What is Christianity Wiki

Jump to: navigation, search

(The SIXTH Commandment)

Next Part 2 (The SIXTH Commandment)


"You shall not kill." Exodus 20:13

In this commandment is a sin forbidden, which is murder, "You shall not kill," and a duty implied, which is, to preserve our own life, and the life of others.

The sin forbidden, is murder. "You shall not kill." Here two things are to be understood, the not injuring another, nor ourselves.

I. The not injuring another.

[1] We must not injure another in his NAME. "A good name is a precious balsam." It is a great cruelty to murder a man in his name. We injure others in their name, when we calumniate and slander them. David complains, "They laid to my charge things that I knew not." Psalm 35:11. The primitive Christians were traduced for incest, and killing their children, as Tertullian says, "They charge us with infanticide and label us incestuous." This is to behead others in their good name; it is an irreparable injury. No physician can heal the wounds of the tongue!

[2] We must not injure another in his BODY. Life is the most precious thing; and God has set this commandment as a fence about it, to preserve it. He made a statute which has never to this day been repealed. "Whose sheds man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed." Gen 9:6. In the old law, if a man killed another unwillingly, he might take sanctuary; but if he killed him willingly, though he fled to the sanctuary, the holiness of the place would not defend him. "If someone deliberately attacks and kills another person, then the slayer must be dragged even from my altar and put to death." Exodus 21:14. In the commandment, "You shall do no murder," all sins are forbidden which lead to it, and are the occasions of it. As,

(1) Anger. Anger boils in the veins, and often produces murder. "In their anger they slew a man." Gen 49:6.

(2) Envy. Satan envied our first parents the robe of innocence, and the glory of paradise, and could not rest until he had procured their death. Joseph's brethren, because his father loved him, and gave him a "coat of many colours," envied him, and took counsel to slay him. Gen 37:20. Envy and murder are near akin, therefore the apostle puts them together. "Envying, murders." Gal 5:21. Envy is a sin which breaks both tables at once; it begins in discontent against God, and ends in injury against man, as we see in Cain. Gen 4:6, 8. Envious Cain was first discontented with God, by which he broke the first table; and then fell out with his brother and slew him, and thus broke the second table. Anger is sometimes "soon over," like fire kindled in straw, which is quickly out; but envy is deep rooted, and will not quench its thirst without blood. "Who is able to stand before envy?" Prov 27:4.

(3) Hatred. The Pharisees hated Christ because he excelled them in gifts, and had more honour among the people than they. They never left him until they had nailed him to the cross, and taken away his life. Hatred is a vermin which lives upon blood. "Because you have had a perpetual hatred, and have shed the blood of the children of Israel." Ezek 35:5. Haman hated Mordecai because he would not bow to him, and presently sought revenge, by getting a bloody warrant sealed for the destruction of the whole race and seed of the Jews. Esth 3:9. Hatred is ever cruel. All these sins are forbidden in this commandment.

How many ways is murder committed? We may be said to murder another twelve ways.

(1) With the hand; as Joab killed Abner and Amasa. "Amasa didn't notice the dagger in his left hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach with it so that his insides gushed out onto the ground." 2 Sam 20:10.

(2) With the mind. Malice is mental murder. "Whoever hates his brother is a murderer." 1 John 3:15. To malign another, and wish evil against him in the heart, is murdering him.

(3) With the tongue, by speaking to the harm of another, and causing him to be put to death. Thus the Jews killed the Lord of life, when they inveighed against him, and accused him falsely to Pilate. John 18:30.

(4) With the pen. Thus David killed Uriah by writing to Joab to "set Uriah in the forefront of the battle." 2 Sam 11:15. Though the Ammonites' sword killed Uriah—yet David's pen was the cause of his death; and therefore the Lord tells David by the prophet Nathan, "You have killed Uriah." 2 Sam 12:9.

(5) By plotting another's death. Thus, though Jezebel did not lay her own hands upon Naboth—yet because she contrived his death—she was the murderer. 1 Kings 21:9, 10.

(6) By putting poison into cups. Thus the wife of Commodes the emperor killed her husband by poisoning the wine which he drank. So, many kill little children by medicines, which cause their death.

(7) By witchcraft and sorcery—which were forbidden under the law. "Do not let your people practice fortune-telling or sorcery, or allow them to interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead. Anyone who does these things is an object of horror and disgust to the Lord." Deuteronomy 18:10-12

(8) By having an intention to kill another; as Herod, under a pretense of worshiping Christ, would have killed him. Matt 2:8, 13. So, when Saul made David go against the Philistines, he designed that the Philistine should have killed him. "Saul said, Let not my hand be upon him—but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him." 1 Sam 18:17. Here was the intent to murder, and it was in God's account as bad as actual murder.

(9) By consenting to another's death; as Saul to the death of Stephen. "I also was standing by and consenting unto his death." Acts 22:20. He who gives consent, is accessory to the murder.

(10) By not hindering the wrongful death of another, when in our power. Pilate knew Christ was innocent. "I find no fault in him," he said—but did not hinder his death; therefore he was guilty. Washing his hands in water, could not wash away the guilt of Christ's blood.

(11) By unmercifulness. By taking away that which is necessary for the support of life; as to take away the tools or utensils by which a man gets his living. "It is wrong to take a pair of millstones, or even just the upper millstone, as a pledge, for the owner uses it to make a living." Deut 24:6. Or by not helping him when he is ready to perish. You may be the death of another, as well by not relieving him, as by doing him violence. If you do not feed him who is starving, you kill him. How many are thus guilty of the breach of this commandment!

(12) By not executing the law upon capital offenders. A felon having committed six murders, the judge may be said to be guilty of five of them, because he did not execute the felon for his first offence.


Next Part 2 (The SIXTH Commandment)