Taking Life

“You shall not murder.” (Exodus 20:13, NKJV)

The King James Version renders the sixth commandment: “Thou shalt not kill.” The New International Version states: “You must not murder anyone.” Eugene W. Peterson in The Message Bible is to the point: “No murder.”

We all agree that murder, or taking the life of another, is extremely wrong. God Himself, the Giver of life, has power to give and take life. Human intervention in this sacred realm of snuffing out life is forbidden. Considering the commandment not to kill or murder or take a life, we are confronted with many questions, all of which are hard to answer. What about war and killing in war? Do human beings have the right to enter war and take the lives of others, many of whom are innocent and in the way of danger and death in warfare? Pacifists through time have objected by hiding from war duty when country calls. Others have volunteered or been enlisted to fight a country’s battles, and many have killed in hand-to-hand combat or with targeting the enemy with bombs. We admire our military whose assigned duties are the protection of our country and its freedoms. In biblical times, especially in the Old Testament era, God commanded the Israelites to fight the enemy and conquer the land. Notable examples of justifiable warfare are given. What about the death penalty for a crime: “a life for a life”? Ethicists still argue the point and our prisons house murderers awaiting appeals for their crime, even up to the day of the death penalty. What about the act sometimes termed “mercy killing,” or terminating life when there is no hope of quality of life because of illness and disease? Or take the pro-choice debate: Is abortion murder? “Thou shalt not kill” covers many aspects of taking human life and requires careful deliberation in each instance.

William B. Tolar, writing on Exodus in The Disciples’ Study Bible (Holman, 1988) states: “You shall not murder” forms the central reference point regarding the sacredness of life in the Old Testament. The major emphasis of the commandment is that life is a gift from God and its stewardship is to be guarded carefully. Though generally the application is that there should be no vengeful killing (i. e. murder), the statement still puts the burden of proof upon anyone who takes another’s life in whatever circumstances. To take away life from another lightly was perceived as an attempt at taking the place of God as Controller of life.” The commandment sets forth the sanctity of life. Life is a gift from God, and sacred.

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Tuesday, August 10, 2010