Exodus 21:18-22:118And if men strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed: 19If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote him be quit: only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed. 20And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished. 21Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money. 22If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. 23And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, 24Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. 26And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye's sake. 27And if he smite out his manservant's tooth, or his maidservant's tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake. 28If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit. 29But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death. 30If there be laid on him a sum of money, then he shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him. 31Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him. 32If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned. 33And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein; 34The owner of the pit shall make it good, and give money unto the owner of them; and the dead beast shall be his. 35And if one man's ox hurt another's, that he die; then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the money of it; and the dead ox also they shall divide. 36Or if it be known that the ox hath used to push in time past, and his owner hath not kept him in; he shall surely pay ox for ox; and the dead shall be his own. 1If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. (Exodus 21:18‑22:1)
IN THESE next verses 18 to 27, we see God’s tender care for the bodies of His own — and this is especially true in the case of those who were subject and dependent on others — “and if a man smite his servant, or his maid,"... “If men strive, and hurt a woman with child."... “And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye’s sake.”
How much further Christianity goes than the laws given to Israel. The law demanded an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth (v. 24), but grace goes far beyond — we, as Christians, are called on to return good for evil. “I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Matt. 5:3939But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. (Matthew 5:39). The law demanded an equal return, but grace gives up every claim since the Lord has dealt with us in grace, and canceled all the debt of sin we owed.
In verses 28 to 36 we see how a man was responsible for the acts of his cattle. If a mischievous ox gored a man or a woman to death, the ox was to be stoned. If the animal had caused mischief before, and his owner knew it, and had not kept him in, the owner too must pay with his life. How these details tell of the Lord’s care to each one of His own.
In verse 32, we learn that the value of a manservant or a maidservant was set at thirty shekels of silver. And this is what Judas sold the blessed Saviour for, the price the Jews valued Him at — “So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.” Zech. 11:1212And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. (Zechariah 11:12). The blessed Son of God was sold for the price of a mere slave. Such was man’s estimate of Him then and, sad to say, is the value that many put upon Him today. Yet, by nature, our hearts are no better. How thankful if now, through grace, we have had our eyes opened to see in Him “the altogether lovely One,” “the Chiefest among ten thousand.” How we delight to think of God’s estimate of His beloved Son: “when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand,... far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.” Eph. 1:20,2120Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: (Ephesians 1:20‑21).
For, “God hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of. God the Father,” Phil. 2: 9-11.
Then, in chapter 22: 1, we have another beautiful instance of grace. If an ox were stoned and killed, the guilty one must restore five oxen, wad-four sheep for a sheep. We see in this how God guards the property of His people, and how He regarded the sin of robbing a fellowman.
But what of man’s sin in robbing God? How great our guilt! So great that it is impossible for one to make restitution.
Yet it is precious to hear the Lord say in Psalm 69:44They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away. (Psalm 69:4), “then I restored that which I took not away.” He has answered for all our transgressions, so that there is not a single sin can be laid to our charge; His death has satisfied all God’s righteous claims against us. He has restored it all Furthermore, He has added the fifth part, for God has been glorified by the obedience unto death of His dear Son, far more so than if sin had never come into this world. Surely we ought to bless and thank Him for all that He has done for us. Eternity will be too short to utter all His praise.
ML-02/15/1970