The 5th Commandment:

You shall not murder

Chain the Catechism: A topical study through the Lutheran confessions

Gen 9:6 Whoever sheds…Ps 139:16 Your eyes…Acts 17:25 He Himself…Deut 32:39 See now that…

1 Jn 3:15 Anyone who hates…Ro 13:4 He is God’s… Eph 4:32 Be kind…

Memorization Verses:

Who is your breaker of the 5th personality?

Who Done It?

Popcorn: Dear Father, I

have _______, but you __________.

Prayer Activity

LSB#863 lutheran-hymnal.com/online/tlh-026.mid GDG|G.fG|ABC|C-B|A-.

1. Praise the Almighty, my soul, adore Him!

Yea, I will laud Him until death.With songs and anthems I come before Him

As long as He allows me breath.From Him my life and all things came;Bless, O my soul, His holy name. Allelujah! Allelujah!

2. Trust not in rulers, they are but mortal;Earth-born they are and soon decay.Vain are their counsels at life's last portal,When the dark grave engulfs its prey.Since mortals can no help afford,Praise all your trust in Christ, our Lord. Allelujah!

3. Blessed, oh, blessed are they foreverWhose help is from the Lord most high,Whom from salvation can nothing sever,And who in hope to Christ draw nigh.

To all who trust in Him, our LordWill aid and counsel now afford Allelujah! 4. God the Almighty, the great Creator,Ruler of sky and land and sea,All things ordained, and sooner or laterThey come to pass unfailingly.His rule is over rich and poor,His promise ever standeth sure. Allelujah!5. Penitent sinners, for mercy crying,Pardon and peace from Him obtain;Ever the wants of the poor supplying,Their faithful God He doth remain.He helps His children in distress,The widows and the fatherless. Allelujah!6. Praise, all you people, the name so holyOf Him who does such wondrous things!All that hath being, to praise Him solely,With happy heart its "Amen" sings!Children of God, with angel hostPraise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! Allelujah!

“Thou shalt not suffer [permit] a witch to live,” which was taken as a divine instruction by Christians until relatively recently in human history. Some work is obviously needed here: what is first-degree or third-degree killing and what isn’t? Distinguishing killing from murder is not a job easily left to mortals: what are we to do if God himself can’t tell the difference?

Discussion Quote

s .xcfr:t@i )lo You shall not murder

Ratsach (xcr): to murder, slay, kill(Qal) to

murder, slaypremeditatedaccidentalas avengerslayer (intentional) (participle)

5th Commandment: Exegesis

How does scripture define “murder”The OT differentiates killings using

different terminologyRatsach is used only a few times in

the OT. In long passages in Numbers 35, Deut. 19, and Joshua 20-21, it is used to describe the act of someone who has committed manslaughter and/or premeditated murder

Consider Cain/Abel, Ahaz/Naboth, Wicked/Widow

5th Commandmen: Exegesis

You can’t kill…unless of course you have a license

Therefore what is “murder” in the narrow sense acc. to OT?Premeditated KillingManslaughter (passion killing or

through negligence)Conspiring to killSuicideAbortion (killing for advantage not

linked to defense)Unjust warfare and solider disputesUnjust criminal punishmentAvengers

5th Commandmen: Exegesis

Therefore what is NOT “murder” in the narrow sense acc. to OT?God’s judgmentGod’s taking of life of an individualState bearing the sword justlyIn defense of neighborJust warfareAccidental killings

5th Commandmen: Exegesis

Law: Because we live in a sinful world we

conspire, hate, or mock our neighbor in ways that explicitly break the 5th commandment (even without the Ratsach)

Gospel:Christ never harbored these unjust

feelings that lead to murderRather, he bore the weight of our

broken fifths upon himself.He defeats our hatred of the fifth

by conquering death and our sin.

5th Commandment: Christology

God promises to:Give strength to honor lifeDevelop love and patience in the

fellowship of all believersStrengthen the bonds between

Christians and their neighborsMaintain dignity to even our enemiesEstablish government as arbiterHold vengeance for the Last Day

5th Commandment: Application

In the research teams, after discussing your verses and notes for the week:1. Create a 5 line mosaic

(poem) summarizing the section

2. Draw a picture in your notes of each line.

5th Commandment Mosaic

Questions:What does God forbid in the

5th?Is killing wrong?When does life begin/end?Who has authority over life

and death?What does God require in the

5th?

Teams:SS: Forbidden…M: Abortion and EuthanasiaT: SuicideW: Authority over Life &

Supporting NeighborTh: What is Required

Research Teams: The 4th CommandmentYou shall not murder.What does this mean?We should fear and love God so thatwe do not hurt or harm our neighbor in his body, but help and support him in every physical need.

We believe: God forbids us to take the life of another person (murder, abortion, euthanasia) or our own life (suicide).

Gen. 9:6 Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.

Matt. 26:52 All who draw the sword will die by the sword.

Cain murdered his brother Abel (Gen. 4:8).

David murdered Uriah through others (2 Sam. 11:15).

Killing through carelessness (Ex. 21:29 and Deut. 22:8).

Judas killed himself (Matt. 27:5).

Pray: O Lord, in commanding me not to kill, You have taken from me the right to hurt or to harm my neighbor or to seek to be revenged upon him. All revenge You have reserved unto Yourself, saying, “Vengeance is Mine.” The right to take life You have reserved unto the government, saying, “He bears not the sword in vain, for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon the one who does evil.” Let Your Holy Spirit so govern and direct my every thought and action that in private quarrel I never seek to hurt or harm my neighbor in his body. Instead grant me the grace to befriend him and to help in his bodily need everyone who needs my help; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord. Amen. (Paul Bente, 1886-1957)

SS. What does God forbid in the Fifth Commandment?

We believe: The living but unborn are persons in the sight of God from the time of conception. Since abortion takes a human life, it is not a moral option except to prevent the death of another person, the mother. The severely handicapped, infirm, helpless, and aged are persons in the sight of God with life given by Him and to be ended only by Him. The severely handicapped, infirm, helpless, and aged are persons in the sight of God with life given by Him and to be ended only by Him.

Jer. 1:5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.

Ps. 139:16 Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were

written in Your book before one of them came to be.

John the Baptist leaped for joy while still in his mother's womb. In doing so, John the Baptist and Elizabeth, by the Holy Spirit, acknowledged the unborn Jesus as Lord (Luke 1:41-44).

Prov. 6:16-17 There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood.

Prov. 31:8 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.

Acts 17:25 He Himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.

M. What is forbidden? When does life begin and end?

Pray: Lord God, dear heavenly Father, am I not Your dear child? But I am a very weak and miserable child, easily led into wrong paths and seduced to wickedness. Have patience with me for Jesus’ sake. Forgive me my sin. I pray that by Your Holy Spirit you would daily check and change the virulent evil, until in the end You will deliver me from the body of this death and renew me to blessed perfection. Amen. (C.M. Zorn, 1846-1928).

I confession and deplore before You my own and the world’s wickedness. We are not only cruelly ungrateful for Your fatherly love and care for us, but we also shamefully neglect to learn these commandments and teachings.

We despise them as though they did not concern us, or as though we received no benefit from them. Besides, we go on confidently and do not make it a matter of conscience to forsake, despise, persecute, injure, and at heart kill our neighbor, contrary to Your commandment. We pursue our anger, rage, and every hatred as though we were doing right and well thereby. Truly it is time for us wicked sinners to weep and lament, for like a wild and rude people and raving beasts we trample, push, scratch, tear, bite, and devour one another and fail to listen to this important commandment of God. Lord, I am an evil doer and a sinner against Your divine commandment. Help me, for I am helpless. Amen. (Luther)

M. What is forbidden? When does life begin and end?

We believe: My own life is a gift of God to be ended only by Him. God forbids us to hurt or harm our neighbor physically, that is, to do or say anything which may destroy, shorten, or make his or her life bitter. God forbids us to keep anger and hatred in our hearts against our neighbor.

Jer. 31:3 The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.“

Luke 12:22 Jesus said to His disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.“

Deut. 32:39 See now that I Myself am He! There is no god besides Me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of My hand.

Rom. 12:19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is Mine to avenge; I will repay,"

says the Lord. Joseph's brothers harmed Joseph and made

the life of their father bitter by their wickedness (Gen. 37:23-35).

The Egyptians made the lives of the children of Israel bitter by hard labor (Exodus1).

Matt. 5:22 I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.

1 John 3:15 Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

Matt. 15:19 Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.

Eph. 4:26 In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.

The Jews showed their anger against Stephen (Acts 7:54).

God warned Cain against anger (Gen. 4:5-7).

T. What is forbidden? Can I decide about my own life?

Pray: I thank You for Your unspeakable love, care, and faithfulness toward me. You have placed a great and strong protective wall around my body so that all men are duty bound to spare and safeguard me. In turn You want me to treat all men in the same way. Where this is not done You hold the sword over me and command that it be used to punish those who fail to do Your commands. If it were not for Your commandment and its enforcement, the devil would bring about such murder among us people that no one could live securely for one hour. This is the case when You are provoked to anger and You permit this thankless, disobedient world to be punished. Amen. (Luther).

Dear Lord, here You teach me what You would have me do. I am to love my neighbor so that I do not injure his body by words or deeds. Nor should I seek revenge against him, or harm him through anger,

impatience, envy, hatred, or any other evil. But I should know that I am indebted to help and advise him in all his bodily needs. For in this commandment You direct me to protect my neighbor’s body. You also order my neighbor to defend me. You have commended to each one his own neighbor. Teach us to pray: Our Father who art in heaven…Amen. (Luther).

I ask You, dear Father, enable us to know this holy commandment, and help us to live and act accordingly. Protect us from the destroyer who is the source of all injury and murder. Grant us Your rich grace so that the people around us shall be friendly, kind, and gentle to one another, forgive each other from the heart, and put up with each others’ faults and shortcomings in Christian and brotherly gentleness. Then we may live in true peace and unity, as this commandment teaches and requires us to do. Amen. (Luther).

T. What is forbidden? Can I decide about my own life?

We believe: Yes, lawful government, as God's servant, may execute criminals and fight just wars. We should help and support our neighbor in every bodily need.

Rom. 13:4 He is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.

Rom. 12:20 If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.

Abraham rescued Lot from his enemies (Gen. 14:12-16).

David protected the life of Saul (Sam. 26:1-12).

The good Samaritan helped the man who had fallen among thieves (Luke 10:33-35).

Pray: May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ Himself, who is the Song of God, and our everlasting High Priest, build you up in faith and truth, and in all meekness, gentleness, patience, longsuffering, forbearance, and purity. May He bestow on you a lot and portion among His saints, on us with you, and on all that are under heaven, who shall believe in our Lord Jesus Christ and in His Father, who raised Him from the dead. Pray for all the saints. Pay also for kings, and potentates, and princes, and for those that persecute and hate you, and for the enemies of the cross, that your fruit may be manifest to all, and that you may be perfect in Him. Amen. (Polycarp of Smyrna, c. 69-c.155).

W. Does anyone have authority to take an other person's life? What is required in the 5th?

We believe: We should be merciful, kind, and forgiving towards our neighbor. We should avoid and assist our neighbor in avoiding the abuse of drugs and the use of any substance that harms the body and the mind.

Matt. 5:5,7,9 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.... Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.... Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

Matt. 6:15 If you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Eph. 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Jesus showed mercy to the 10 lepers (Luke 17:11-19).

The centurion was kind to his sick servant (Matt. 8:5-13).

Joseph was forgiving toward his brothers (Gen. 45:1-16).

2 Cor. 7:1 Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit.

Pray: Mid foes You were bereft of friends in lonely desolation, that I might never be left alone when thronged by sore temptation. Yes, all forsook You at that hour that all things now might cheer me. When strife is near me, draw close, my Champion and my Tower. And when I call, O hear me. Lord, from that night of deadly strife, and Your lone road of sorrow, the will to tread the way of life, the power, the grace I’d borrow. Let not the evil one entice my feet to fleshly wanderings, his wiles pondering, but may this prayer of love suffice to my dark foe’s dismaying. Amen. (Hallgrim Petursson, 1614-74)

Th . What is required in the 5th?

Questions: What does God forbid in the 5th? Is killing wrong? When does life begin/end? Who has authority over life and death? What does God require in the 5th?Answers: God forbids us to take the life of another

person (murder, abortion, euthanasia) or our own life (suicide).

The living but unborn are persons in the sight of God from the time of conception. Since abortion takes a human life, it is not a moral option except to prevent the death of another person, the mother. The severely handicapped, infirm, helpless, and aged are persons in the sight of God with life given by Him and to be ended only by Him. The severely handicapped, infirm, helpless, and aged are persons in the sight of God with life given by Him

and to be ended only by Him. My own life is a gift of God to be ended

only by Him. God forbids us to hurt or harm our neighbor physically, that is, to do or say anything which may destroy, shorten, or make his or her life bitter. God forbids us to keep anger and hatred in our hearts against our neighbor.

Yes, lawful government, as God's servant, may execute criminals and fight just wars. We should help and support our neighbor in every bodily need.

We should be merciful, kind, and forgiving towards our neighbor. We should avoid and assist our neighbor in avoiding the abuse of drugs and the use of any substance that harms the body and the mind.

Conclusion

The 6th Commandment:You shall not commit

adultery.

Next Week…