- Shemot / Exodus 21:1-24:18
- Melachim Aleph / 1 Kings 12:1-7
- Mattityahu / Matthew 5:38-42
Reading Parasha Mishpatim it is like reading a page out of a law book. Certainly it would be possible to set up courts with judges using just what is contained in this week’s reading. In fact, that is exactly what G-d wanted of His people. He wanted to make a model people within a model nation that would be a witness to all the other nations of the world about the One True G-d.
Devarim / Deuteronomy {4:7} For what great nation is there, that has a G-D so near to them, as HaShem our G-D is whenever we call on Him? {4:8} What great nation is there, that has chuchim (statutes) and mishpatim (ordinances) so tzaddik (righteous) as all this law, which I set before you this day?
There is a law, however, written within Parasha Mishpatim that has caused a lot of controversy over the years because of what appears to be a contradictory commandment given by Yeshua in the Brit Chadasha (Renewed Covenant). The passage I am speaking of from this Parasha is:
Shemot {21:23} But if any harm follows, then you must take life for life, {21:24} eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, {21:25} burning for burning, wound for wound, and bruise for bruise.
This commandment is repeated two additional times in the Torah (VaYikra [Leviticus] 24:20; Devarim [Deuteronomy] 19:21). This fact alone should give us an indication of its importance in HaShem’s eyes. However, many Bible scholars have difficulty reconciling this commandment in the light of what Yeshua says:
Mattityahu (Matthew) {5:38} You have heard that it has been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: {5:39} But I say unto you, That you resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite you on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
I think that in order to fully understand whether or not Yeshua is contradicting or changing what was written in Torah we need to understand the context of each of these passages.
Torah is a combination of teachings and mitzvot (commandments) given to us by HaShem. Some of the teaching is given in story form, like Jonah and the great fish and Yoseph (Joseph) experiences with his brothers. These stories and others like it, of course, are meant to teach us great Biblical principles. Another form of teaching in Torah is more direct, similar to what we are encountering here in Parasha Mishpatim. However, both teachings and mitzvot are given to us for the same purposes. They are given to convict the sinner by reflecting his sinfulness, his inability to live up to what Torah teaches (in this way Torah acts as a schoolmaster), thus pointing the sinner to his saviour. Then, once the person is saved, Torah changes its affect and now teaches the saved person how to live his life as a believer, which is immersion in and putting on Mashiach. This is what Shaul (Paul) is telling us in Galitim (Galatians) :
Galitim {3:24} Wherefore Torah was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Mashiach (Messiah), that we might be justified by faith. {3:25} But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. {3:26} For you are all the children of G-d by faith in Yeshua HaMashiach (the Messiah). {3:27} For as many of you as have been immersed into Mashiach have put on Mashiach.
So the context of the passage in our Torah portion, Shemot 21:23, is a mitzvah (commandment) ; therefore, it is strictly judicial, in other words commit the crime pay the penalty. In that respect, just as it is with murder (the penalty being death), if you poke out someone’s eye then your eye is poked out, the punishment, of course, being met out only after a through investigation and due process.
Devarim {19:15} One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sins: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.
Yes, I take the crime and punishment as given by G-d literally. There is a kinder more liberal interpretation of this passage, however. It says that what HaShem means by an eye for and eye and a tooth for a tooth is that the punishment for a crime should suit the crime. That is someone should not be put to death for putting out someone’s eye and if someone cut off a persons hand the punishment should be just. Today our courts and insurance companies have put a monetary value on body parts. Therefore, if you are found guilty of putting out someone’s eye the penalty is “X$” where as if you cut off someone’s hand you must pay “Y$.”
So how do we reconcile what Yeshua is telling us in Mattityahu 5:38 above? Well, if we believe that Yeshua is G-d incarnate (come to earth in the flesh) and that He is the Living Torah ( “In the beginning was the Word and the Word became flesh” ) and we believe that G-d is the same yesterday, today and forever, then we must need to believe that G-d does not contradict Himself!
Therefore, if we look at the context and the words Yeshua is using in His teaching we can easily see that the, “You have heard,” is referring to the way man was applying this Torah principle in Yeshua’s day as opposed to what He wrote in Torah. However, we also need to take into consideration what Yeshua continued to say in this teaching:
Mattityahu {5:39} But I say unto you, That you resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. {5:40} And if any man will sue you in court, and take away you coat, let him have your cloke also. {5:41} And whosoever shall compel you to go a mile, go with him two.
Therefore, with proper understanding of who Yeshua is and taking in its proper context what He is saying, we can see that He is in fact not contradicting Shemot 21:23. Rather Yeshua is teaching on a totally different subject. This subject is not judicial, as with Shemot 21:23, but rather He is teaching on the subject of revenge. We are never, Yeshua is telling us, to take revenge.
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