“On the testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but no one shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness.” (Deuteronomy 17:6)
I was talking with some friends recently about a heinous crime that had been committed. The gory details saturated the newspaper and we were all shocked and saddened that such a thing could happen right here in our own community. One of my friends commented, “I hope they fry them when they catch them.” I wondered, What does the Bible have to say about the death penalty?
Most Christians who support the death penalty cite two Old Testament verses in their efforts to justify its use: “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man;” (Genesis 9-6) and, “But if them is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth…” (Exodus 21:23-24)
While there is no doubt that God believes justice should be served, neither verse concerns the administration of death penalty. Instead, they emphasize that public justice should be exact and calculated. God’s point with regards to what theologians refer to as the “Law of Retaliation” is that the laws that govern our society should insure that the punishment will fit the crime. These verses were never intended by God to be used as biblical justification for capital punishment.
Christians who support the death penalty and use the Old Testament to justify it fail to realize that a lot of Christians believe that 0ld Testament verses have no application to everyday living, especially those in the first five books of the Old Testament, which is referred to in the Hebrew Bible as the Torah, or Law. “That’s the story of God’s covenant with the Jew. It’s the New Testament which should guide our lives,” they will say.
But that’s not what Jesus says. In fact in the verses which follow the Beatitudes, Jesus says, ‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17) In other words, God instructions through the Old Testament continue to have application in today’s world. That’s why Jesus warns, “I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear , not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” (Matthew 5:18) Indeed every letter of every word of the 0ld Testament continues to have life and application.
Jesus also clarifies the Law of Retaliation at Matthew 5:38. “You have heard it said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth’. But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also.” (Matthew 5:38-39)
Why would Jesus say such a thing when He just told us that He did not come to abolish the Law? I mean didn’t we just agree that the Old Testament, letter for letter and word for word, was still valid? You better believe it. God’s point here is that the Law of Retaliation is for judges and should never be used for personal revenge.
Did Jesus agree with God’s admonition that capital punishment should only be used when there are two or more witnesses? You bet He did. At Matthew 18:16, Jesus says, “But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” Jesus believes, as we should, that “every matter”, including capital punishment, should be decided when there are two or more witnesses.
God has changed my mind about the use of the death penalty. I once argued in a Presbyterian Sunday School Class in 1989 that I would never endorse capital punishment, even if it’s use was to pay for a crime committed against my own child. I was wrong. My faith has taught me that mercy and justice go hand in hand. They’re just opposite sides of the same coin.
Share on Facebook