Every now and then I run into a believer — a Jesus-follower — who is stuck in Judaic, Old testament, thinking.
I say they are “stuck” because whilst the Old Testament lays a foundation for us, the New Testament completes the narrative. Listen to what Jesus has to say on the subject:
“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.” Matthew 5:17 NLT
Those of you familiar with the King James translation (and many others) will remember that they translate “accomplish” as “fulfill”. We can think of this as Jesus providing the “ending” or “explanation” to a story that was left incomplete and possibly confusing or frustrating.
Imagine only ever reading half-way through an exciting story, or only watching half-way through a movie or television series without getting the plot twist at the end and the surpise ending!
Even worse would be basing your belief system on something you read without getting all the facts!
Let me illustrate with an example. Society’s concept of Justice has been refined and redefined many times over milennia.
1. Pre-Hammurabi Codes
The earliest known laws on the subject of Justice predate the Mosaic law and were encoded in the code of Hammurabi — a Babylonian king. Before Hammurabi, justice was based on clan or tribal customs. It was primarily retributive and collective, with an emphasis on vengeance and honor. Punishment was harsh and often disproportionate. In tribal cultures, wrongs committed by one person could lead to collective punishment of their family or group, sometimes escalating into blood feuds. Justice in those times was communal and lacked codification, relying on oral traditions or local norms.
2. Hammurabi’s Code (around 1754 B.C.)
The Code of Hammurabi formalized justice into a written legal system, introducing proportionality as a key principle. It aimed to prevent excessive retaliation and create a standard for resolving disputes. Specific laws, like “If a man puts out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out” (lex talionis), show a direct and proportional form of justice.
Punishments were varied based on social status, with different penalties for nobles, commoners, and slaves.
3. Mosaic Law (around 1300 B.C.)
Found in the Bible’s Old Testament, Mosaic Law advanced justice by incorporating ethical and religious principles. It retained proportional justice (e.g., “an eye for an eye”) but embedded it in a broader framework of covenantal relationship with God.
The Mosaic laws balanced justice with compassion, such as providing for the poor and protecting the vulnerable (e.g., widows, orphans, and foreigners). The aim of these laws was to ensure justice under God’s authority and promote moral behavior and social harmony.
Retribution was limited to judicial processes rather than personal vengeance.
4. Jesus’ Fulfillment (1st century A.D.)
Jesus moves beyond retributive justice, and advocates forgiveness, love, and the transformation of relationships. His teachings emphasize internal morality over external rules and promote justice that fosters reconciliation and peace.
He emphatically rejects retaliation and encourages his followers to break the cycle of violence:
“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles” Matthew 5:38-41 NLT
“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. Do to others as you would like them to do to you.” Luke 6:27-31 NLT
And there we have the plot twist, the surprise ending!
It is Jesus’ aim to elevate the concept of justice from proportional punishment to a divine ideal of mercy, forgiveness, and love! Jesus has fulfilled the aim of the law.
Now we can see the complete arc of the story of justice from unstructured vengeance to Hammurabi’s proportional retribution, ensuring fairness; to Mosaic Law introduing ethical dimensions, protecting vulnerable groups and emphasizing societal well-being; to Jesus transcending legalistic approaches, focusing on heart-centered justice, forgiveness, and love.
We don’t need to evolve the concept any further, for in Jesus we have God’s personal opinion on the subject!
In our personal lives, let’s go for the plot twist and the surprise ending, just as Jesus would!
Let’s not get stuck in Old Testament thinking about justice when Jesus shows us a better way!
We won’t do away with the law, we’ll fulfill it!
“An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind!” — Mhatma Ghandi
"He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God"? Micah 6:8 NRSVA
Blessings on you and yours, Jim Black
P.S. if you’d like to read previous ruminations of mine they can be found at https://www.salvationarmyconcordca.org/chronicle/?category=Bible%20Study