God’s Image Study • Commandment 6: You Shall Not Murder
“You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13, LSB
Our examination began with this commandment and followed the passages describing intention, hatred, persecution, testimony, anger, and love. As we gather those findings together, we must retain both the wording and the connections Scripture makes.
Intention and Circumstances Matter
Numbers 35 and Deuteronomy 19 distinguish deliberate killing from an unintentional death. Hatred, ambush, prior hostility, and seeking another person’s injury matter to the judgment. The congregation must examine what occurred. Read Numbers 35:16–25 and Deuteronomy 19:4–13.
The same outcome does not mean every person acted with the same intention. Careful examination belongs within the protection of life.
Hatred Cannot Be Dismissed
John states:
“Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer”
— 1 John 3:15, LSB, excerpt
The statement does not add a condition that the brother must first have been physically killed. The surrounding passage connects the absence of love with remaining in death and identifies love for the brothers with having passed into life. Read 1 John 3:14–18.
Our examination therefore reaches into our treatment of another person before physical violence occurs.
Religious Claims Do Not Excuse Persecution
Jesus warned that people would kill his disciples while believing they offered service to God. He explained that they had not known the Father or him. Read John 16:1–3.
Stephen’s account places false accusations, resistance to the Holy Spirit, and killing together. His opponents’ claims concerning God and the Law did not make their testimony truthful or their conduct obedient. Read Acts 6:9–14 and Acts 7:51–60.
Witnesses Must Speak Truth
The requirement for two or three witnesses accompanies a requirement for thorough inquiry. Multiple people agreeing cannot turn false testimony into truth or authorize persecution in God’s name. Read Deuteronomy 19:15–19.
First John names the Spirit, the water, and the blood as witnesses in agreement, and identifies God’s testimony concerning His Son as greater than human testimony. We must retain the source and content of the witness. Read 1 John 5:6–12.
Our Response Also Matters
Jesus addresses anger and contemptuous speech, then directs the person bringing an offering to seek reconciliation with his brother. Read Matthew 5:21–24.
Paul directs believers to pursue peace, refuse personal revenge, and overcome evil through good. Another person’s wrongdoing does not remove our responsibility for our own conduct. Read Romans 12:17–21.
Love Must Remain Central
Romans 13 explicitly includes the command against murder when explaining that love fulfills the law. Love does not work evil against a neighbor. Read Romans 13:8–10.
This keeps Jesus’ instruction in Matthew 22:37–40 before us: love for God and love for our neighbor. First Corinthians 13:1–3 likewise requires us to examine speech, knowledge, faith, and sacrifice in relation to love. Read Matthew 22:37–40 and 1 Corinthians 13:1–3.
Deuteronomy’s call to choose life directs us toward YHWH (יהוה): loving Him, obeying His voice, and holding fast to Him. Read Deuteronomy 30:19–20, ASV.
As we close this commandment, we can ask: Do my words and actions express the love I claim, preserve truthful testimony, and follow God’s instruction concerning life?
We will next turn to Commandment 7: You Shall Not Commit Adultery.
Threads to Follow
Life from God: Retain the connection with our Born Again Study.
Truthful testimony: Carry these findings forward when examining the commandment against false witness.
Faithfulness: Begin the next commandment with its wording and context, then follow the connections Scripture provides.
The books were opened…
🌿 By Maria Emilia
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