Bible Study: Capital Punishment
The following is a handout I typed up for the Newman Bible Study that I lead. Feel free to use as you wish.
Definition: What is Capital Punishment? It is the power of the government to take the life of a person who had been convicted of a crime.
Biblical Data:
Genesis 9:5-6 For your own lifeblood I will surely require a reckoning: from every animal I will require it and from human beings, each one for the blood of another, I will require a reckoning for human life. Whoever sheds the blood of a human, by a human shall that person’s blood be shed; for in his own image God made humankind.
Old Words: The verb “shed” is the Hebrew word shaphak, which means “to pour out in large amount, causing death.” So, death is being referred to here.
Discussion:
What is the context? What just happened to Noah and his family? Why is God giving Noah these commandments? Who is supposed to carry out this punishment? God or man? “I will require reckoning” indicates that this is God’s vengeance, but it is done “by a human”. Why does God command this punishment? “For in his own image God made humankind.” Being made in the image of God is the highest kind of being you can be. Only humans are made this way. So to attack humankind is to attack the closest thing there is to God. It is an attack on God Himself. Could this mean that death will be a natural consequence of murder and doesn’t prescribe the death penalty? No, because God Himself calls for the reckoning and is the ultimate cause for it. Also, the reasoning for it, being made in God’s image, would render the meaning as saying, “Man kills other men because he is made in God’s image” which is an absurd conclusion.
Biblical Data:
Romans 13:1-7 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you wish to have no fear of the authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive its approval; for it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for the authority does not bear the sword in vain! It is the servant of God to execute wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be subject, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience. For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, busy with this very thing. Pay to all what is due them—taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.
Old Words: The Greek word used for the word “sword” here is macharia, which is used all over the Bible as an instrument of death. See for example Acts 12:2, Acts 16:27, Hebrews 11:37, Revelation 13:10, Deuteronomy 13:15, and Deuteronomy 20:13. So what is being talked about here is the power of the government to put people to death.
Discussion:
Where does the authority of government come from? Who do they serve? The people? Or God? See also John 19:11 When government carries out punishments, are they doing a good thing or a bad thing? They are “God’s servant for your good.” Is this man’s wrath or God’s wrath? Is this man’s vengeance or God’s vengeance? The context of Romans 12:9 says not to take out vengeance for it is God’s to repay. God repays it in this way. What happens when government goes evil? Can we rebel? Can we accept their punishments? If government is a servant of God, then we only obey them insofar as they serve God. Any law contrary to God’s law we cannot obey. Any laws that are just, we ought to obey and be subject to them. See Acts 25:11 for obedience and for disobedience see Daniel 6.
Biblical Data:
Revelation 6:9-11 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the testimony they had given; they cried out with a loud voice, “Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?” They were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number would be complete both of their fellow servants and of their brothers and sisters, who were soon to be killed as they themselves had been killed.
Old Words: The Greek word used for “avenge” is ekdikeo which is the same root word as ekdikos in Romans 13 which describes government as that which executes God’s wrath and ekdikesis used in 1 Peter 2:13-14 which describes government as punishers of evil doers.
Discussion:
Who is being described here? Are these people free from sin? What are these sinless people asking for? Can it be wrong to desire punishment for someone? If someone murdered a beloved family member, sibling, spouse, etc. could you refrain from seeking personal vengeance? Could you forgive someone who committed a capital crime against you? Why or why not? If you committed a capital crime, would you be willing to accept death as St. Paul was? Why or why not?
What Does the Bible Say About: Capital Punishment
Biblical Data:
Genesis 9:5-6 For your own lifeblood I will surely require a reckoning: from every animal I will require it and from human beings, each one for the blood of another, I will require a reckoning for human life. Whoever sheds the blood of a human, by a human shall that person’s blood be shed; for in his own image God made humankind.
Old Words: The verb “shed” is the Hebrew word shaphak, which means “to pour out in large amount, causing death.” So, death is being referred to here.
Discussion:
What is the context? What just happened to Noah and his family? Why is God giving Noah these commandments? Who is supposed to carry out this punishment? God or man? “I will require reckoning” indicates that this is God’s vengeance, but it is done “by a human”. Why does God command this punishment? “For in his own image God made humankind.” Being made in the image of God is the highest kind of being you can be. Only humans are made this way. So to attack humankind is to attack the closest thing there is to God. It is an attack on God Himself. Could this mean that death will be a natural consequence of murder and doesn’t prescribe the death penalty? No, because God Himself calls for the reckoning and is the ultimate cause for it. Also, the reasoning for it, being made in God’s image, would render the meaning as saying, “Man kills other men because he is made in God’s image” which is an absurd conclusion.
Biblical Data:
Romans 13:1-7 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you wish to have no fear of the authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive its approval; for it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for the authority does not bear the sword in vain! It is the servant of God to execute wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be subject, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience. For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, busy with this very thing. Pay to all what is due them—taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.
Old Words: The Greek word used for the word “sword” here is macharia, which is used all over the Bible as an instrument of death. See for example Acts 12:2, Acts 16:27, Hebrews 11:37, Revelation 13:10, Deuteronomy 13:15, and Deuteronomy 20:13. So what is being talked about here is the power of the government to put people to death.
Discussion:
Where does the authority of government come from? Who do they serve? The people? Or God? See also John 19:11 When government carries out punishments, are they doing a good thing or a bad thing? They are “God’s servant for your good.” Is this man’s wrath or God’s wrath? Is this man’s vengeance or God’s vengeance? The context of Romans 12:9 says not to take out vengeance for it is God’s to repay. God repays it in this way. What happens when government goes evil? Can we rebel? Can we accept their punishments? If government is a servant of God, then we only obey them insofar as they serve God. Any law contrary to God’s law we cannot obey. Any laws that are just, we ought to obey and be subject to them. See Acts 25:11 for obedience and for disobedience see Daniel 6.
Biblical Data:
Revelation 6:9-11 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the testimony they had given; they cried out with a loud voice, “Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?” They were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number would be complete both of their fellow servants and of their brothers and sisters, who were soon to be killed as they themselves had been killed.
Old Words: The Greek word used for “avenge” is ekdikeo which is the same root word as ekdikos in Romans 13 which describes government as that which executes God’s wrath and ekdikesis used in 1 Peter 2:13-14 which describes government as punishers of evil doers.
Discussion:
Who is being described here? Are these people free from sin? What are these sinless people asking for? Can it be wrong to desire punishment for someone? If someone murdered a beloved family member, sibling, spouse, etc. could you refrain from seeking personal vengeance? Could you forgive someone who committed a capital crime against you? Why or why not? If you committed a capital crime, would you be willing to accept death as St. Paul was? Why or why not?
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