Topical Bible: Murder: The Law Made to Restrain

◄ Murder: The Law Made to Restrain ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

Murder, the unlawful and premeditated taking of human life, is a grave sin that is explicitly condemned throughout the Bible. The act of murder is a direct violation of God's commandments and an affront to the sanctity of life, which is created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). The Bible provides clear instructions and laws to restrain such acts, emphasizing the value of human life and the need for justice.

Old Testament Law

The prohibition against murder is first articulated in the Ten Commandments, where God commands, "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13). This commandment underscores the sanctity of life and establishes a foundational moral principle for the Israelite community. The law given to Moses further elaborates on the consequences of murder, prescribing capital punishment for those who commit this heinous act: "Whoever strikes and kills a man must surely be put to death" (Exodus 21:12).

The Mosaic Law also distinguishes between murder and manslaughter, recognizing the difference between intentional and unintentional killing. Cities of refuge were established to protect those who committed manslaughter from the avenger of blood, allowing for a fair trial (Numbers 35:9-15). This provision highlights the importance of justice and due process in the administration of the law.

Theological Implications

Murder is not only a crime against humanity but also a sin against God. The shedding of innocent blood is detestable to the Lord, as it defiles the land and incurs divine judgment (Numbers 35:33-34). The account of Cain and Abel illustrates the spiritual consequences of murder, as Cain's act of fratricide leads to his curse and separation from God's presence (Genesis 4:8-16).

The Bible also addresses the root causes of murder, such as anger and hatred, which are equated with murder in the heart. Jesus expands on this in the Sermon on the Mount, teaching that "anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment" (Matthew 5:22). This teaching emphasizes the need for inner transformation and reconciliation to prevent the sin of murder.

New Testament Perspective

In the New Testament, the apostle Paul reaffirms the commandment against murder as part of the moral law that remains binding for Christians. He writes, "The commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not covet,' and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one decree: 'Love your neighbor as yourself'" (Romans 13:9). This encapsulates the essence of the law, which is love, and serves as a deterrent against acts of violence and murder.

The apostle John further emphasizes the incompatibility of murder with the Christian faith, stating, "Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer" (1 John 3:15). This underscores the transformative power of the Gospel, which calls believers to love and forgiveness rather than hatred and violence.

Conclusion

The biblical injunctions against murder serve as a divine mandate to uphold the sanctity of life and promote justice within society. Through the law, God provides a framework to restrain evil and protect the innocent, reflecting His character as a just and righteous judge. The teachings of Jesus and the apostles further call believers to a higher standard of love and reconciliation, addressing the heart issues that lead to murder and violence.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Timothy 1:9
Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for murderers,
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

1 Timothy i. 9
... not under the law, but dead to it; that the law is not made for us ... said, we do not
feel that it is the fear of the law which keeps us from murder or from ...
//christianbookshelf.org/arnold/the christian life/lecture x 1 timothy i.htm

Faustus is Willing to Admit that Christ May have Said that He came ...
... every unjust disposition to injure our brother is a kind of murder. ... but rather paid
such deference to the Hebrew law in all the quotations He made from it ...
/.../faustus is willing to admit.htm

How Herod Upon his Making Aristobulus High Priest Took Care that ...
... up to the altar, according to the law, to offer ... the good-will of the multitude was
made too evident ... live long enough to revenge the unjust murder thus privately ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 3 how herod upon.htm

Matt. v. 27, 28
... had taken away all wrath, having forbidden not murder only, but ... one, not to indicate
that the old law is of ... as with some bitter drug, and made it inaccessible. ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily xvii matt v 27.htm

Seventh Sunday after Trinity Exhortation to Resist Sin.
... We are to conduct ourselves as men made alive and ... We may say that theft, murder,
envy, hate and other ... remedy the evils by the mere prohibitions of the law. ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/seventh sunday after trinity exhortation.htm

Faustus States his Objections to the Morality of the Law and the ...
... with the knowledge of his wife, which only made it worse ... put on, knowing that her
father-in-law was in ... by God; [789] or how Moses committed murder, [790] and ...
/.../faustus states his objections to.htm

The Sixth Commandment
... he was pursued by Priscus, his son-in-law, who cut ... Albania killed a man and made
of his skull a cup ... bloody religion; they give a dispensation for murder, if it ...
/.../watson/the ten commandments/2 6 the sixth commandment.htm

Titus ii. 14-Nov
... were addicted to the love of boys, and one of their wise men made a law that P??drasty ...
and did she not ask as the reward of her dancing the murder and the ...
/.../homily v titus ii 14-nov.htm

The Same Necessary and Eternal Different Relations
... In a word, it is that law, which if it had its original from ... as just and equitable
as the wisest laws that ever were made, and [159] to murder men without ...
/.../i proposition i the same.htm

Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
... Again, it makes murder and injustice a good work, a ... 29. Love being the chief element
of all law, it comprehends, as has been made sufficiently clear ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol ii/fourth sunday after epiphany.htm