6th Commandment Flashcards
(47 cards)
1
Q
6th Commandment - Quote
A
“You shall not murder.” (Ex 20:13; Deut 5:17)
2
Q
6th Commandment: Relationship to First Commandment
A
- Although the connection is not as direct as others, this commandment CONNECTS THE VALUE OF LIFE TO THE WORK OF GOD
- Just as God delivered the people from Egypt and owe allegiance to him, God created human life in his image, and human life has a special place that should be protected.
3
Q
6th Commandment: Theological Justification - Terminology
A
- רצח (ratsakh)
- Hebrew term has no related cognates in other ancient Near Eastern languages.
- Used 38 times in OT
- Range of meanings include
a. Never used in context of killing in battle, self-defense, or suicide.
b. Used once to refer to death penalty, but the use of the term creates a play on words in Num 35:26–28. - 35% of occurrences are found in Numbers 35.
- Generally understood as the taking of innocent human life
4
Q
6th Commandment: Theological Justification - Image of God
A
- God prohibits the taking of human life because humans are made in the image of God.
- God has just executed his own judgment against humanity,
- “The sin of murder is not only against the victim and his family but against God, whose image the victim bears.” Mark Rooker
- If we downplay the unique place of man in creation, we devalue human life.
5
Q
6th Commandment: Results
A
- No specific results given in scripture
- Honoring life honors God because it is God who has made us in his image to live in that image for life and to respect the image of God in other people.
6
Q
Ethical Impact: Murder - Lex Talionis
A
- “Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth”
- Law of retaliation – because of God’s image
- Introduced in Gen 9
a. A similar lex talionis is implied in Gen 4:23–24
7
Q
Ethical Impact: Murder - Cities of Refuge
A
- Num 35 institutes the cities of refuge as a means to ensure safety and just punishment.
- 6 different cities
- Unintentional killing
- Protection not given for those who kill with a weapon (Num 35:16–19)
- Protection not given for someone who kills in anger (Num 35:20–21)
- If person kills without premeditation, killer must stay in city of refuge until death of the high priest. (Num 35:22–28)
8
Q
Ethical Impact: Abortion - Eye for an Eye Exodus 21:22–25 Context
A
- Two men are fighting.
- One man strikes a pregnant woman.
- Something happens to the baby.
- No further injury results; therefore, man is fined.
i. Is this simply injury to mother or child also? - If further injury results, lex talionis is implemented.
i. Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.
9
Q
Ethical Impact: Abortion - Eye for an Eye Exodus 21:22–25 Controversy - Miscarriage
A
- The blow results in miscarriage.
- No further injury to mother.
- Man is punished based on injury to mother.
- Lex talionis
- Creates a distinction between personhood and value of mother over baby.
10
Q
Ethical Impact: Abortion - Eye for an Eye Exodus 21:22–25 Controversy - Premature Birth 1st interpretation
A
- The blow results in premature, but otherwise healthy birth.
a. Man is fined. - Any further injury to mother or child implements lex talionis.
- No distinction in personhood or value.
11
Q
Ethical Impact: Abortion - Eye for an Eye Exodus 21:22–25 Controversy - Premature Birth Hebrew Interpretation
A
Evidence from Hebrew
- Yeled—noun used to describe a child
- Yātzā’—verb used to describe birth
i. Not used in OT to refer to miscarriage
ii. Miscarriage is shākōl - No modifier for ‘āsōn, which refers to injury or harm
i. Nothing limits it to just the mother
ii. Can be applied to both mother and child
12
Q
Ethical Impact: Abortion - Eye for an Eye Exodus 21:22–25 Controversy - Premature Birth Conclusion
A
Since the evidence seems clear that premature birth is the correct interpretation, this passage creates a penalty for someone who injures or takes the life of a child in the womb.
13
Q
Ethical Impact: Abortion - God’s Role in Forming the Child - Psalm 139:13-16
A
- God has divine knowledge of the person even in the womb.
- God is an active participant in the formation of the child.
- The development of a child in the womb is a wonderful work of God.
- God has ordained the days of a person before he is ever born.
14
Q
Ethical Impact: Abortion - John the Baptist Meets Jesus - Luke 1:41
A
- John the Baptist leaped in Elizabeth’s womb when Mary greeted her.
- Recognition of the presence of the Messiah even in an unborn state.
15
Q
Ethical Impact: Abortion - Job 3:3
A
a. “A boy is conceived”
b. Recognition of gender at conception
16
Q
Ethical Impact: Abortion - Psalm 51:5
A
a. David was conceived in iniquity
b. Focus on sin nature
17
Q
Ethical Impact: Abortion - Psalm 49:1
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a. God called Isaiah from the womb
b. God knew what Isaiah would do as an adult before he was born
c. Focus on divine foreknowledge
18
Q
Ethical Impact: Abortion - Jeremiah 1:5
A
a. Jeremiah was chosen as a prophet before God even formed him in the womb.
b. Focus on divine foreknowledge
19
Q
Ethical Impact: Abortion - The Personhood Debate
A
- The question of personhood is the central issue in the abortion debate. How one defines personhood directly impacts the conclusion one reaches in this discussion.
20
Q
The Personhood Debate: Developmental View
A
- Personhood is ACHIEVED NOT INHERENT . - Usually involves attaining certain capacities or cognitive abilities 1. Reasoning 2. Consciousness 3. Self-awareness 4. Ability to communicate 5. Self-motivated activity
- Leans heavily on an operational definition of personhood (What can this person do?)
21
Q
The Personhood Debate: Developmental View - Problems
A
- Vagueness of traits
a. What makes a person conscious?
b. What level of reasoning is required? - Subjective definitions
a. Who gets to determine definitions of traits? - Opens door to eliminate other “undesirable” lives
a. Elderly
b. Infanticide
c. Mentally handicapped
22
Q
The Personhood Debate: Structural View - Personhood
A
- Personhood is INHERENT IN HUMAN LIFE
- Biological life begins at conception
- Human beings are rational moral agents that have inherent value.
- Even if full development has not been achieved, human life has inherent value.
23
Q
The Personhood Debate: Structural View - Feinberg
A
- Feinbergs’ argument
1. If x is an embryo made from human sperm and a human egg, then x is a human being.
2. If x is a human being, then x is (is made in) the image of God.
3. If x is (is made in) the image of God, then x is a human person.
4. Therefore, if x is a human being, x is a human person (from 1–3). - Works from a substantive definition of personhood.
- Problems to be answered
1. Is a fertilized egg a unique human being?
2. What about twins?
24
Q
Ethical Impact: Abortion - Hard Cases
A
- Rape and Incest
- Ectopic/Tubal Pregnancies
- Fetal Tissue
- ObamaCare and the HHS Mandate
25
Ethical Impact: Euthanasia
- The word euthanasia comes from 2 Greek terms
1. Eu (ευ) meaning “good, well”
2. Thanatos (θανατός) meaning “death”
- In contemporary usage, it generally refers to a range of actions that lead to the death of a person.
26
Ethical Impact: Euthanasia - Saul
- Saul (1 Sam 31–2 Sam 1)
1. The Philistines wounded Saul.
2. He asked his armor bearer to kill him.
3. When his armor bearer refused, he fell on his own sword.
4. 2 Sam 1 completes the story telling us that Saul did not die initially. He asked an Amalekite to kill him
5. Upon reporting Saul’s death to David, he had the Amalekite killed.
27
Ethical Impact: Euthanasia - Abimelech
- Abimelech (Judges 9:50–57)
1. Crushed by a millstone.
2. Asked armor bearer to kill him.
28
Euthanasia Terminology
- Active/Passive
- Voluntary/Non-Voluntatry/Involuntary
- Direct/Indirect
29
Euthanasia Terminology: Active/Passive
- Active euthanasia
i. There is a purposeful action to bring about the end of life. (assisted suicide)
- Passive euthanasia
i. Withholding treatment needed to sustain life.
30
Euthanasia Terminology: Voluntary/Non-Voluntary/Involuntary
- Voluntary euthanasia
i. Patient authorizes the action or inaction
- Non-voluntary euthanasia
i. The patient does not confirm or deny their wishes
- Involuntary euthanasia
i. The patient is put to death after denying consent
31
Euthanasia Terminology: Direct/Indirect
- Direct euthanasia
i. The patient is the one making the decision (Labeled some kind of suicide) / Takes the action to end it
- Indirect euthanasia
i. Someone other than the patient makes the decision and takes the action to end life.
32
Ethical Impact: Euthanasia - Connection to Abortion Debate
- Personhood
a. Achieved (developmental) personhood vs innate personhood
- Sanctity of Life
a. Human life deserves protection.
b. As image bearers, all humans have a special place in creation.
c. Taking human life is a serious action that should only be undertaken in extreme cases of guilt or divine retribution.
33
Ethical Impact: Euthanasia - Theological Concepts - Aging
- Many people in the Bible are described as dying at a “ripe old age” or “full of days.”
i. “Abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people.” (Gen 25:8)
ii. “Then he died in a ripe old age, full of days, riches and honor; and his son Solomon reigned in his place.” (1 Chron 29:28)
iii. “And Job died, an old man and full of days.” (Job 42:17)
- Old age can also be a reward for obedience.
i. “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you.” (Ex 20:12)
ii. “If you walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and commandments, as your father David walked, then I will prolong your days.” (1 Kings 3:14)
34
Ethical Impact: Euthanasia - Theological Concepts - Death - Resulting from/final
- Death is a result of the curse of sin.
i. “The LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.’” (Gen 2:16–17)
- Death has been conquered.
i. “But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. ‘O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor 15:54–56)
35
Ethical Impact: Euthanasia - Theological Concepts - Death - attitude toward/what it brings
- Death is not to be feared.
i. “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8:38–39)
- Death brings union with Christ for the believer.
i. “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.” (Phil 1:21–24)
36
Ethical Impact: Euthanasia - Theological Concepts - Value of Suffering
- Suffering can be used by the Lord
i. Rom 5:3–5
ii. 1 Pet 1:6–7
iii. 2 Cor 4:17
- Suffering should not be escaped at all costs
- The existence of evil and suffering does not discredit the goodness of God.
37
Ethical Impact: Captial Punishment
- Purposes of Capital Punishment
1. Deterrence
2. Rehabilitation
3. Restitution
4. Retribution
38
Ethical Impact: Captial Punishment - Genesis 9:5-7
- The lex talionis of Gen 9 forms the biblical foundation for capital punishment.
- The main question for Gen 9 today is whether this is part of the civil law.
39
Ethical Impact: Captial Punishment - Romans 13:1-7
- Government is established by God.
- The role of government is to promote order and punish the guilty.
- The government “does not bear the sword for nothing.”
40
Ethical Impact: Captial Punishment - Matthew 5:38-39
- Turn the other cheek.
- Jesus commands his followers not to resist evil.
- Does this relate to the state or just the individual?
41
Ethical Impact: War
- רצח (ratsakh) not used for killing in war
- The consummation of God’s kingdom is peace.
1. Ultimate peace
a. Isa 2:4; 9:6–7; 11:6
2. Christ returns as a conquering king at his second coming.
a. Rev 16:13–16; 19:11–21
42
Ethical Impact: War - War in the OT
- Wars in which the nation of Israel participated were the execution of God’s judgment on the sins of other nations.
a. Deut 9:4–5
43
Ethical Impact: War - Three Philosophies of War
- Pacifism
i. No moral justification for violence
- Crusade
i. War is the battle of good vs evil
- Just War
i. War is morally necessary response to the violation of peace and order
44
Ethical Impact: War - Just War Principles (Jus ad bellum - Justice to War/Principles to go to war) 1
- Just cause
i. The reason for going to war must be just because it is a morally necessary response.
- Legitimate authority
i. Only proper authorities may wage war. i.e. Governments
- Comparative justice
i. The moral case on the side going to war must be greater than that of the other side
- Right intention
i. The goal must be to restore peace
45
Ethical Impact: War - Just War Principles (Jus ad bellum - Justice to War/Principles to go to war) 2
- Probability of success
i. Fairly reasonable chance of succeeding
- Last resort
- Proportionality of results
i. The expected good from war must outweigh the evil costs of war
- Right spirit
i. War is a tragic necessity
46
Ethical Impact: War - Just War Principles (Jus in bello - Principles to keep in war) 2
- Proportionality in use of force
i. Limited force to accomplish the goal
- Discrimination
i. Discriminate between combatants and non-combatants. No civilians.
- Avoidance of evil means
- Good faith
i. Always treat the enemy as end not a means to an end. Means reconciliation is always on the table.
47
Ethical Impact: Anger
- Matt 5:21–26
- The commandment of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount extends the prohibition against murder to anger as well.
- In the regulations about cities of refuge, killing in anger led to capital punishment.
- In this passage, the idea is that anger is just as bad because it demonstrates the problem with the heart.
1. Matt 15:15–20
