Justice and Community The Sixth Commandment Justice is a community effort. Numbers 35:22-29 “But if he pushed him suddenly without enmity, or hurled anything on him without lying in wait or used a stone that could cause death, and without seeing him dropped it on him, so that he died, though he was not ...
Havens of Grace The Sixth Commandment Cities of refuge were tokens of grace. Deuteronomy 19:1-10 “‘When the LORD your God cuts off the nations whose land the LORD your God is giving you, and you dispossess them and dwell in their cities and in their houses, you shall set apart three cities for yourselves ...
Hint of Grace The Sixth Commandment Grace is always present in the work of the Law. Exodus 21:28-31 “When an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner of the ox shall not be liable. But if the ...
Individual Responsibility The Sixth Commandment Each is responsible for his own sin only. Deuteronomy 24:16 “‘Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. Each one shall be put to death for his own sin.’” Under the Law of God each person ...
Lex Talionis The Sixth Commandment An eye for an eye was the standard of justice. Leviticus 24:17-23 “Whoever takes a human life shall surely be put to death. Whoever takes an animal’s life shall make it good, life for life. If anyone injures his neighbor, as he has done it shall be done to ...
Punishment for Rape The Sixth Commandment Rape is as serious as murder. Deuteronomy 22:25-27 “But if in the open country a man meets a young woman who is betrothed, and the man seizes her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her shall die. But you shall do nothing to ...
Life in the Womb The Sixth Commandment Reverence for all life. Exodus 21:22-25 “When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman’s husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay ...
Manslaughter The Sixth Commandment Not all killings of men are murder. Exodus 21:12-14 “Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death. But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place to which ...
Conditions for the Death Penalty The Sixth Commandment The death penalty was a community duty. Numbers 35:16-21 “But if he struck him down with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death. And if he struck him down with a stone tool that could ...
Due Process The Sixth Commandment There are conditions for applying the death penalty. Deuteronomy 19:11-13 “‘But if anyone hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him and attacks him and strikes him fatally so that he dies, and he flees into one of these cities, then the elders of his city shall send ...