Difference between revisions of "Revenge"

<p> Whether in Old or New Testaments, the Bible teaches that people are not to take personal revenge for what they consider to be wrong done to them. They should forgive the offender and allow God to deal with the person as he sees fit (&nbsp;Leviticus 19:18; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 32:35; &nbsp;Romans 12:19; &nbsp;Revelation 5:9-11; see [[Wrath]] ). In the law of Moses, as in the teachings of Jesus, God’s people are taught not even to bear a grudge against their enemies. Far from returning evil for evil, they must positively do good to those who do evil to them (&nbsp;Exodus 23:4-5; &nbsp;Leviticus 19:17-18; &nbsp;Matthew 5:44-48; &nbsp;Matthew 18:35; see [[Forgiveness]] ). </p> <p> Although individuals have no God-given right to pay back wrongdoers, civil governments have. They are to execute judgments fairly, and not give a light punishment for a serious offence or a heavy punishment for a minor offence. The punishment must be in proportion to the crime – ‘an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a bruise for a bruise, a scratch for a scratch’ (&nbsp;Exodus 21:22-24; &nbsp;Romans 13:4; see [[Government; City Of Refuge; Judge]] ) </p> <p> When Jesus rebuked people for living according to this rule, he was not criticizing the law of Moses. Jesus supported the law of Moses (&nbsp;Matthew 5:17), but he opposed people who used the principle of civil justice (‘an eye for an eye’, etc.) as an excuse for personal revenge. The spirit that rules in the hearts of God’s people is not the same as that which rules in the code of legal justice (&nbsp;Matthew 5:38-42). </p>

<p> [[Means]] the return of injury for injury, or the infliction of pain on another in consequence of an injury received from him, farther than the just ends of reparation or punishment require. Revenge differs materially from resentment, which rises in the mind immediately on being injured; but revenge is a cool and deliberate wickedness, and is often executed years after the offence is given. By some it is considered as a perversion of anger. Anger, it is said, is a passion given to man for wise and proper purposes, but revenge is the corruption of anger; is unnatural, and therefore ought to be suppressed. It is observable that the proper object of anger is vice; but the object in general of revenge is man. It transfers the hatred due to the vice to the man, to whom it is not due. It is forbidden by the Scriptures, and is unbecoming the character and spirit of a peaceful follower of Jesus Christ. </p> <p> See [[Anger]] </p>

<p> ( '''''נְקָמָה''''' , '''''Ἐκδίκησις''''' ) means the return of injury for injury, or the infliction of pain on another in consequence of an injury received from him further than the just ends of reparation or punishment require. Revenge differs materially from resentment, which rises in the mind immediately on being injured; but revenge is a cool and deliberate wickedness, and is often executed years after the offence is given. By some it is considered as a perversion of anger. Anger, it is said, is a passion given to man for wise and proper purposes, but revenge is the corruption of anger, is unnatural, and therefore ought to be suppressed. It is observable that the proper object of anger is vice; but the object, in general, of revenge, is man. It transfers the hatred due to the vice to the man, to whom it is not due. It is forbidden by the Scriptures, and is unbecoming the character and spirit of a peaceful follower of Jesus Christ. (See Anger). </p>