I’m confused, perplexed, mortified, flabbergasted. And whatever other words you can find that are not routinely used in the trailer park. Why? Well, as I type this, apparently Mr. Saddam Hussein is going to be hanged for his crimes against humanity and beyond. I see headlines in the media that are almost gleeful and I suppose that there are a certain amount of citizens glad that he will soon die.
But I must ask myself, is it right to be happy when a human beings life is exterminated? No matter the human being in your eyes, is he not still a human being? To see a picture of cute Katie Couric below a picture of Mr. Hussein with a glaring headline “Time Running Out for Saddam” and not puke?
I’ll leave it for another day to discuss the death penalty, Thou Shalt Not Kill and other issues. For today, I just wonder, why rejoice in the death of a human? Is he not now in custody? Is he not now incapacitated? Is he not now incapable of the things that he formerly did?
Perhaps this was simply an “eye for an eye?” Sad nonetheless…Couric is responsible for her gleefulness..that’s for sure!
What was Christ’s response to an “eye for an eye”?
You have heard that it was said, “AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.†“But I say to you, do not resist him who is evil but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also . . .†(NASB) Matthew 5:38-39
Eye for an Eye. Jesus starts by quoting from one of three Old Testament passages,
And the judges shall investigate thoroughly . . . Thus you shall purge the evil from among you. And the rest will hear and be afraid . . . Thus you shall not show pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. (NASB) Deut. 19:18-21
The other passages are found in Exodus 21:24 and Leviticus 24:20. All three passages deal with legal cases. God set up a judicial system with judges and principles of law or guidelines to be used in deciding various situations. Exodus 21:24 is about miscarriages,
And if men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so that she has a miscarriage, yet there is no further injury . . . he shall pay as the judges decide. But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. (NASB) Ex. 21:24
Well, you got me. I’m not sure what you mean by quoting Jesus saying to do the opposite of the three OT verses you cite.