The Value of Human Life

The Value of Human Life Exodus 20:13 Context • The 10 Commandments teach a top-down perspective. • Although we now move from man’s relationship to God to man’s relationship to man, God remains central. • “You shall not murder.” 1. Terse: two Hebrew words 2. New: first time the word “murder” (ratzach) is used in the Bible; only time it’s used in Exodus. 3. Specific: Hebrew has multiple words for “kill,” but this word generally refers to the unlawful killing of people • Outline: God’s Foundation; God’s Expansions; God’s Exceptions; God’s Redemption God’s Foundation 1. People bear the image of God • • • Unique in all creation (Genesis 1:26-27) An internal quality of God-likeness (Ephesians 4:24) God’s likeness in man, therefore, excludes sexism (Genesis 1:27), racism (Deuteronomy 10:19), cursing (James 3:9), and insulting (Matthew 5:22b) 2. Image equals ownership – Mark 12:13-17 3. Satan is perpetually at war with God and His imagebearing representatives – Genesis 4; John 8:44 God’s Expansions 1. Crimes of passion resulting in murder – Numbers 35:20 2. Criminal negligence resulting in the loss of life – Exodus 21:28-29 (animals); Deuteronomy 22:8 (building codes) 3. Killing the unborn (Exodus 21:22-25) 4. Killing the elderly (Isaiah 46:4; Psalm 71:18) 5. Suicide (Hebrews 9:27) 6. Self-defacement (Mark 5:5; 1 Kings 18:28) 7. Anger/hatred of family and fellow believers (Matthew 5:22; 1 John 2:9; 4:20) God’s Exceptions 1. Killing in war – Exodus 17:8ff 2. Capital Punishment – Genesis 9:5; Romans 13:4 3. Killing in self-defense – Exodus 22:2 4. Killing in the defense of others – Proverbs 24:11 5. Killing to prevent further loss of life – Numbers 25:19 God’s Redemption 1. God has a long history of forgiving murderers: • • • Moses – Exodus 2:11-12 David – Psalm 32 Saul of Tarsus – 1 Timothy 1:15-16 2. God is free to forgive murder because His Son was the chief victim of murder – Acts 7:52