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Matthew 5:38 Seeing aye to aye
1. Matthew 5:38 Seeing aye to aye
2. Sermon on the Mount: Combined verse model build
3. Matthew 6:9-13 Lord's Prayer verse model
How might the verses from Matthew 5:21 to 6:13 be associated with the
Lord's Prayer in Matthew?
4. Links
5. Matthew 5:38
KJV: Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
Greek: ηκουσατε οτι ερρεθη οφθαλμον αντι οφθαλμου και οδοντα αντι οδοντος
6. Verse patterns
After the introduction and two pairs of seven verses, the verse pattern throughout the rest of the Sermon on the Mount is (usually) the following.
Introduce the idea using a distractor comment. This creates a certain line of thinking that in psychology is called "framing".
Elaborate on the distractor using a somewhat plausible literal idea so that people hear what they want to hear.
Within that plausible literal idea, add double meanings, play on words, code words with meanings, etc., to provide one or more additional meanings.
In Luke, from what people remembered, many of the additional meanings were forgotten or never understood so that the more literal meanings were reported (by Luke). Translators tended to back-patch the words in Luke into the corresponding verses in Matthew. Some appear to have mistranslated Matthew on purpose in order to achieve what they thought was Bible inerrency.
Note: Chapter and verse divisions were decided in the Middle Ages so the pattern used by Jesus may not exactly fit the verse pattern decided later.
7. Verse patterns and models
Sermon on the Mount in Matthew based on
Matthew's recording of what Jesus said.
Distractor verse.
Elaboration, several verses, that have plausible literal relation to the distractor verse, but use double-meanings, play on words, etc.
For various reasons, many of the Greek words were mistranslated.
[non-verbal communication: hand motions, voice inflections, etc.]
Luke, based on what people
remembered, is much more literal and usually loses the double meanings, play on words, etc.
A good computer scientist can create multiple mental models of what is being investigated, coded, etc., and switch between those models at will, without letting one model viewpoint adversely influence another model viewpoint.
Programming: logic, imperative, functional, assembly, etc.
Biblical analysis: literal, figurative, code-word, play on words, etc.
8. Matthew 5:38-42 Seeing eye to eye
9. Matthew 5:38 Seeing aye to aye
Matthew 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: [kjv]
Verse 38 describes a physical idea from Exodus (and other places in the
OT (Old Testament)).
How many of the other verses describe more of a physical idea than an intellectual (non-physical) idea?
How can each of those ideas be used to control those adhering to those ideas?
How does this change if the other verses are intellectual ideas?
Hebrew often uses physical ideas to express abstract concepts. What happens when abstract concepts are changed in translation to physical ideas?
10. The prefix anti in place of against
Matthew 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: [kjv]
ηκουσατε οτι ερρεθη οφθαλμον αντι οφθαλμου και οδοντα αντι οδοντος [gnt]
Which is it?
"eye" "for" an "eye"
"eye" "against" an "eye"
"eye" "in place of" an "eye"
The English word and prefix
"anti", from the Latin, means
"against" or
"opposite".
The ancient Greek word
"ἀντί" ≈ "in place of" and, if context permits,
can mean
"against" or
"opposite". The same holds for the modern Greek word
"αντί" (an-TEE) ≈ "in place of". Thus, the "
anti-Christ" will set himself up
"in place of" Christ, as in "
impersonator" of Christ rather than just "
imitator" of Christ.
11. Antonym
The English word
"antonym", from 1870, means a word that has the
opposite meaning of another word. It was constructed from the
English prefix "
anti" meaning "
opposite" or "
against" from the
Greek prefix
"anti" for
"in place of" and the Greek word for "
word" (or "
noun").
The modern Greek word
"αντωνυμία" (an-to-nee-MEE-a) ≈ "pronoun" comes from the Greek prefix
"anti" and the Greek word for "
noun". The meaning is that of a something used
"in place of" a noun which is a
pronoun.
12. Matthew 5:38 Eye in place of eye
Matthew 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: [kjv]
ηκουσατε οτι ερρεθη οφθαλμον αντι οφθαλμου και οδοντα αντι οδοντος [gnt]
Figurative meaning: literal "eye" "in place of" "eye".
Code word meaning: (human) "leader" "in place of" "leader" (God).
Code words:
"eye" represents a "bird" represents a "false leader".
"hand" represents a "pig" represents someone who works for the "bird".
"foot" represents a "fish" represents someone from humanity as part of the kingdom of the "bird".
Why might Jesus not have quoted more from Exodus?
[Chicago, Paul in Philippians]
13. John 11:9 Knowing the time
Did Jesus spend three days and three nights in the grave? How many hours are there in a day?
John 11:9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. [kjv]
απεκριθη ιησους ουχι δωδεκα εισιν ωραι εισιν της ημερας εαν τις περιπατη εν τη ημερα ου προσκοπτει οτι το φως του κοσμου τουτου βλεπει [gnt]
Does anyone really know what time it is? (song by Robert Lamm, made popular by the music group Chicago)
What is the next line?
Does anyone really care?
Now for a timely remark: Would you wear a second hand watch?
If not, just wait a minute.
14. Turn to my salvation
Philippians 1:19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, [kjv]
οιδα γαρ οτι τουτο μοι αποβησεται εις σωτηριαν δια της υμων δεησεως και επιχορηγιας του πνευματος ιησου χριστου [gnt]
The exact same four Greek words for "
shall turn to my salvation" in Philippians are "
shall turn to me for salvation" in Job in the
LXX (Septuagint). The follow-on words are more interesting.
Job 13:16 He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him. [kjv]
και τουτο μοι αποβησεται εις σωτηριαν ου γαρ εναντιον αυτου δολος εισελευσεται [lxx]
And this shall turn to me for salvation; for fraud shall have no entrance before him. [bs3]
Paul is going through trials and Job went through trials - both for eventual good. Paul appears to be calling the church leadership at Philippi "
frauds".
15. Thiatira: leaven
Theme: One
bad apple makes the whole bunch go bad.
At each stage, there are both positive and negative aspects of the connections.
16. Matthew 6:22-23 Lamp of the body
Matthew 6:22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. [kjv]
6:23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness ! [kjv]
Paraphrase using code words:
6:22:
The glory/opinion (lamp/candle) of the church (body) is the leader (eye). If the leader (eye) is a single leader (Jesus) [not worldly rich, not of Hades or the underworld], then the whole church (body) will be light (truth)
6:23:
But if the leader (eye) be oppressive (evil, not a single leader), then the whole church (body) will be false light (darkness). If the truth (light) that is in you is false light (darkness), that false light (darkness) is great.
Note that any "
pastor" acting as an additional "
leader" of any worldly "
authority" (verse 23 and not verse 22) can only "
detract" from the optimum situation. This is line with the
BPR (Business Process Reengineering) idea that managers are non-value adding to the customer.
17. Cherry-picked verses
Paraphrase using code words:
6:22:
The glory/opinion (lamp/candle) of the church (body) is the leader (eye). If the leader (eye) is a single leader (Jesus) [not worldly rich, not of Hades or the underworld], then the whole church (body) will be light (truth)
6:23:
But if the leader (eye) be oppressive (evil, not a single leader), then the whole church (body) will be false light (darkness). If the truth (light) that is in you is false light (darkness), that false light (darkness) is great.
Let us "
cherry pick" some verses to support this view.of the code words.
Cherry picked verse 1: (not rich, opinions of others)
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth ... for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Cherry picked verse 2: (single leader)
No one can serve two masters ... no one can serve God and mammon.
Discuss: How well do these cherry-picked verses support the proposed code-word meaning of verses 6:22-23?
18. Cherry-picked verses
Where do these cherry-picked verses appear in the
GNT (Greek New Testament)?
Cherry picked verse 1: (not rich, opinions of others)
6:19-21: Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth ... for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Paraphrase using code words:
6:22:
The glory/opinion (lamp/candle) of the church (body) is the leader (eye). If the leader (eye) is a single leader (Jesus) [not worldly rich, not of Hades or the underworld], then the whole church (body) will be light (truth)
6:23:
But if the leader (eye) be oppressive (evil, not a single leader), then the whole church (body) will be false light (darkness). If the truth (light) that is in you is false light (darkness), that false light (darkness) is great.
Cherry picked verse 2: (single leader)
6:24: No one can serve two masters ... no one can serve God and mammon.
19. Tot for tat
Exodus 21:24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, [kjv]
οφθαλμον αντι οφθαλμου οδοντα αντι οδοντος χειρα αντι χειρος ποδα αντι ποδος [lxx]
Matthew 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: [kjv]
ηκουσατε οτι ερρεθη οφθαλμον αντι οφθαλμου και οδοντα αντι οδοντος [gnt]
This idea is repeated in various forms in the
OT. The ancient Greek phrase
"ἴσα πρὸς ἴσα" ≈ "tit for tat" which is, literally, "
equals for equals".
The game theory idea is that of "
tit" for "
tat" as in "
this" for "
that" (in various languages). The idea here is that of
"eye" "in place of" "eye", etc. And that's the
truth (i.e.,
"tooth").
20. Exodus 21:24
KJV: Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
Hebrew: עין תחת עין שן תחת שן יד תחת יד רגל תחת רגל׃
Greek: οφθαλμον αντι οφθαλμου οδοντα αντι οδοντος χειρα αντι χειρος ποδα αντι ποδος
21. Animal analogies
Exodus 21:24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, [kjv]
Matthew 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: [kjv]
Why does Jesus stop with just "
eye" and "
tooth"? Why not continue with "
hand" and "
foot" and others from Exodus? The animal analogy goes as follows.
"sheep" are the true believers.
"birds" sit in the seat of the scornful and are the false leaders or "eyes".
"pigs" get in the way of sinners wanting to repent and work (influence, rend, etc.) for the "birds" as the "hands".
"fish" of the "sea" (humanity) walk/swim in sin and are attracted to the false light as the "feet".
Perhaps the four verses that follow relate more to the "
birds" or "
eyes" or false leaders and not to the "
pigs" as "
hands" or "
fish" as "
feet" roles. In those verses, it appears that the "
you" refers to "
sheep".
22. Matthew 5:29-30 : The ayes came in handy, if not plucked out
1 Corinthians 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. [kjv]
Matthew 5:29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. [kjv]
18:9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. [kjv]
The verse pairs in
Matthew 5:29-30 and
18:8-9 are similar in that they talk about
plucking out eyes as members of the body and cutting off
hands and
feet rather than being cast into "
hell" or "
everlasting" "
fire". Are we "
better together"? Is there "
strength in numbers"? Do we need to "
protect each other's reputation"? Do we need to "
have each other's back"?
Matthew 5: "eye", "hand" ("right" only, just "disciples")
Matthew 18: "eye", "hand", "foot" (no restriction to "right", entire "church")
This similarity appears to connect the two passages but there are some differences. Understanding one pair may help in understanding the other pair.
Paul in
1 Corinthians 12 talks of eyes as members of the body of the church. Is there a connection to the verses in Matthew?
23. Apple of the eye
Psalms 17:8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, [kjv]
φυλαξον με ως κοραν οφθαλμου εν σκεπη των πτερυγων σου σκεπασεις με [lxx]
The
"eye" is a "
chamber" into which
"light" enters and is recognized by the "
brain" as something - such as an object. The eye is a "
sensor", in contrast to a "
transducer".
In Greek, the word for
"eye" is, literally, an "
opening" into a "
chamber" (heart, brain, etc.) and is the source of the English word
"ophthalmologist".
The ancient Greek word
"ὀφθαλμός" ≈ "eye" and appears to come from two Greek words.
"ὀπή" ≈ "opening, hole, hollow" and is from the same root as the ancient Greek word "ὄμμα" ≈ "eye" often in a poetic sense.
"θάλαμος" ≈ "chamber, room".
24. Matthew 5:38 Teeth
Matthew 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: [kjv]
ηκουσατε οτι ερρεθη οφθαλμον αντι οφθαλμου και οδοντα αντι οδοντος [gnt]
The "
idiom" of "
gnashing of the teeth" appears in the Bible. This phrase appears
9 times in the
GNT and
5 times in the
LXX. In the
LXX the phrase appears to be related to "
anger" against someone else.
The English word "
gnashing" does not quite express the idea (unless one uses a hard "
g" sound), but the ancient Greek word
"βρυγμος" ≈ "gnash". The modern Greek word
"βρύγμος" (VREE-gmos) ≈ "gnash". Try saying it a few times - fast. The modern Greek word for tooth is
"δόντι" (THON-tee) ≈ "tooth" from which we get the English word "
dental" and "
orthodontist".
The phrase appears to have a more restricted meaning when used by Jesus in the
GNT in that it appears to be "
anger" against oneself as in "
regret" in a counterfactual sense. This is in a similar sense of how Jesus use the word "
offend" as "
entrap" in the sense of "
misinterpret".
It appears that the phrase "
gnashing of teeth" has to do with someone who "
thought" they were correct but gets surprised. This idea appears on the narrow and wide gates, the parable of the sheep and goats, etc. Let us investigate.
[gristmills]
25. Crowning achievement
The hymn "
Crown Him with many crowns" is a favorite hymn of dentists.
I need to tell you this due to "
tooth in advertising" laws.
26. Verse analysis
Jesus says let your
"communication" (
"reasoning") be
"yes" "yes" or
"no" "no". Anything more is of
"evil" (
"oppression")
English: yes yes no no
Greek: ναι ναι ου ου
Interestingly, these words appear at the end of other words in these verses.
38. ηκουσατε οτι ερρεθη οφθαλμον αντι οφθαλμουκαι οδοντα αντι οδοντος
39. εγω δε λεγω υμιν μη αντιστηναι τω πονηρω αλλ οστις σε ραπιζει εις την δεξιαν σιαγονα σου στρεψον αυτω και την αλλην
40: και τω θελοντι σοι κριθηναι και τον χιτωνα σου λαβειν αφες αυτω και το ιματιον
41: και οστις σε αγγαρευσει μιλιον εν υπαγε μετ αυτου δυὀ
42: τω αιτουντι σε δος και τον θελοντα απο σου δανισασθαι μη αποστραφης
Is there a connection? How much of a stretch, or cherry-picking, is needed to connect what Jesus says with these verses?
27. Verse analysis
Jesus says let your
"communication" (
"reasoning") be
"yes" "yes" or
"no" "no". Anything more is of
"evil" (
"oppression")
37: εστω δε ο λογος υμων ναι ναι ου ου το δε περισσον τουτων εκ του πονηρου εστιν
38. ηκουσατε οτι ερρεθη οφθαλμον αντι οφθαλμουκαι οδοντα αντι οδοντος
39. εγω δε λεγω υμιν μη αντιστηναι τω πονηρω αλλ οστις σε ραπιζει εις την δεξιαν σιαγονα σου στρεψον αυτω και την αλλην
40: και τω θελοντι σοι κριθηναι και τον χιτωνα σου λαβειν αφες αυτω και το ιματιον
41: και οστις σε αγγαρευσει μιλιον εν υπαγε μετ αυτου δυὀ
42: τω αιτουντι σε δος και τον θελοντα απο σου δανισασθαι μη αποστραφης
"ναι" ≈ "yes" and "ου" ≈ "no".
"πονηρού" ≈ "evil, oppression".
"αντι" ≈ "in place of" and "στη" ≈ "stand".
The
first two pairs are
"yes" "no" and
"yes" "no". Might the parts of these verses be of "
evil"? The
last pair is
"no" "no". Might the parts of these verse be what you are supposed to do?
28. Problem at the hospital
Some movies use this ambiguity as humor. Some people like this humor. Some do not. Here is an example from one of the
Airplane movies.
Be
hospitable and not
hostile!
Person A: There's a problem at the hospital.
Person B: What is it?
Person A: It's a big building with patients, but that's not important now.
The pronoun "
it" is somewhat ambiguous. Pronouns usually refers to the
nearest noun, but not always. This is an example of one problem that makes
NLP (Natural Language Processing) by computers difficult.
29. Verse analysis - pronouns
To use the phraseology of Jesus, you may have heard that Greek is unambiguous. I tell you, many of the following marked pronouns,
present and
missing , are
not unambiguous. Those marked as
you appear to be clear.
38. ηκουσατε οτι ερρεθη οφθαλμον αντι οφθαλμου και οδοντα αντι οδοντος
39. εγω δε λεγω υμιν μη αντιστηναι τω πονηρω αλλ οστις σε ραπιζει εις την δεξιαν σιαγονα σου στρεψον αυτω και την αλλην (missing)
40: και τω θελοντι σοι (missing) κριθηναι και τον χιτωνα σου (missing) λαβειν (missing) αφες αυτω και το ιματιον (missing)
41: και οστις σε αγγαρευσει μιλιον εν (missing) υπαγε μετ αυτου δυὀ (missing)
42: τω αιτουντι σε (missing) δος και τον θελοντα απο σου (missing) δανισασθαι μη αποστραφης (missing)
Discuss: Is it right for a translator (theologian, pastor, etc.) to decide how to fill in those missing references? In many cases, there are multiple ways that makes sense. Some ways make more sense than other ways.
30. Matthew 5:38-42 Verses
31. End of page
Matthew 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: [kjv]
5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. [kjv]
5:40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. [kjv]
5:41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. [kjv]
5:42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. [kjv]
Matthew 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: [kjv]
5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. [kjv]
5:40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. [kjv]
5:41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. [kjv]
5:42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. [kjv]
