

Jesus’ purpose in saying, hyperbolically, that sinners should pluck out their eyes or cut off their hands is to magnify in His hearers’ minds the heinous nature of sin. Hyperbole, like other figures of speech, is not meant to be taken literally. Examples of hyperbole in modern speech would include statements like “This bag of groceries weighs a ton,” “I’ve been waiting forever,” and “Everyone knows that.” The apostle Paul uses hyperbolic language in Galatians 4:15. Hyperbole is an obvious exaggeration or an intentional overstatement. When Jesus advises us to pluck out a sinful eye or cut off an unruly hand, He is employing a figure of speech known as hyperbole. But it is the radical nature of His statement that makes it so memorable. Jesus had just warned His audience against using their eyes for lustful purposes (Matthew 5:28), so His prescribed remedy for lust-to pluck out an eye-makes sense, in a radical sort of way. Rather, Jesus means that we should be prepared to make exceptional sacrifices if we want to follow Him (see Matthew 16:24). We need not mutilate our bodies as a punishment for our sin. Does Jesus actually mean to say that we should pluck out our eyes or sever a hand if we are prone to sin? It may be of comfort to know that Jesus’ instructions in these particular verses are not meant to be taken literally. The graphic word pictures of Matthew 5 and 18 still grab attention today, and they raise the question of how literally we should take Jesus’ commands in these passages. Jesus repeats the admonition in Matthew 18:8–9, except there He adds the need to dispense with a foot as well as a hand and an eye. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell” (Matthew 5:29–30). And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. We should not seek vengeance or seek to repay someone in the same way or magnitude they harmed us (Romans 12:21).In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says something that must certainly have seized His hearers’ attention: “If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. Governments, if they want to administer fair and just punishment, should also follow God's laws. God will repay those who do wrong using the same principle of fairness expressed in his law (Matthew 7:2, Luke 6:38, Colossians 3:25, etc.). The ultimate Biblical meaning of 'eye for eye' is clear. If possible, as much as is your part, be at peace with all men.īeloved, do not avenge yourselves rather, leave this to God’s wrath for it is written, "'Vengeance is Mine! I will recompense,' says the Lord." (Romans 12:17 - 19). He also repeated Christ's words that we should not avenge ourselves.ĭo not render to anyone evil for evil, but be prepared to do what is right in the sight of all men.

Paul states, in his letter to the Christians in Rome, that authorities have the right and responsibility to retaliate against evil (Romans 13:1, 3 - 4). Was he teaching that the government of a nation had no right to punish evil? The Apostle Paul did not think so. Some people wonder about Jesus' meaning, in his well-known Sermon on the Mount, he stated, "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But now I tell you: do not take revenge on someone who wrongs you.


God's law delineates principles of fairness and a limitation of punishment that should be used by nations to govern their people. It is the responsibility of the governing authorities, not individual citizens, to carry out penalties for criminal offenses. The Bible prohibits people from taking an "eye" as personal vengeance upon another human (Psalm 94:1, Romans 12:19). Can you imagine the chaos in society that would occur if we allowed people to carry out such penalties based on their own will? Verse 16 of Exodus 21 states that whoever kidnaps a person should also be killed. These and other verses delineate a principle on how the nation of Israel (or any government) should administer justice for its people as a whole.įor example, also in Exodus 21, it states, "Whoever hits his father or his mother is to be put to death" (Exodus 21:15). In context, the meaning of the above verse is that justice should not be meted out by individuals based solely on their own authority. If she not only loses her unborn child, but is also injured, then the "eye for eye" principal of justice is stated.Īnd if any injury occurs, then you shall give life for life, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth. If a pregnant woman accidently lost her unborn baby due to men fighting, but she herself was unharmed, the men would be liable to pay her an amount determined by the husband and the nation's judges.
