Issues: Crime and Punishment

PUNISHMENT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

The Old Testament is the part of the Bible that dates from before the birth if Jesus. In the Old Testament, revenge or retribution is cited as a legitimate aim of punishment.
In The Bible, Leviticus chapter 24 verses 19 - 20 , it says "If anyone injures his neighbour, whatever he has done must be done to him: fracture for fracture, eye for an eye, tooth for tooth. As he has injured, so he is to be injured".

This suggests that the criminal had to make reparation (or pay for) his crime. The commandment's original intention was to limit revenge, for example if someone had wronged you you could take the revenge you were due but no more (so if someone had knocked one of your teeth out you had the right to knock out one of theirs, but not to break their leg as well). Once the criminal had made restitution for his/her crime, he/she was cleared of their guilt.

In relation to capital punishment, in Deuteronomy chapter 17 verses 12 - 13 , it is suggested that punishing people by death is a way of deterring others from committing the same crime: - "Everyone will hear about it and be afraid to act so arrogantly." (verse 13).