Matthew 5:18

[MclaireL]

Matthew 5:18 says:
“Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place.”

Exodus 21:23-25 states:
“But if injury ensues, you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”

Yet Matthew 5:38-39 says:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, offer no resistance to one whoe is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well.”

Can someone explain this please?

 

[minkymurph]

Matthew 5:18 says:
“Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place.”

Not all translations read as such. The New Jerusalem states 'not one dot or little stroke is to disappear until it’s purpose has been achieved. Christ fulfilled the Law by his dying and rising. This does not mean that people could now ignore the Law and do things that were against the Law. It meant people were raised to a new way of living the Law which you refer to below.

Exodus 21:23-25 states:
“But if injury ensues, you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”

Some people take this very literally. Now, if you threw something at someone in a temper and chipped their tooth, does this law mean you are entitled to rush over to the offender and blatter his teeth? If you dropped something hot on someone’s foot, does this law suggest you should jump up and burn them back? If you read this chapter of Exodus you will see it is about compensation and being just, rather than vengeful retribution as some would interpret it.

Yet Matthew 5:38-39 says:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, offer no resistance to one whoe is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well.”

Can someone explain this please?

Jesus gave us a different interpretation of the Law. What he often spoke against was strict, harsh adherence to the Law in the absence of mercy. It was possible to be forgiven under the Law and those who had been wronged could choose to forgo the justice they were entitled to

Hope this helps..

 

[TimothyH]

Personally, I have somethin better than “An eye for an eye”. I have something better than the law.

I have forgiveness from my sins through Jesus Christ and the gift of sanctifying grace which comes with it. Christ thereforgives me the courage, strength and humility to forgive and walk away rather than demanind the tooth of a man who knocked out one of mine. Can I put his tooth in my mouth? Can I put his eye in my head and use it to see?

And what about “A life for a life”? What if my life should be taken? What then?

Well, I’m gonna die some day anyway. I just pray (and I do really pray this every day) that my kids are old enough to be self sufficient before God calls me to stand before him in judgement. And it’s really not a human taking my life - God himself is the one who gives life and takes it away. I just get to the finish line before everyone else And besides, the one who takes my life will stand before the same God as I in judgement for my blood.

…you are not under the law but under grace. (Romans 6:14)

I’ll take grace - sanctifying grace, the kind of grace that makes one holy - over the law any day.

-Tim-

 

[ChangeInTime]

This is the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament was based around the translation of God being merciless towards sinners. The New Testament is shares the truth that God is kind and compassionate to all. It is the new Testament that we should base our beliefs on, to love our enemies as ourselves.

 

[fhansen]

Matthew 5:18 says:
“Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place.”

Exodus 21:23-25 states:
“But if injury ensues, you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”

Yet Matthew 5:38-39 says:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, offer no resistance to one whoe is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well.”

Can someone explain this please?

The New Covenant means of fulfilling the law is based on love-which is why the greatest commandments are what they are. This love is molded into us by God the Potter-His grace doing a work in us. Retaliating makes us equal to the one offending us-and opposes and destroys love in us. Love knows that the world knows not what it’s doing-due to its’ own lack of love and preference for its own good over and above the good of others.

 

[TimothyH]

This is the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament was based around the translation of God being merciless towards sinners. The New Testament is shares the truth that God is kind and compassionate to all. It is the new Testament that we should base our beliefs on, to love our enemies as ourselves.

I believe that the idea that the Old Testament portrays God as merciless, vengful and full of wrath is a false notion. When I read the Old Testament, I see a God full of mercy an patience.

Every time Israel got in trouble it was their own fault. God simply says, “OK, have it your way” and steps aside. God preserved them time and time again in spite of their worshipping other gods like the Baals and Asheroth, burning their sons to the god Molech, devising their own battle plans instead of carrying out God’s specific battle plans, demanding a king instead of trusting God as their king.

Therefore all the elders of Israel came in a body to Samuel at Ramah and said to him, “Now that you are old, and your sons do not follow your example, appoint a king over us, as other nations have, to judge us.” Samuel was displeased when they asked for a king to judge them. He prayed to the LORD, however, who said in answer: "Grant the people’s every request. It is not you they reject, they are rejecting me as their king. As they have treated me constantly from the day I brought them up from Egypt to this day, deserting me and worshiping strange gods, so do they treat you too. (1 Samuel 8:4-8)

Read the rest of 2 Samuel 16 here. God warns them what it is going to be like, tellig them that they will become the king’s slaves and they literally say in reply, “No, we must have a king!”

Israel gave away the holy vessels of the Temple in order to appease the nations who surrounded them. They brought out the Ark of the Covenant to fight against the Philistines as if God was a tool they could use to carry out their will. Saul kept Agag alive in spite of being told to utterly destroy all of the enemy and then when confronted about keeping some of the sheep, he stammers, “Yea, but I kept them to sacrifice to God!” like a kid caught with his hands in the cookie jar.

"I set before you here, this day, a blessing and a curse: a blessing for obeying the commandments of the LORD, your God, which I enjoin on you today; a curse if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD, your God, but turn aside from the way I ordain for you today, to follow other gods, whom you have not known. (Deuteronomy 11:26:28)
This is the covenant Israel made with God. They agreed to it and swore an oath! Then the book of Judges says “Every man did what was right in his own eyes” at least ten times. Israel breaks the covenant every time. It’s their own fault every time yet God rescues them every time to the point of sacrificing himself on the Cross.

It is really amazing how patient and merciful God is with them. And with us.

-Tim-

 

[minkymurph]

I believe that the idea that the Old Testament portrays God as merciless, vengful and full of wrath is a false notion. When I read the Old Testament, I see a God full of mercy an patience.
It is really amazing how patient and merciful God is with them. And with us.

-Tim-

This is a good point. I would say the Israelites image of God was influenced by nations around them; such as Babylon and Egypt, who saw gods as vengeful and full of wrath. My understanding, (personal opinion of course) is the Old Testament shows us we did not really know God until Christ came. It was Christ who showed us who the Father by the Incarnation which revealed God as person as well as Word. Yes, the Israelites believed in the one true God and had the Law. However, I would say there are sections of the OT that portray God as vengeful and wrathful to show Israelites did not fully understand God’s Revelation until the Incarnation.

We have to remember the Bible is a collection of books. If you look at the Bible as a whole, it seems to be incomplete. The book of Acts seems to leave us high and dry in relation to the history of Church and the OT jumps from the Maccabees to the first century with no obvious transition. It needs to be read as such and in addition, Catholics believe the truths of the Bible are nuanced. (hidden) That’s the whole challenge of reading it!

 

[fred_conty]

Matthew 5:18 says:
“Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place.”

Exodus 21:23-25 states:
“But if injury ensues, you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”

Yet Matthew 5:38-39 says:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, offer no resistance to one whoe is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well.”

Can someone explain this please?

Yes. It means that if taken litteraly, everyone will be either blind, toothless, or both.

“Hatred provokes disputes, love covers all offenses.” Proverbs 10:12

“The fool shows his displeasure straight away, the discreet man overlooks the insult.”
Proverbs 12:16

“A mild answer turns away wrath, sharp words stir up anger.” Proverbs 15:1