Question: “What does the Bible say about the death penalty / capital punishment?”
Answer: The Old Testament law commanded the death penalty for various acts: murder (Exodus 21:12), kidnapping (Exodus 21:16), bestiality (Exodus 22:19), adultery (Leviticus 20:10), homosexuality (Leviticus 20:13), being a false prophet (Deuteronomy 13:5), prostitution and rape (Deuteronomy 22:24), and several other crimes. However, God often showed mercy when the death penalty was due. David committed adultery and murder, yet God did not demand his life be taken (2 Samuel 11:1-5, 14-17; 2 Samuel 12:13). Ultimately, every sin we commit should result in the death penalty because the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Thankfully, God demonstrates His love for us in not condemning us (Romans 5:8).
When the Pharisees brought a woman who was caught in the act of adultery to Jesus and asked Him if she should be stoned, Jesus replied, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7). This should not be used to indicate that Jesus rejected capital punishment in all instances. Jesus was simply exposing the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. The Pharisees wanted to trick Jesus into breaking the Old Testament law; they did not truly care about the woman being stoned (where was the man who was caught in adultery?) God is the One who instituted capital punishment: “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man” (Genesis 9:6). Jesus would support capital punishment in some instances. Jesus also demonstrated grace when capital punishment was due (John 8:1-11). The apostle Paul definitely recognized the power of the government to institute capital punishment where appropriate (Romans 13:1-7).
How should a Christian view the death penalty? First, we must remember that God has instituted capital punishment in His Word; therefore, it would be presumptuous of us to think that we could institute a higher standard. God has the highest standard of any being; He is perfect. This standard applies not only to us but to Himself. Therefore, He loves to an infinite degree, and He has mercy to an infinite degree. We also see that He has wrath to an infinite degree, and it is all maintained in a perfect balance.
Second, we must recognize that God has given government the authority to determine when capital punishment is due (Genesis 9:6; Romans 13:1-7). It is unbiblical to claim that God opposes the death penalty in all instances. Christians should never rejoice when the death penalty is employed, but at the same time, Christians should not fight against the government’s right to execute the perpetrators of the most evil of crimes.
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this was good….I always have been against the death penalty – until I read your post….and saw the video, thanks for sharing!
justice is hard to find now. Part of that ( to me ) is because all offenses are against the state, not the person and restitution is rarely mentioned.
Were there cities of sanctuary in the old testament that murderers could flee to in exile ?
Yes cities where those guilty of involuntary manslaughter, negligent homicide, and other such lesser forms of killing could flee such that the relatives of the victims could not inflict retribution.
“The cities that you give to the Levites shall be the six cities of refuge, where you shall permit the manslayer to flee, and in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities. 7 All the cities that you give to the Levites shall be forty-eight, with their pasturelands.” Num 35:6-7 (ESV)
Let’s not forget these other sins worthy of a death penalty in the Bible (not all-inclusive):Lying about virginity, being the daughter of a priest practicing prostitution, rape of a virgin who is engaged (if she is not engaged you only have to marry her and give her father 50 shekels), being the victim of rape (if the victim is an engaged female virgin and the rape occurs in a city), marrying a woman and her daughter, worshiping idols, breaking the Sabbath, practicing magic, being a medium or a witch, attempting to convert someone to another religion, apostasy, striking or cursing your parents, being a stubborn or rebellious son (what about such a daughter), being a drunkard,
Yes but I haven’t run across any OT Hebrews lately, so those laws no longer apply. Prior to the Mosaic Law, the death penalty was instituted as a penalty for murder, and that superceeds the Law and lives on after the the Mosaic law was fulfilled by the Lord Jesus.
it is a curiosity to me how,out of alisting of laws, some have continuing application and others do not. . .?
I guess God considers murder more relevant than eating lobster.
yeah. I am beginning to see a pattern here. There seems to be a division within the old law. Love God, part one. . .love people, part two?. It seems the laws concerning people are what got carried forward by Jesus and Paul int he NT. . .that is, crimes against people, acts which are not showing altruism and care of another human—-murder, theft, adultery, what else? And that the old purity laws are done away with. . .like mismatched cloth, kosher laws, ritual cleanliness also? I mean, what Jesus said to the rich young ruler was keep all the laws concerning interaction of people, finishing with love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus did say that loving people was the same as loving God. . . .The “no other God” and kosherite laws were not mentioned. I wonder if there is a pattern here? Or meaning?
I think you are on to something here. Yes people are more important than religious ceremony and legalism.
since this is th ethread that got me thinking about what became today’s post on my blog: http://petriesan.wordpress.com/2013/02/01/not-all-sins-are-equal-because-not-all-laws-are-equal/