Question 73: What is the sixth commandment?

Answer The sixth commandment is, "You shall not murder."*

Question 75: What is forbidden in the sixth commandment?

Answer: The sixth commandment forbids the taking of our own life, or the life of our neighbor unjustly, including whatever acts tend to this loss.

DAY 1: For the next two weeks we will examine the sixth commandment. The sixth commandment, in our society and sadly in many of our churches is a source of controversy when it is tied to war and capital punishment. Many today seem unable to see the difference between the purposeful killing of an individual by an individual and the execution of a criminal by the state. I hope that we can settle many of those things during our study.

First let’s take a look at what the commandment says. The authorized version (KJV) says, “Thou shalt not kill.” This is where many people stray in their understanding of what the commandment is indeed saying. The New King James gives a better rendering with, “You shall not murder.” The Hebrew word here is ratsach (raw-tsakh’). This term means, “to murder, slay; premeditated; accidental; as avenger; slayer”. God makes it clear what is meant by murder when He outlines murder and its consequences in several passages. For instance, let’s take a look to the Old Testament to see how God describes murder.

Let us note the words of God to Noah in Genesis 9:6. There we find that God states, “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man.” The context bears out that whether a man kills another man or an animal kills a man (vs. 5). To kill an animal is not murder. God told Noah in verse 2 that all creatures were given into their hand. As a matter of fact this distinction is also found in Leviticus 24:21. And whoever kills an animal shall restore it; but whoever kills a man shall be put to death. The context is about dealing with other men. Therefore, the animal spoken of was not a wild animal, but one that was owned by another man. A man who killed another man’s animal had the ability to restore an animal of the same kind to his neighbor. However, if the man took his neighbor’s life, then his life was required of him. Why? It is because man is made in the image of God.

God said to Noah that He would require a man’s death from a beast. Exodus 21:29 specifically speaks to that. If a man owned an ox and it was known to thrust its horns at people who were near and the owner knew of it and did nothing about it and this animal killed someone then the animal and the man were to be put to death. However verse 28 tells us that if the owner was unaware of such behavior and the ox killed someone then the beast was to be stoned and eaten and the owner would be acquitted of any charge of murder. These principles are where we obtain our laws today for the responsibility of men over the animals in their care.

God also took the time to outline specific actions that were murder, for which one would face the death penalty. In Numbers 35 we find several we find that God instructed that the Levites were to be given some common land for themselves. This land was not owned by the Levites, but merely provided to them by God through the Israelites. From this land they were to establish six cities (vs. 6) which were to be places of refuge for anyone who accidentally killed someone. This was so that someone close to the victim might not rush in and take the life of the one who had killed. Now we are told that their might be scenarios where a man would kill another man without any evil intent towards that man (vss. 22-23). However, as long as, the defendant fled to the city of refuge and stayed there, he would be safe until the congregation could hear the evidence brought against him. No one could face capital punishment unless there were two or more witnesses that would testify against them (vs.30).

Look at some of the scenarios in verses16-21 of chapter 35 that constitute murder (SEE ALSO Ex. 21:12-15, 18-27). The idea behind whether or not someone was a murderer is a matter of the heart. Notice verses 21 and 22. The term enmity is used here and determines whether someone is guilty of murder or not. The Hebrew word for enmity is eybah (ay-baw’). The word is literally “hate”. The issue then of what murder is, as with all of the other commandments, specifically deals with the heart. Jesus said, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders” (Mark 7:21). Deuteronomy 19:11-13 also speaks to the issue of someone hating his neighbor and then carrying that hatred out to actions which end up taking the life of the neighbor. Not only is the commandment like the other ones in that it deals with the heart, but it is also punishable by death. Notice in each of the passages we have looked at that the issue is not the rehabilitation of the perpetrator, but rather the punishment of him. As the Scriptures say, “Your eye shall not pity him, but you shall put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with you” (Deut. 19:13).

DISCUSSION: Take time to go over some scenarios of what would be considered murder and what would not be considered murder. Tomorrow, we will elaborate on what Jesus said about the sixth commandment

DAY 2:

In the previous day’s lesson, we saw some of the many outward actions of what murder looks like. Today, we will take a look at the words of Jesus regarding the sixth commandment. We ended the previous lesson affirming that there was something that preceded the action of murder: hatred in the heart. Jesus, in clarifying the standard that God had called men to, spoke of what the sixth commandment was really about and how men violated it.

As we look at the fifth chapter of Matthew, we see that Jesus sets the standards for moral perfection. In verses 17-20 He clearly states that His coming is not to do away with the Law or the Prophets (something too many Christians today are unaware of). Instead He came to fulfill them. This does not speak to the fact that Jesus would keep the Law perfectly, even though He did that. Rather the term fulfill (pleroo play-ro’-o) comes from a root word which means “to accomplish”. The idea is that Jesus came to fulfill the prophecies about Him that were found in the Law and the Prophets (cf. Luke 24:44). And, to emphasize the endurance of the law, Jesus states that not one jot or tittle will pass from it till ALL is fulfilled. Therefore, it seems clear that even today there are many prophecies to be fulfilled in the return of Jesus Christ. Though we are no longer bound by the ceremonial aspects of the law, which were pictures of Christ, they still are words from God that can help us understand what God was communicating to the people of Israel back then about the Christ who was to come and be the reality.

As a matter of fact, notice that Jesus says that heaven and earth will pass away before one jot or tittle passes from the law. The fullness of the prophecies concerning His return and the words by which He will judge cannot and will not be done away with. This is important as we look at the following verse concerning murder, and if you continue on in the passage. The reason that statement is so important is that the law is what man is judged by. He will have to measure up. However, Paul makes it clear that no man can measure up (Rom. 3:19-23). Therefore, this is why we need Christ. He is a perfect Savior. He is one that is able to save and that completely.

Notice that in verse 20 Christ calls the people to a righteousness that exceeds the Pharisees and scribes. In those days the righteousness of the Pharisees seemed impeccable. Here were the “godly” men of the day. They were the ones who seemed to be so “self-sacrificing” and indeed that was their mindset. They strove to do without now so that they might get something later. However Jesus said they were white-washed tombs (Matt. 23:27), but they were full of dead men’s bones. They were interested in being squeaky clean on the outside, but took no thought of their own sinful hearts. Therefore, Jesus addressed that perception among those in the crowd that day.

This leads us up to verse 21. When Jesus states in these texts, “You have heard that it was said to those of old…But I say to you”, He is not saying that what was said in the Old Testament was wrong or that somehow He is altering what the Law said. He has just affirmed that there will be none of that in the previous verses. Rather, He is speaking to what had been passed down to the people even of His own day via the man made laws that governed the people of the day and burdened them. However, His teaching brought the people back to the standard that God had intended in the law, which as we have seen always dealt with the heart.

So in this instance Jesus addresses the issue of murder. Here He says that an outward activity of murder would bring a person into the danger of the judgment. This phrase danger of the judgment can mean two things. First is can simply mean that the person comes under the condemnation and penalty of the sin. This does not seem to be what is being communicated although that certainly would bring someone into that type of judgment. Rather it seems to speak to a group of men (seven in each city, headed in Jerusalem) that served as a lower court of the people. These men were distinguishable from the Sanhedrin, that was a higher court, so to speak. This seems to be clear from the fact that in the next verse Jesus speaks of the council (sunedrion soon-ed’-ree-on), which could either reference either of these “courts”. This was to give a reference for where the people’s thoughts were. They were towards men and not God. They feared the judgment of those within the court, but took no thought of the judgment of God.

In verse 22 Jesus helps them to see that the issue of murder is one of the heart and that one is accountable to God, not men. This is not to say that man does not exercise authority on behalf of God. We saw that in the previous catechism that government is the minister of God to administer justice and wield the sword on evil doers (Rom. 13:1-7). Therefore Jesus says that if one is angry with his brother without cause he is in danger of the judgment. The same Greek term is used here as in verse 21. The word is krisis (kree’-sis). I do not believe Jesus is using the term to speak to the courts, but rather is contrasting what “has commonly been accepted” with the reality of final judgment. I believe this speaks to the judgment of God. In the final day, I will give you some Old Testament narratives that will be helpful in seeing the pattern of a heart that turns to murder.

Notice that Jesus inserts the phrase “without cause”. He does not just say all anger is wrong. Ephesians 4:26 tells us to be angry and not to sin. There is a holy and righteous indignation that we should have as believers. God Himself is angry with the wicked everyday (Psalm 7:11). Was there not a holy anger that burned within the heart of Jesus when He drove the money changers from the temple in John chapter 2? Yes. We can and should have anger towards sin and even towards those who are sinning deliberately, but it should be a holy anger. We should let our anger be tempered with mercy, knowing that we ourselves have obtained mercy through Jesus Christ. However, our anger is usually not this kind of anger. Our anger tends to stem from our pride, self-preservation, or other attitudes that come from our hearts. This is what Jesus spoke of. The fact that someone may unintentionally offend us does not give us cause to become angry with them. They may not even have known they have done it. Likewise we might want to check our own attitudes towards others if we find ourselves angering them in a way that is not warranted.

Jesus goes on to suggest even name calling is a dangerous thing. First He suggests that calling someone “Raca” puts that person in danger with the council. The term Raca means “senseless or empty-headed”. We might have similar phrases today such as “beanhead” or “blockhead”, just to name a few. I confess that I have used some of these terms, both in a joking fashion and a very sinful fashion. These should weigh heavy on our hearts if we are prone to speak quickly out of anger. Even if we don’t actually say the words, remember it’s even what is on the tip of the tongue that counts because it is coming from the heart. However, what Jesus goes on to say is that when we call our brother “fool”, we are in danger of hell fire. The term fool here is moros (mo-ros’). This is the word where we get our word moron from. The term means “foolish, impious, godless”. Jesus goes from the causeless anger to that which becomes a judgmental view of others concerning their eternal state. We are not talking about inspecting the fruit of ones life when they profess faith in Christ. What we are talking about is the kind of spiritual elitism found in the Pharisees. Here He also uses the term hell (geenna gheh’-en-nah). The Online Bible defines hell in these words: “Hell is the place of the future punishment call "Gehenna" or "Gehenna of fire". This was originally the valley of Hinnom, south of Jerusalem, where the filth and dead animals of the city were cast out and burned; a fit symbol of the wicked and their future destruction.”

Jesus then goes on to say that if you remember that you have given cause for someone to be angry with you when you bring your gift (sacrifice) to the altar, then you should leave your gift at the altar and go and be reconciled to your brother. Why? It is because your gift will be unacceptable before God if you don’t. Jesus also commands us to settle quickly with our adversaries. The idea speaks of settling with them outside the restraints of a court system. We should be quick to settle with those who have a legitimate complaint against us.

In conclusion, let us examine our hearts, our speech and how we view others. Do we look at others with spiritual elitist eyes? Are we angry towards someone unjustly? Has our anger been aroused by foolish things rather than godly things? Have our tongues given evidence of sinful anger in our hearts? Have we had godly anger towards sin in our lives and those around us? Let us confess these sins and forsake them if we determine that they are indeed within us. Then let us love one another, for the one who loves has passed from death to life (1 Jn. 3:14), but the one who hates is a murderer and does not have eternal life abiding in him (1 Jn. 3:15).

DAY 3:

Today, I am simply going to give you fathers some narratives that you can share with your families. See if they can see a pattern of anger and murder. Ask if they see some of those same patterns in their own lives and call them to repentance. If not, warn them of the danger of establishing patterns like those seen in the narratives and refer to the words of our Lord in Matthew 5:21-26.

Cain - Genesis 4:1-15

David – 2 Samuel 11

Scripture: Exodus 20:13; Genesis 4:10,11; 9:6; Matthew 5:21-26.