matthew 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: - Free Bible Online

      Same Subject--Retaliation (Mt 5:38-42). We have here the converse of the preceding lessons. They were negative: these are positive.

      38. Ye have heard that it hath been said-- (Ex 21:23-25; Le 24:19, 20; De 19:21).
      An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth--that is, whatever penalty was regarded as a proper equivalent for these. This law of retribution--designed to take vengeance out of the hands of private persons, and commit it to the magistrate--was abused in the opposite way to the commandments of the Decalogue. While they were reduced to the level of civil enactments, this judicial regulation was held to be a warrant for taking redress into their own hands, contrary to the injunctions of the Old Testament itself (Pr 20:22; 24:29).

JFB.