Two arguments from
Christians who think that God does not support the death penalty in the New
Testament are first, the sixth commandment of the bible and second, capital
punishment is only allowed in the Old Testament because Jesus Christ changed
many things in the New Testament. I will rebut them here:
Claim: Some
Christians claim the commandment, "thou shall not kill," is a
prohibition of capital punishment.
Truth: First of
all, this is an incorrect translation from Hebrew. The commandment should read,
"Thou shall not murder." This commandment would apply to individual
instances of homicide and wouldn't be construed in any way to exclude society
from executing murderers. It is worth noting that those making this claim do so
oblivious to the fact that the ten commandments are located in the Book of
Exodus and merely a chapter later we find Moses prescribing the death penalty
for a variety of offenses including murder.
Claim: Some
Christians claim that Christ broke with the torah and the Old Testament
is obsolete as a result.
Truth: Let's
recount some facts: Jesus' acceptance of God's unchanging torah (Matt.
5:17-19), a torah wherein God's unambiguous attitude toward murder is
beyond debate; outlines applications that are deeper than are explicit in torah
(Matt.21-48); Jesus' repeated encouragement of others to obey the guidelines of
torah (Matt. 8:1-4), especially if they would enter eternal life (Matt.
19:16-17); Jesus' quotation from torah specifically about the death
penalty (Matt. 15:4); appeals to the "law [torah] and the prophets"
(Matt. 7:12); instructs a leper concerning observance of Levitical guidelines
(Matt. 8:1-4); instructs his followers to obey the teachings of Moses even as
interpreted by the Pharisaic bet-din (Matt. 23:1-3); cites torah in a
discussion with the Sadducees (Mark 12:18-27).
Matthew 5 verse 17 to
19: 17Think not
that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy,
but to fulfil. 18For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth
pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be
fulfilled. 19Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least
commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the
kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be
called great in the kingdom of heaven.
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