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[Newbie]

Why does God command such harsh laws in the Old Testament, and then Jesus is completely against it?

I don't understand how Jesus could preach about loving one another and turning the other cheek after God commands an "eye for an eye" in Exodus.

If Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and he and God are one and the same, why do they command completely different things?

Why doesn't God just tell his people from the beginning to love one another and forgive, instead of demanding vengeance?

[jimwalton]

Great question. For starters, you misunderstand the "eye for eye" part. The world had turned into a place where "If you steal my shoes, I kill you." "If you touch my woman, I kill you." If you take one of my sheep, I burn your house down." The "eye for eye" is to say, "No, the punishment should fit the crime. If you steal my shoes, you owe me a pair of shoes. If you touch my woman, there's a fine for that and maybe some jail time." It was a law to say justice has to be both fair and proportionate ("no MORE than an eye for an eye").

Now, that's all well and good, but even that got blown out of proportion. People started using that law, instead of to be fair, to get vengeance. "Hey, you poked out my eye, I'm going to poke out your eyes!" The rule of court justice had turned into a rule of private vengeance. Instead of it being a rule to guide the courts, it was turning into a license for revenge. "Eye for an eye, Buddy!!!" People were using it as an excuse for retaliation.

Now, while it was still a legitimate principle for courtroom justice, Jesus is talking about individual people. The government of the community isn't in question, but the behavior of people. What Jesus is teaching is that we should be peace-loving people who advocate justice but not revenge. We are to give up the "I'll get you for what you did to me!" in exchange for grace, mercy, and love. The examples he gives are not commands, but parables to illustrate the teaching. There still needs to be justice in the community, and crime must still be dealt with fitting consequences, but the kingdom of God is to be characterized by more than just vendetta. Nor is it just about allowing the innocent to be walked on and abused by powerful oppressors. But as individuals, we are to be people of peace and be willing to take one on the chin for the right cause.

People who don't understand mock the "Eye for eye" law, scoffing that it's a quick path to a blind and toothless world. Instead, it's a principle of fairness and justice in society, while people should live by the principle of grace.