Exodus 21:23-25 And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
It has been said that an eye for an eye makes the world blind. Perhaps God does not want us to execute retributive justice, but eye for an eye was repeated by God. There must be some meaning to it.
Leviticus 24:19-21 And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him; Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again. And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death.
Deuteronomy 19:21 And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
Throughout the Old Testament there was punishment and reward, often collective, but executed in this life, prior to death and the resurrection.
The Second Judgment
The idea of resurrection and eternal justice only emerged in Judaism not long before Christ. With Christianity the focus of justice shifted entirely to eternal justice.
Matthew 25:32-34 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
This passage is clearly talking about eternal justice. Eternal justice is pass or fail, thumbs up or thumbs down, some will have eternal Heaven and others will not. Judgment in time, called temporal justice, is measured. There is limited punishment for limited sin (eye for an eye), and limited reward for limited righteousness.
This is not a choice between eternal justice or temporal justice. There is no contradiction since both can be true. Both are clearly supported by the Bible, so both must be true. There is measured punishment and reward before the Day of Judgment. On the Day of Judgment eternal life is determined. Every time the Bible speaks of heaven, hell, judgment or being “saved”, it must be determined if it referring to eternal justice or temporal justice. This understanding resolves much of the confusion in the Bible concerning justice.
There is evil in the world, and there is suffering. God responds to evil with the Day of Judgment at which time all evil will be destroyed. God responds to suffering with measured punishment and reward before the Day of Judgment. With temporal justice, all sin will be punished and all righteousness rewarded. God balances all books, and God destroys all evil.
