June 11th, 2021—Exodus 21:18–36

Another aspect of the Old Testament that feels out of step with modern sensibilities is the lex talionis, the law of “an eye for an eye.” It seems primitive, but that is only because we are taking it too literalistically. There is no indication that the ancient Israelites made a judicial practice of knocking out teeth, gouging out eyes, or cutting off arms. It was rather a principle of commensurate punishment. Instead of individuals engaging in a spiral of revenge, they could go to a court system to seek a judgment that would restore the value of what they had lost. And it did not matter (or at least, should not have mattered) whether the victim or perpetrator was rich or poor. There was to be no escape from what was justly due, nor any risk of having to repay more than what was fair. Of course, Jesus did eventually tell His followers not to apply the concepts of the talionic law. But that was because He went beyond them to say that those persecuted for His sake ought not to seek retribution at all, and should instead provide even more than what their enemies attempted to take (Matthew 5:38–42). That, after all, was what He did for us.