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OLD TESTAMENT
VS. NEW TESTAMENT
How do you reconcile
the differing attitudes regarding the violence in the Old Testament compared to the New
Testament? Compare Ex 21:23 and Leviticus 24:20 to Matt 5:38,39. I know that God doesn't
change His mind so this confuses me. When the Jews were going into the promised land God
instructed them to kill everyone, women and children and show them "no pity"
(Deuteronomy 7:16). I haven't seen any instances of forgiveness or the opportunity for the
people of that area to repent or move out of the area before they were killed. If the Lord
wanted them dead why didn't he kill them? Why did he make the Jews do it? Jesus taught us
to show love and kindness to all in the New Testament-yet God did not promote forgiveness
in the Old Testament. I don't understand why. Is God contradicting himself in regards to
these two differing attitudes? Please reply when you have time. Thanks and God bless!
Earl Brown
Earl Brown,
Garland Robinson has forwarded to me your question regarding the issue of God's commands
toward violence in the Old Testament and God's prohibitions against violence in the New
Testament. I will do my best to answer it.
The contrast between Exodus 21:23; Leviticus 24:20 and the passage in Matthew 5:38-39 is
easily understood if we understand that two very different issues are being addressed. The
Old Testament law was given to a nation of people. It represented not only their spiritual
law, but also their civil law. For a government to operate it must be able to punish
evildoers. Without punishment to act as a deterrent, there would be chaos. Even under the
New Testament governments are charged with being a terror to evil works (Romans 13:3-4; 1
Peter 2:13-14). The statements of Jesus are not meant to do away with the government's
right and duty to punish evildoers to maintain civil order.
But Jesus wanted it to be plain that his new kingdom was not a civil government. He states
this plainly in John 18:36. The church was never meant to be the institution responsible
for maintaining civil order. The Catholic church sinned greatly in becoming a political
power and in trying to advance their doctrine with the sword.
As individual Christians we have no right to seek vengeance on those who have harmed us.
Ours is supposed to be a reflection of the attitude of our Father who is good to all,
without respect of persons. This is what Jesus is referring to in the sermon on the mount.
But Jesus was not saying that governments should stop punishing evildoers. Those who use
the sermon on the mount to oppose the death penalty are misapplying the passage, for it is
not addressed to governments or to governmental officials.
As far as the command of God that the Israelites kill the nations in the promised land,
there is much we do not know. We know that they were evil nations (Leviticus 18:1-25). we
know that this is why God allowed and commanded the Israelites to destroy them. But what
we do not know is what God had done to try to get them to repent before. I think it is an
unwarranted assumption to conclude that God did nothing to bring them to repentance.
Remember God does not change (Malachi 3:6). He is presently longsuffering to usward, not
willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). If he
is longsuffering now, he was always longsuffering. Just because we do not know how God
dealt with those nations doesn't mean he never dealt with them.
The question that you ask as to why God used the nation of Israel to destroy the
Canaanites is difficult to answer with any degree of certainty. God often used other
nations to punish an offending nation. The prophet Habakkuk had difficulty understanding
how God could use an evil nation to punish his own people who had been evil (Hab. 1:1-13).
God does not view violence and killing as always being an evil thing. In fact, if God can
punish people without sin, then he can ask his people to do so, also without sin. Perhaps
God knew the promised land would mean more if Israel fought for it. Perhaps God wanted the
vision of violence to motivate the Israelites not to follow the same sins as those of the
land of Canaan.
And remember, there was at least one example of the opportunity for forgiveness even
during the conquest of Canaan. In Jericho there lived an evil woman, a harlot. She had
heard what God had done bringing the Israelites out of Egypt. She grew to believe in the
power of this God. She knew their city was doomed, and she aligned herself with the people
of God (Joshua 2). Not only was she saved, she was recorded in faith's hall of fame as one
who perished not, because of her faith (Hebrews 11:31). Not only so, but Rahab, the sinful
harlot, by her faith became part of the lineage of Christ, and her faith helped to bring
Jesus our Savior into the world (Matthew 1:5 -- Rachab).
I hope this is helpful. If you desire more information, or if I have misunderstood your
question, please let me know. |
