On War & Capital Punishment

“Thou shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13 KJV)

        One of the many erroneous notions that has arisen concerning the Bible is that the commandment "thou shalt not kill" (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17) rules out warfare and capital punishment.  First of all, most of the problem has arisen over the translation of the word for “kill” (Hbr. ratsach).  This word was most often used for manslaughter or to slay and referred to the killing of an innocent victim rather than ‘taking a life” in any and all circumstances.  For this reason, newer translations (NAS, NIV) have removed some of this confusion by translating the term in Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17 as “murder.”  Likewise, the New Testament references to this issue in the Law^[1] all employ a Greek word that clearly meant “homicide/murder” (phoneuo).  Thus, the commandment “thou shalt not kill” is NOT a prohibition against divinely-authorized capital punishment, the actions required in warfare or police actions, or killing animals for sacrificial or food purposes.  To use “thou shalt not kill” as a Biblical argument against these things is, simply, erroneous.

       Second, to take “thou shalt not kill” as a prohibition against killing/taking life in all circumstances creates the appearance of Biblical contradiction where it does not exist.  If the commandment did mean this, then the Pentateuch would be self-contradictory and skeptics are quick to assume this!  Elsewhere we read of God's specific instructions concerning capital punishment for various evils (Genesis 9:5,6; Exodus 21:12,14,15,16,29; etc.).  The Law of Moses allowed you to protect your home and family to the point of killing someone who was in the act of invading your home - self-defense,

"If the thief is caught while breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there will be no bloodguiltiness on his account.”  (Exodus 22:2)

 Also, the Israelites who received this commandment were told to kill those who refused to repent after the "golden calf" incident (Exodus 32:27), to kill the Midianites who had seduced the Israelites into idolatry (Numbers 31:17), destroy or drive out all of the Canaanites (Deuteronomy 7:1-5,16), and, later, to destroy all of the Amalekites (1Samuel 15:3).  Now, either God’s Word is contradictory nonsense (in which case the Jewish folks who produced it were incompetent for not recognizing such an obvious problem) or the commandment was more specific and did not rule out these things.

       Certainly, there is no reason to believe that the Israelites ever had a hermeneutical problem with "thou shalt not kill" and the issue of killing a criminal or an enemy.  The hermeneutical problem is found in those with their own modern agenda to pursue - folks who are willing to twist selected passages to suit their purposes (2Peter 3:16,17).  The problem has arisen with those who know just enough Bible to be dangerous, but have not bothered with examining the actual words used and take "thou shalt not kill" to forbid every humanly-initiated taking of human life.  The commandment is aimed at forbidding the taking of an innocent life - murder - and NOT war or capital punishment.

       War - In war, one is not going out to intentionally take innocent lives out of personal meanness, but is acting as an agent of a government in defense of his own people and personal life.  In this light, aggressive wars of conquest/imperialism and terrorism are hard to justify, but there is no prohibition here against defending yourself when attacked.  The commandment “thou shalt not murder” is directed at outlawing murder/ homicide on an individual basis within your own society.  When he had a perfect opportunity to do so, John did NOT tell Roman soldiers showing an interest in the Messiah that they needed to cease being soldiers (Luke 3:14).  Jesus also spoke with Roman soldiers and never told them to desert and quit soldiering.  When Jesus spoke of “turning the other cheek” (Matthew 5:39; Luke 6:29), he was NOT talking about life and death assaults, wars, or capital punishment, but about how individual disciples are to respond to personal insults ("a slap on the cheek").

       Capital punishment - The commandment “thou shalt not murder” does not prohibit duly authorized civil governments from executing convicted criminals, either.  In fact, capital punishment was instituted by God to back up and enforce what the commandment was saying - do not commit murder or you will forfeit your own life!  God instituted capital punishment to underscore and emphasize the value of the innocent life that was taken (Genesis 9:5,6) by having the one who committed the crime forfeit his/her life.

       Some have argued that the death penalty should be removed because it does not seem to be an effective “deterrent” to capital crimes.  There are two obvious weaknesses with this argument.  First, God’s institution of the death penalty was not designed or intended, primarily, for its "deterrent" value, but to emphasize the value of the innocent life taken and the wrongness of murder.  Is there any deterrent value in the death penalty?  Indeed, while it certainly would weigh heavily on those smart enough to think ahead, it is 100% effective in preventing repeat offenses (and many crimes are committed by repeat offenders)!!!

       The many references in the Mosaic Law to “your eye shall not pity” those targeted for capital punishment^[2] are there for the same reason we are having trouble with this today - lack of courage to carry out a sentence against those who disrupt society!  We seem to have a problem knowing who to feel pity for.  Just like King David needed to be reminded who his friends were, as he mourned for his rebellious son (2Samuel 18:32 - 19:7), so people today need to re-focus on what builds up and destroys human civilization!  In our current confusion, the innocent victim's life has come to be viewed as worthless, while the one who takes the innocent life is granted all of the sympathy, excuses, and justification that the misguided can offer.  Why are the candles and prayers always offered for the murderer facing execution, but nothing for the innocent victim or those suddenly deprived of a father, mother, child, spouse?  Something is seriously wrong when society is more offended by the punishment of criminals than it is the crime they commit!

       The Apostle Paul said that civil governments are "ministers" of God as they maintain order in society and "the sword" (power of life and death) is something that God has ordained them to use (Romans 13:1-7).  When the civil government is seduced by foolish arguments that value the life and rights of criminals above the innocent, then it will soon be the law-keeping citizens who are afraid and that civil order is well on its way toward dissolving.  Long ago, Solomon summarized a truth that modern “social engineers” need to re-learn, 

Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil.  (Ecclesiastes 8:11)

When evil and damaging things are “de-criminalized/legalized” and penalties are decreased or removed, the problems they were associated with do not go away - they increase!  You NEVER decrease a problem by justifying or re-labeling it!  History has demonstrated over and over that a civilization that rejects absolute moral limits and justifies crime will not remain “civilized” very long.

Charles E. McCoy

11/10/2005

A Ministry of Severn Christian Church (Severn, Maryland)

Unless otherwise noted, all material produced by Charles E. McCoy

All Scripture citations/quotations from New American Standard Bible

To send a question to Chuck: chuck@severnchristian.org