaries have 'put out there', maybe the deception of their message would be found out.

Lets take 'An eye for an eye". The Missionaries use it to 'prove' that Judaism believes in unmerciful revenge. The Truth of the matter is that the section in the Torah were this comes into play is about 'tort' law, the laws of damages. It is not talking about revenge and every time a Missionary claims otherwise, they are lieing. Therefore, when the Torah says' an eye for an eye', it is talking about money damages of comparable worth and ONLY about money damages. Not 'an eye for an arm' or 'an eye for your son's eye' or 'since I am a nobleman and you are a peasant, my eye is worth 10 times more than yours and if I take your eye, tough luck.' Torah is talking about comparable worth and comparable worth, ONLY. In the case of tort law, 'an eye for an eye' has not been improved on from the time of Moses until now. Especially since Jewish Law includes payment of pain and suffering , lost wages, re-training, if necessary and public humiliation, NO secular or religious law in ANY other system has improved on Jewish Law {Halachah}.

On the other hand, Christianiy has Hell which, if you are not with the Jesus Plan of a particular denomination, sect or cult, you go to Hell forever and forever and you are tortured forever and forever, with NO chance at repentence or mercy. Talk about punishment!!!!!! The Christian Hell is on every human rights watch in the Universe. It makes Sadaam Huessan look like a little fuzzy wuzzy kitty cat. Christianity is vengence and only vengence.

Answer 5

It makes them feel better. By concentrating on the negative, they can feel relieved that they are "not under the law". The fact that the positives are far there they ignore- after all, why take on all those silly responsibilities like leaving corners of the field for the poor? Or of leaving gleanings for the poor? Or of leaving your fields alone every seventh year and anyone can come and take their produce- making sure that no one goes hungry?

See- its much easier to just look at the Aseret hadibrot and say 'thats it"- the rest of the law doesn't apply, than actually go to the effort to learn and realise how everything in the Torah is interlinked- everything comes under theAseret Hadibrot, everything relates to only one of two things- mans relationship to man and mans relationship to God. But realising that, studying it enough to know how it all hangs together is hard work- its much easier to just turn away and make excuses to not study it!

Answer 6

I agree with you. The answer to your question is innocent ignorance !!! The normal christian wants to see the bible thru the lens of the NT and fails to fully realize that Jesus was an observant Jew but was at odds with the corrupted priests of His day !!! At one point He calls them whited sepulchers !!!
As a contrast to this what was John the Baptist a Levite priest doing in the wilderness ? It becomes obvious that something is wrong in Denmark [Jerusalem]. The priests were not practicing Torah like they should have !!!
So whats a good Messiah gonna do !!!

Answer 7

They would probably be interested to learn that an "eye for an eye" does NOT mean that if you are blinded, you go and poke the eye out of the man that blinded you. It means that if you are wronged, the amount of the offense against you must be paid. I.E. you must receive justice for the crime against you.

But they've never thought to look.

Answer 8

I will answer your question without responding to your commentary. The question of why people (not only christians) tend to look for punishments rather than blessings so bothered me, that I realized I was one of those that the bible mentioned:

Jer 4:22 For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

I plainly saw that this applied to myself and not just Jews...(unless I'm a Jew at heart)...
so I did a thorough bible study on all the blessings promised by God...
I was surprized at just how much I had missed, while focusing on the fearful punishments instead of the wonderful blessings!
Teshuva ('turning', or repentance) then made perfect sense.

Answer 9

Don't you know according to the Law that the Jew is bound by 613 Laws. While the Gentile only 7. In your question, you have just broken the Law.

Answer 10

Sweetie, I have no idea why some Christians (who are GENTILES) think that the Tanakh applies to them at all.

Maybe they have reading comprehension problems.