The New Law of Jesus
I now understand the words of Jesus: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: but I say to you, that ye resist not evil.” Jesus’ meaning is: “You have thought that you were acting in a reasonable manner in defending yourselves by violence against evil, in tearing out an eye for an eye, by fighting against evil by criminal tribunals, guardians of the peace, armies; but I say unto you, renounce violence; have nothing to do with violence; do harm to no one, not even to your enemy.” In saying this Jesus formulated a new law whose effect would be to deliver humanity from its self-inflicted woes. His declaration was: “You believe that your laws reform criminals; as a matter of fact they only make more criminals. There is only one way to suppress evil, and that is to return good for evil, without respect of persons. For thousands of years you have tried the other method; now try mine, try the reverse.”—As fire cannot extinguish fire, so evil cannot suppress evil. Good alone, confronting evil and resisting its contagion, can overcome evil.
—Lyoff N. Tolstoi.
Alternate Reading: Psalm 1.