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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Wednesday, 22 January 2025:
Exodus 22:2, 3 – If a thief is found breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him, but if the sun has risen on him, there shall be bloodguilt for him. He shall surely pay. If he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.
The Bible makes a distinction between self-defense and revenge.
“He shall surely pay.” The King James Version is a better translation here: “He should make full restitution.” Notice that Biblical justice doesn’t just punish the offender and hold the offender accountable to the government, it prioritized making the victim whole. We have moved away from this approach to our detriment. Notice that penalties could be anywhere from 500% (he shall restore five oxen for an ox) to 200% (he shall restore double). “The reason for the fivefold penalty in the case of stealing an ox is probably because one man stole the means of another man’s livelihood. The principle would extend to taking any of the man’s plowing or cultivating implements.” (Kaiser)
“This chapter is full of restitution, of which there is far too little in ordinary Christian life. We try to make amends for injury done to another by an extraordinary amount of civility; but we are reluctant in so many words to frankly confess that we have done wrong, and make proper reparation for the act or speech.” (Meyer)
Exodus 22:3 – …but if the sun has risen on him, there shall be bloodguilt for him. He shall surely pay. If he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.
Everyone was held accountable to the law, regardless of their economic status.
Exodus 22:6 – If fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, he who started the fire shall make full restitution.
God’s laws hold people accountable for carelessness.
“Thus men are held responsible, not only for the harm they do, but also for the harm they occasion, even though they may not have purposely designed the damage that ensued.” (Kaiser)
“We wrong another not only by what we do, or permit to be done, but in what we carelessly fail to do.” (Meyer)
Exodus 22:16-17 — “If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price for her and make her his wife. If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the bride-price for virgins.
Sex is intended for marriage.
Exodus 22:18-20 — “You shall not permit a sorceress to live. Whoever lies with an animal shall be put to death. Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than the Lord alone, shall be devoted to destruction.”
Pay attention what God considered worthy of death. Other death penalty crimes included murder, kidnapping, child sacrifice, adultery, rape, prostitution, breaking the Sabbath, sex outside of marriage, false prophesy, false legal testimony, disobedience to parents, failure to adhere to court decisions, incest, and un-ordained leading of worship.
“These laws also began by laying emphasis on the guilt of carelessness. The truth emphasized is that no man must live his life on the basis of selfishness or wholly alone and that wrong inflicted on neighbor by neighbor in the material realm becomes sin against God in the moral realm.” (Morgan)
Exodus 22:21 — “You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.”
How you treat strangers, particularly those who are very different than you, and perhaps very needy, says much about the legitimacy of your faith and your ability to empathize and sympathize with others.
– Matthew 25:31-46 — “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 22 January 2025: Today, If you have intentionally or unintentionally had a negative impact on someone, don’t just seek forgiveness and reconciliation, make restitution if possible.
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 