Man’s first crime was homicide.
“It came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him” (Genesis 4: 8). Since that day murder has been a constant part of human society. Murders have become so commonplace that, unless they are bizarre or multiple or involve a famous person, they make no more than local news.
If we were to add suicides (self-murder) and abortions (pre-birth murder) the numbers would be staggering. The irreversible nature of the divinely imposed sentence of death on every man slayer who killed another intentionally (Numbers 35: 17 – 21) stands without parallel in ancient Near Eastern literature and legal codes (Genesis 9: 5, 6).
Further, in Ancient Israel, accidental death still carried the penalty of banishment to the city of refuge until the death of the High – Priest for the one who killed but not with intent. By this command, men would be reminded and exhorted to strive after carefulness in the affairs of life so that on the person – to – person level no one would die by their hand.
Careful appraisal of the word Moses used (one of several different Hebrews words for killing, and one used only 47 times in the Old Testament) suggests a broad translation of “to kill, or slay”.
The specific commandment to which Jesus spoke in Matthew 5: 21 – 26 refers to the Decalogue, which every Jew knew. The command “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20: 13) does not prohibit every form of killing a human being. The term used has to do with criminal killing, and from many accounts and teachings in Scripture it is clear that capital punishment, just warfare, accident homicide, and self – defence are excluded.
The commandment is against the intentional killing of another human being for purely personal reasons, whatever those reasons might be.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS –
Exodus 20: 1 -17
And God spoke all these words, saying: “I am the Lord your God, who bought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage”.
“You shall have no other gods before Me”
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image”
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain”
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy”
“Honour your father and your mother”
“You shall not murder”
“You shall not commit adultery”
“You shall not steal”
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour”
“You shall not covet”
God’s law still reflects His holy will and standard for human conduct.
An examination of the Ten Commandments teaches us that are ten features of love.
By John Denman
Photo by M. E. Head