Jesus says (Matthew 5:38-48) in the Sermon on the Mount:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.”
I often get comments that, unlike Jesus, the God of the Old Testament is a “monster”, who promotes:
1. That we should retaliate against those who harm us in accordance with “an eye for an eye, etc” (The Lex Talionis),
2. The genocide of complete tribes of people in order to secure the Promised Land for Israel.
Here is my response:
Dear Tom,
1. Jesus anticipates your response to the Sermon on the Mount, so as an introduction to His teaching he affirms that NOTHING that He is about to say contradicts the Old Testament:
“17 “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail [jot and tittle] of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. 19 So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 5:17-19)
2. The God of the Old Testament is also Jesus Jesus Christ, who affirmed that He agreed wth the Old Testament up to every “jot and tittle” (punctuation mark). If you hate the Old Testament you will also have to hate the teaching of Jesus who said love your enemies and turn the other cheek. Just be patient, I think you will understand after I try to explain this common misunderstanding.
3. The Old Testament (unlike Islam) NEVER taught “private vengeance” or “private retaliation”, but that ONLY duly constituted authorities should execute punishment and apply justice to wrongdoers. The “Lex Talionis” (an eye for an eye, etc.) was never taught in the Old Testament to give rights to private individuals but on the contrary was prescribed by the Bible as a standard of justice for the State or duly constituted authorities to be fair in executing proper proportionate justice! – as Gilbert and Sullivan wrote in “the Mikado” “The punishment must fit the crime” : https://youtu.be/uyMPpBtWHnY (I am a big fan of Gilbert and Sullivan please listen to this excellent song at the above YouTube link.)
4. The Old Testament teaching on private vengeance was the same as that of Jesus. Here is just one example of the same teaching as Jesus in the Old Testament: “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.” (Proverbs 25:21).
5. This important teaching of the Old Testament was being ignored by the religious leaders of Jesus’s day, so he is setting them right. As private individuals we should forgive those who sin against us, we should even turn the other cheek (except in cases of self-defense) and leave it to the state or duly constituted authorities to do their job. Lynching was never permitted by the Bible, but the state had a duty to execute justice against wrongdoers and protect its people against enemies domestic and foreign. (Self defense was an exception always allowed to private individuals as a valid defense for attacking or even killing someone to protect their life).
6. The sword was ONLY given to the State to execute justice, except in cases of self-defense! This is affirmed by St Paul in Romans 13:1-5: “Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. 2 So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. 3 For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. 4 The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. 5 So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.”
7. Thomas Aquinas – Nine hundred years after Augustine applied these principles to the doctrine of a just war, Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) laid out the conditions under which a war could be justified:
* First, just war must be waged by a properly instituted authority such as the state. (Proper Authority is first: represents the common good: which is peace for the sake of man’s true end —God.)
* Second, war must occur for a good and just purpose rather than for self-gain.
* Third, peace must be a central motive even in the midst of violence.
TOM: “O.K., BUT WHAT ABOUT THE GENOCIDE ORDERED BY GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT? ALSO, WHAT ABOOUT THE CRUSADES AND THE INQUISITIONS?”
Dear Tom,
I already wrote a blog post a few days ago regarding Jihad, which deals with the Crusades, and the Inquisitions. Have a look.
https://daveseivright.com/2017/08/05/killing-intolerance-and-oppression/
With regard to Genocide let me point out:
1. Nowhere in the OT or NT is conversion to Judaism or Christianity allowed by the sword.
2. No “private vengeance” was allowed in the O.T or the N.T. (see above).
3. Even in Old Testament times, killings of enemy nations could not be done by the time of the Theocracy, this authority could only be done by God Himself. Later it could only be done under the authority of the Judges, or the King in conjunction with the advice of a prophet who God had authenticated. It had to be a “just war” as explained above.
4. The Jews were never allowed to simply decide to wipe out a nation. Such a decision could only be made by God Himself in the limited time of the “Theocracy”, before Israel was ruled by Judges and Kings. God would speak directly to Joshua about such things. In fact although God had promised certain lands to the Jews, Joshua was told by God that he could not invade the Amorites because the sin of those tribes the Amorites had not yet reached the level to warrant God’s judgement. The promise could only be fulfilled when it coincided with perfect justice (cf. Lv. 18:24–27; Dt. 9:4–5). These Canaanite tribes practiced child sacrifice as well as temple prostitution of both males and females, only to name a few of their abominations which have now been also confirmed by archaeology.
5. In the Bible and throughout history, this principle still continues to curb evil. God has raised up nations to bring judgement even upon His own people Israel whenever their sin reached a certain level. This also applies to other nations. We saw this even with the destruction of the Nazis, and now we see it happening with ISIS.
6. For an excellent article entitled: “DID GOD APPROVE GENOCIDE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT?” see:
