What is the meaning of An eye for an eye?

See synonyms for an eye for an eye on Thesaurus.com. The principle of justice that requires punishment equal in kind to the offense (not greater than the offense, as was frequently given in ancient times). Thus, if someone puts out another’s eye, one of the offender’s eyes should be put out.

Who said An eye for an eye in the Bible?

Jesus
But in Matthew (5:38-42) in the New Testament, Jesus repudiates even that notion. “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Where did An eye for an eye come from?

“An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” This phrase, along with the idea of written laws, goes back to ancient Mesopotamian culture that prospered long before the Bible was written or the civilizations of the Greeks or Romans flowered.

What is the law of retribution in the Bible?

Retribution is based on the concept of lex talionis—that is, the law of retaliation. At its core is the principle of equal and direct retribution, as expressed in Exodus 21:24 as “an eye for an eye.” Destroying the eye of a person of equal social standing meant that one’s own eye would be put out.

Does eye for an eye work?

“An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,” etc., means proportional monetary compensation. It means you can’t claim more than the injury is worth. It also means that everyone is entitled to equal justice.

What Bible says about eye?

The World English Bible translates the passage as: “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is sound, your. whole body will be full of light.

What does an eye for an eye mean in the Old Testament?

“An eye for an eye” (Biblical Hebrew: עַיִן תַּחַת עַיִן‎, Ain takhat ain) is a commandment found in Exodus 21:23–27 expressing the principle of reciprocal justice measure for measure. The intent behind the principle was to restrict compensation to the value of the loss.

What does the Bible say about an eye for an eye?

The Bible’s answer. The rule of “an eye for an eye” was part of God’s Law given by Moses to ancient Israel and was quoted by Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount. The rule applied to deliberate injurious acts against another person.

What does ‘an eye for an eye’ mean?

Answer: Many people think the phrase “an eye for an eye” means we can punish, or even take revenge upon, someone in the exact same manner they used to harm us. What would happen if we operated our lives, and even our criminal justice system, based upon a literal interpretation of this phrase found in the Old Testament?

What does “an eye for an eye and a tooth for tooth” mean?

The biblical phrase “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” is not a license for us to take revenge on someone who has wronged us. In the Old Testament, it was God’s way of making sure justice was served in the manner that He wanted it served.

Does ‘an eye for an eye’ justify revenge?

Does it justify personal vengeance? Answer: Many people think the phrase “an eye for an eye” means we can punish, or even take revenge upon, someone in the exact same manner they used to harm us.