I read an interesting article today about Capital Punishment and thought I would share it with my readers. The article highlighted the executions of Troy Davis, Lawrence Brewer and Derrick Mason, and discussed Capital Punishment from a Biblical perspective. I thought the article was well written and addressed some lingering questions I had about man's moral and legal authority.
So what does the Bible say about Capital Punishment? According to the article:
"The answer is “it’s complicated.”"
The article goes on to say:
"Capital punishment was a significant feature in the justice system of Old Testament Israel. Execution was called for in response to extreme civil crimes like murder and rape, as well as for offenses against God’s holiness, like false prophecy and witchcraft. There were mechanisms in place to avert the death penalty in some situations, and God sometimes spared the lives of people whose actions, legally speaking, would have otherwise meant the death penalty."
The article says that in the book of Genesis, God established a principle to address murder.
"The death penalty was never employed arbitrarily or frivolously. In fact, observing the use of capital punishment in the Old Testament actually shows us how precious human life is to God. Because human beings are image-bearers of God, murder was such a serious affront to both God and man that it had to be answered with the blood of the murderer. Genesis 9:6 suggests that this sense of justice is woven into the moral fabric of Creation."
While reading the paragraph above I was thinking: 'But what about Christ's sacrifice, grace, and mercy under the new covenant?' The article addressed this too:
"The New Testament adds important context to the topic but doesn’t clearly instruct us one way or the other regarding the death penalty. The apostle Paul acknowledges that wielding “the sword” is a legitimate exercise of government authority—presumably he is referring to its duty to punish criminals, with violence if necessary. On the other hand, many of Jesus’ actions and words, such as his foiling of the execution of the adulterous woman, suggest that mercy and humility should stay society’s killing hand. And of course, no Christian is unaware of Jesus’ own experience with capital punishment: he was the ultimate innocent victim of the government’s sword wielded unjustly."
The article concluded with a sobering statement:
"Regardless of our conclusions, Christians must make sure that Christlike values—justice, humility, and grace—motivate us, rather than vengeance or hate; and whether Christians choose to support or oppose capital punishment, we are all called to make sure that it is carried out justly and does not target innocent people."
Please feel free to share your thoughts on this. :)
ARTICLE: What does the Bible say about Capital Punishment?
