What is the meaning of Exodus 21:25? Burn for burn “Burn for burn” (Exodus 21:25) sets the principle of proportional justice. If one person’s negligence or violence caused another’s skin to be scorched, the court ensured an equal consequence. • This eliminates excessive retaliation; justice must match the injury (Leviticus 24:20). • It protects the victim by guaranteeing the offender cannot escape accountability (Numbers 35:31). • It foreshadows God’s unchanging standard that sin always brings a fitting consequence—ultimately fulfilled either at the cross (1 Peter 2:24) or in final judgment (Revelation 20:12). Wound for wound A “wound” covers deeper injuries beneath the surface. The law upholds: • Equal restitution—no more, no less (Deuteronomy 19:21). • Community responsibility—elders judged each case publicly (Deuteronomy 21:19), teaching Israel that God sees and weighs every action (Proverbs 5:21). • Mercy within justice—while injury could be repaid in kind, rabbinic practice soon allowed monetary compensation, still preserving God’s proportional standard (compare Exodus 21:18–19). Stripe for stripe “Stripe” points to blows that leave bruises or welts. God commands: • Physical discipline must stay within strict limits (Deuteronomy 25:2–3). • The offender feels the weight of wrongdoing, deterring future harm (Proverbs 19:29). • The passage anticipates Christ, who willingly received “stripes” for our healing (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24), showing that perfect justice and perfect mercy meet in Him. summary Exodus 21:25 teaches that God requires exact, measured justice—burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. The principle safeguards victims, restrains vengeance, and mirrors God’s holy character. While ancient courts applied it to bodily harm, the standard ultimately points to Christ, who bore the just penalty for sin so that those who trust Him receive mercy without compromising divine justice. |
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