What Old Testament principles align with the message in Matthew 5:26? Setting the Scene in Matthew 5:26 “Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.” (Matthew 5:26) Jesus is stressing personal responsibility, full restitution, and the urgency of making things right with an offended party before judgment falls. Old Testament Roots of the Principle • Complete Restitution Required – Exodus 22:3b – “Anyone who steals must certainly make restitution, but if he has nothing, he must be sold to pay for his theft.” – Leviticus 6:4-5 – “…he must restore in full, add a fifth to it, and give it to the one he wronged on the day of his guilt offering.” – Numbers 5:7 – “He must make restitution in full for his wrong, add a fifth to its value, and give it to the one he has wronged.” (Jesus echoes this expectation that every last cent be repaid.) • Consequences Remain Until the Debt Is Satisfied – 2 Kings 4:1 – A creditor threatens to take two sons as slaves until a debt is settled. – Proverbs 22:26-27 – “If you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you.” – Psalm 37:21 – “The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous is gracious and giving.” (Matthew 5:26 mirrors the unrelenting consequence: no release until payment is complete.) • Urgent Personal Initiative to Reconcile – Proverbs 6:1-5 – “…Go, humble yourself, and press your plea with your neighbor. Give your eyes no sleep…free yourself.” – Proverbs 17:14 – “Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.” – Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 – “Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.” (These passages call for swift action—exactly what Jesus urges before prison bars close.) • Justice According to God’s Standard – Deuteronomy 32:4 – “…just and upright is He.” – Leviticus 19:13 – “You must not defraud your neighbor or rob him…” (God’s character demands that wrongs be fully rectified; Matthew 5:26 reflects that unwavering justice.) Practical Takeaways Drawn from Old Testament Parallels • Do not delay reconciliation; initiative lies with the offender. • Satisfy every obligation down to the final penny; half-measures are not biblical reconciliation. • Understand that God-ordained justice has temporal consequences—debts, broken promises, or offenses bring real-life penalties until cleared. • View restitution as worshipful obedience; making things right honors God’s righteous nature. |
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