Connect Exodus 21:21 with New Testament teachings on forgiveness and justice.

The Setting of Exodus 21:21

- Exodus 21 regulates master–servant relations in Israel after the Exodus.

- Verse 21 states, “if the servant gets up a day or two after, the master shall not be punished…”.

- The passage assumes real harm has been done (vv. 18–27) and insists on measured, equitable justice—never vengeance beyond the injury.

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What Justice Looked Like under the Law

- Personal retaliation was forbidden; the community judged each case (Deuteronomy 25:1–3).

- The master’s “property” language underscored economic responsibility, not a license to abuse.

- If the servant died immediately, capital punishment followed (v. 20). Survival shifted judgment to God’s timetable and the servant’s recovery.

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How the Old Points to the New

- Mosaic statutes restrain sin and foreshadow Christ’s fuller righteousness (Matthew 5:17).

- They reveal humanity’s need for deeper heart change that only the Spirit supplies (Jeremiah 31:33; Romans 8:3–4).

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Forgiveness in Christ’s Teaching

- Jesus quotes and deepens the “eye for an eye” principle: “You have heard… ‘Eye for eye…’ ” (Matthew 5:38).

- “But I tell you not to resist an evil person.” (Matthew 5:39).

- Personal revenge is set aside for radical forgiveness grounded in the cross (Luke 23:34; Ephesians 4:32).

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Justice Reinforced, Not Abolished

- Civil authorities still “bear the sword” to punish wrongdoing (Romans 13:4).

- Within the church, discipline protects the vulnerable (1 Corinthians 5:12–13).

- “Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath.” (Romans 12:19).

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Holding Justice and Mercy Together

1. The Law: affirms human dignity, limits violence, establishes accountability.

2. The Gospel: calls believers to forgive as Christ forgave, while upholding rightful authority.

3. Both Testaments: point to a God who sees every injury and will judge with perfect equity (Hebrews 10:30).

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Living the Balance Today

- Refuse personal vengeance; entrust wrongs to God’s justice.

- Seek lawful means to protect the oppressed, mirroring God’s concern for servants.

- Extend gospel-rooted forgiveness, remembering “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24).

- Model workplaces and households where dignity, accountability, and grace coexist—fulfilling the spirit of Exodus 21:21 in the light of Christ.