Pentecost Week 14 - The Sixth Commandment

Christ Church Elders
2 hours ago
4 min read

Scripture Reading

*Explain the context: “This week, we will continue to read about God giving Israel his instructions at Mt. Sinai after God had freed them from Egypt.”

Exodus 20:13

Big Idea (For Parents)

We must not commit willful or negligent wrongful violence against God’s image bearers.

Family Reflection

(Read aloud or summarize)

In the Ten Commandments, the first five commandments focus vertically on our relationship with God. The last five commandments focus horizontally on our relationship with God’s image bearers—human beings. Jesus later sums up these two focuses of the Law as the commands to love God with all you are and to love your neighbor as yourself.

As the first commandment in the section focusing on love of humans, the Sixth Commandment forbids willful or negligent wrongful violence against God’s image bearers. Though commonly translated, “you shall not kill” or “you shall not murder,” both “kill” and “murder” here can be misleading. Killing (or otherwise physically harming) humans is authorized in self-defense, the national self-defense of just war, and the civil government’s just use of the sword to punish wrongdoers. Since these types of violence are authorized in Scripture, they are not wrongful.

On the other hand, the Sixth Commandment forbids things not included in the concept of “murder,” which generally requires willfulness or intentionality in causing harm. In addition to murder, the Sixth Commandment also prohibits negligence which causes human death. Negligence is not using the care a reasonable person would use in the same situation which then leads to another’s harm. An example of negligence in ancient Israel would be failing to build a fence around the balcony-like flat roof of your new house which then leads to a visitor falling off and dying (Deuteronomy 22:8). Though the Sixth Commandment most directly forbids wrongful violence causing death, it impliedly prohibits wrongful violence resulting in lesser physical harm as well.

As an expertly-crafted summary of God’s Law as applied to Israel in the Mosaic era, the Ten Commandments not only neatly divide into the initial five God-ward commands and the latter five man-ward commands, but the two halves also correspond to each other in sequence. So, the First Commandment corresponds to the Sixth Commandment, the Second Commandment corresponds to the Seventh Commandment, and so on. Regarding the First and Sixth Commandments, in the First Commandment, Yahweh says, “You shall have no other gods before me,” or translated more directly, “before my face.” The idea is that our worshiping, trusting, loving, valuing, or honoring something else as “god” is an attack on the true God’s unique divinity which we commit right to his face. It is a form of violence against him in his own presence. Correspondingly, then, in the Sixth Commandment, God forbids willful or negligent violence which constitutes a wrongful physical attack on his image bearers. Our love for God must be expressed, in part, in our love for humans who all bear his image.

Discussion Questions

(Choose 1-2. Adjust for age.)

1- Sometimes physical violence against humans is authorized and necessary and sometimes it is sin. Think of some examples of physical violence and decide whether they are forbidden or are authorized as part of God’s good Law in a fallen world.

(Examples: a police officer using violence to stop an attacker from murder; a sibling getting angry because a younger sibling took a toy and therefore hitting the younger sibling; a parent calmly spanking a young disobedient child; a robber hitting a woman with a stick and stealing her purse; a soldier in a defensive war shooting at enemy soldiers; a person driving a car while on medicine causing drowsiness such that he wrecks and injures another)

2- The Sixth Commandment prohibits negligence which causes physical harm to humans. What are some ways we should be proactive in our daily lives to avoid such negligence?

(Think: not distracting the driver while riding in the car; cleaning up spills or other messes which could cause people to fall; ensuring potentially dangerous animals are properly enclosed/leashed; being careful with fire and hazardous materials)

3- We greatly value the life of all of God’s image bearers because we supremely value God himself. Some people do not value and protect human life which they consider of lesser worth, such as pre-born babies, very old people, and those with severe mental or physical disabilities. What are some ways Christians can demonstrate their great valuing of all human life?

Practice—Promote Life

One way to resist the temptation to wrongful violence is to intentionally commit ourselves to do the opposite—promote others’ physical wellbeing. Try to think of one way you can do so this week. Examples could include sharing a hearty meal, taking time to exercise together, cheering up someone who has been in a difficult season (see Proverbs 17:22), or contributing time, talent or treasure to a pro-life ministry.

To close, pray that God would guide and bless your action step and more broadly would promote life and end wrongful violence in his world.