Posted by Yew Weng (202.166.126.226) on February 06, 2003 at 20:01:32:
“But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.” – NIV, Exodus 21:23-25
“If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic.” – NIV, Luke 6:29
Dear Elder Yong
Reading the Old testament as compared to reading the New, is always difficult for new Christians. It often presents God as judgmental, excessively harsh and aggressive. That perspective vastly differs from what they received from the evangelist’s or their Christian friends’ presentation of God - a God that is forgiving, merciful and loving. I suppose preaching the message of salvation instead of judgement will make it more palatable to most people even though both messages are naturally intertwined and an implication of the other. The natural outcome of this selective preaching is that most new Christians find the books of the Old testament hard to shallow and shun them in general. Focusing on half the bible is not fatal but it certainly prevents us from receiving the full revelation from God through his entire Word (maybe this accounts for our infancy). As we know, God is one and the same whether in the New or Old. How do we help Christians and non Christians alike reconcile their perception of God in the Old and the New?
Case in point – the two verses I quoted are direct contradiction of each other when read out of context. My personal reconciliation of these two verses is that “turning the other cheek” is what God wants us to aspire to (to be more Christ-like, to be perfect in Christ). But the verse “to take life for life” is a practical instruction given as a law to the Israelis to deal with day to day issues when they are wandering in the desert. Moses was probably having a lot of problems controlling the orderliness of the Israelis. The reason for its harsh tone/approach can be found in our daily dealings with people. To the obedient and good, we appeal to their aspiration to be even better. To the lawless and disorderly, we issue stern instructions to discipline them, capitalizing on their fear of punishment.
T.I.A for your insights.