THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT.
EXODUS XX, 13: _Thou shalt not kill._
This command not only prohibits murder, but also prohibits all those
passions and tempers which would lead to murder; such as, hatred,
anger, etc. It does not prohibit the killing of animals for food;
since God has granted man the use of animal food. It does not prohibit
the killing of a fellow-being if necessary to self-defense. The law
only requires us to love our neighbor as ourself; but to suffer
ourselves to be killed rather than to take the life of an enemy, by
whom we are assaulted, would be to love him better than ourselves. It
does not prohibit the taking of life by civil authority; for the civil
officer is "_a minister of God; an avenger to execute wrath upon him
that doeth evil._"
1. MURDER IS PROHIBITED.
EX. XX, 13. Thou shalt not kill.
MATT. XIX, 18. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no
murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou
shalt not bear false witness.
2 TIM. I, 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 manslayers.
GEN. IX, 6. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be
shed: for in the image of God made he man.
EX. XXI, 12. He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely
put to death.
NUM. XXXV, 16. And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that
he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.
17. And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die,
and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to
death.
18. Or if he smite him with a hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may
die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to
death.
NUM. XXXV, 21. Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he
that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the
revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him.
NUM. XXXV, 30. Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to
death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify
against any person to cause him to die.
31. Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer,
which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death.
EX. XXI, 13. And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into
his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.
14. But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbor, to slay him
with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
NUM. XXXV, 33. So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for
blood it defileth the land: and the land can not be cleansed of the
blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.
DEUT. XIX, 11. But if any man hate his neighbor, and lie in wait for
him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and
fleeth into one of these cities;
12. Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and
deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.
13. Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of
innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee.
2. THREATENINGS AGAINST MURDERERS.
PSALM V, 6. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the Lord will
abhor the bloody and deceitful man.
PSALM LV, 23. But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of
destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their
days; but I will trust in thee.
PROV. VI, 17. A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed
innocent blood.
PROV. XXVIII, 17. A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person
shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him.
JER. II, 34. Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the
poor innocents: I have not found it by secret search, but upon all
these.
JER. XIX, 3. And say, hear ye the Word of the Lord, O kings of Judah,
and inhabitants of Jerusalem; Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of
Israel; Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, the which whosoever
heareth, his ears shall tingle.
4. Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and
have burned incense in it unto other gods, whom neither they nor their
fathers have known, nor the kings of Judah, and have filled this place
with the blood of innocents.
EZEK. XXXV, 6. Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord God, I will
prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee: since thou hast
not hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee.
JOHN VIII, 44. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your
father ye will do: he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not
in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a
lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
1 JOHN III, 15. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye
know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
3. CASES WHEREIN KILLING A MAN IS NOT TO BE PUNISHED WITH DEATH.
EX. XXII, 2. If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he
die, there shall no blood be shed for him.
3. If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him;
for he should make full restitution: if he have nothing, then he shall
be sold for his theft.
DEUT. XIX, 4. And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee
thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbor ignorantly, whom
he hated not in time past;
5. As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbor to hew wood,
and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the ax to cut down the tree, and
the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbor, that
he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live:
6. Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is
hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas
he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.
NUM. XXXV, 15. These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the
children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among
them; that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee
thither.
NUM. XXXV, 22. But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have
cast upon him any thing without laying of wait,
23. Or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and
cast it upon him, that he die, and was not his enemy, neither sought
his harm:
24. Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the
revenger of blood according to these judgments:
25. And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of
the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the
city of his refuge, whether he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto
the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil.
4. HUMAN LIFE AUTHORIZED TO BE TAKEN BY THE CIVIL GOVERNMENT.
DEUT. XVII, 12. And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not
hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the
Lord thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou
shalt put away the evil from Israel.
JOSHUA I, 18. Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment,
and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him,
he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.
EZRA VII, 26. And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the
law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether
it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to
imprisonment.
ROM. XIII, 1. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For
there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God.
2. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of
God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt
thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou
shalt have the praise of the same:
4. For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that
which is evil, be afraid; for he heareth not the sword in vain: for he
is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that
doeth evil.
5. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also
for conscience' sake.
6. For, for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's
ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
1 PETER II, 13. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the
Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
14. Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the
punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
5. HATRED FORBIDDEN.
1 JOHN II, 9. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his
brother, is in darkness even until now.
1 JOHN II, 11. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and
walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that
darkness hath blinded his eyes.
1 JOHN III, 13. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
14. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love
the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
15. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no
murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
1 JOHN IV, 20. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is
a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can
he love God whom he hath not seen?
6. MALICE FORBIDDEN.
EPH. IV, 31. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and
evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.
COL. III, 8. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice,
blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
1 PETER II, 1. Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and
hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings.
TITUS III, 3. For we ourselves also were sometime foolish,
disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in
malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
3 JOHN, 9. I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have
the pre-eminence among them, receiveth us not.
10. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth,
prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith,
neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that
would, and casteth them out of the church.
JAMES III, 14. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your
hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual,
devilish.
16. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil
work.
7. ANGER FORBIDDEN.
ECCL. VII, 9. Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger
resteth in the bosom of fools.
PROV. XIV, 17. He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of
wicked devices is hated.
PROV. XVI, 32. He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and
he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
PROV. XXIX, 22. An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man
aboundeth in transgressions.
MATT. V, 22. But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his
brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and
whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the
council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of
hell fire.
EPH. IV, 31. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and
evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.
8. WRATH FORBIDDEN.
PROV. XXIV, 29. Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I
will render to the man according to his works.
PROV. XIV, 29. He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but
he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
PROV. XIX, 19. A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if
thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again.
PROV. XII, 16. He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and
he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.
PROV. XXI, 24. Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in
proud wrath.
PROV. XXII, 3. A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself:
but the simple pass on, and are punished.
ROM. XII, 19. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give
place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay,
saith the Lord.
EPH. IV, 26. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon
your wrath.
EPH. IV, 31. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and
evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.
JAMES I, 19. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to
hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
20. For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
9. CONTENTION FORBIDDEN.
PROV. XIII, 10. Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well
advised is wisdom.
PROV. XVII, 14. The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out
water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.
PROV. XVIII, 6. A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth
calleth for strokes.
PROV. XII, 10. A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but
the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
PROV. XXVI, 21. As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is
a contentious man to kindle strife.
PROV. XXIX, 9. If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he
rage or laugh, there is no rest.
ROM. II, 8. But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the
truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation, and wrath.
TITUS III, 9. But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and
contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable
and vain.