Love or Revenge || Contradicting the Word || Part 7

Exodus 21:22-25		Luke 6:27-31
22	“Now suppose two men are fighting, and in the process they accidentally strike a pregnant woman so she gives birth prematurely. If no further injury results, the man who struck the woman must pay the amount of compensation the woman’s husband demands and the judges approve.	27	“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you.
23	But if there is further injury, the punishment must match the injury: a life for life,	28	Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.
24	An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot,	29	If someone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other cheek too. If someone steals your coat, offer him your shirt also.
25	a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, a bruise for a bruise.	30	Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back.
		31	Do to others as you would like them to do to you.

To Love or To Hurt

The Old Testament describes a punishment system that says you can retaliate equally to a hurt that was caused to you. Jesus, in the New Testament, that we should not retaliate. We need to love those who hate us, bless those who curse us, pray for those that hurt us? Why? Because we need to treat others how we want to be treated. What is the proper way to manage this mindset in our world today? Let’s talk about that.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: How do you tend to react to a hurt? With revenge or with love?

Law of Retaliation

The law in Exodus was aimed at keeping order and justice in the community. It sought to protect the vulnerable, such as women and the unborn. The goal was to value life and to carefully consider the actions of each other. The law had a nuanced approach to just that valued the impact of the harm that was caused. Someone to be fined was a common solution – it was a way to deter future wrongs and compensate for the previous wrongs. The courts helped introduce a third party to a situation to ensure that the punishments were fair and that no excessive treatment occurred. Judges and elders would respond to the disputes to make justice was served according to God’s law. If harm occurred, then the idea of responding with the same level of harm would equate to the fairness of a crime. The Hebrew law was called: “lex talionis” or the law of retaliation. It is a principle of justice that makes sure the punishment fits the crime. The goal was to prevent excessive consequences and keep order.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: While this may sound uncomfortable for our society, this was a fair way to ensure justice occurred. How would you think a system like this would work in our society?

The Golden Rule

Jesus’ instruction here is a radical departure from the lex talionis. Jesus calls for active positivity towards our enemies. These acts of kindness land towards our enemies were seen as a space of moral superiority and divine favor. The core of Jesus’ teaching is found in verse 31. Jesus encourages us to take initiative in treating others well, rather than waiting for someone else to act first. It involves self-reflecting and understanding our own needs and desires, so we can know how to treat others. We often hear this called: “The Golden Rule”

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: This also can make us uncomfortable. It can make us feel like we’re allowing others to walk all over us and treat us poorly. How can we learn to be comfortable with treating our enemies with love?

Love or Revenge

The law of retaliation or the Golden Rule. What do you choose? What would you want? The law of retaliation was a tangible form of justice: you cause me pain, then I cause you an equal amount of pain. An eye for an eye. The Golden Rule creates an inward justice: you cause me pain, I forgive you. Forgiving and loving enemies doesn’t mean we stay in areas of abuse, avoiding boundaries, or never seeking proper protection. It can look like telling the truth, staying safe, and allowing healthy consequences while refusing to let the hate win.

It doesn’t create that source of tangibility that we tend to hope for but creates a new mindset. A healthier mindset that allows you progress in the path that God called us to live instead of ruminating on the hurt that was caused. It allows for equal care of God’s creation focused on love instead of revenge. Jesus wants us to take the time to understand what we need and implore that same teaching and mindset to each other.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: Which mindset will you use going forward? The lex talionis or the Golden Rule.

Next series: Why Worship God Alone || I Command You || Part 1