Here is this quote from The New American Bible: “But if injury ensues, you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”
The editors of this Bible had a footnote on Page 79 “(21, 23ff: This section is known as the lex talionis, the law of tit for tat. The purpose of this law was not merely the enforcement of rigorous justice, but also the prevention of greater penalties than would be just. Christ refers to this passage when he exhorts Christians to cede their lawful rights for the sake of charity. Cf Mt 5 38ff.”
This tit for tat law was just, that the evildoer paid a penalty to society about equal to the harm he inflicted upon his victim. It also made revenge legal and to be imposed through the court system, not by relatives executing street justice upon the malefactor. Also, it was to prevent the imposition upon the criminal of greater penalties that would be just.
Again, it is not perfect, but it provided for justice and legal recourse. It may seem brutal and harsh, but it was a revolutionary advancement legally at the time.
Here is that quote from the Holy Bible (KJV): “And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”
No comments:
Post a Comment