Lesson No. 39 

Lesson No. 39 Sixth Commandment

"Thou shalt not kill". (Exodus chapter 20: verse 13).51

According to the scholars, the word kill, in this passage is translated from the Hebrew "תִּֿרְצַח" of the root "רֶצַח" (retzaj), which actually means ("to murder,"), but it has been interpreted as kill, to give a more radical character to the prohibition. Homicide has a far-reaching implication. The first historically known case appears recounted in the biblical annals, according to the following passage:

Genesis chapter 4: verses 8 to 12: “And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. 9And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? 10And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. 11And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; 12When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth”.51

God's indignation against murderers is exceedingly great. The demands of justice and His divine love tell our conscience clearly that no one has the right to deprive someone of life. And for many reasons that man wishes to present to justify such an act, he will never have an excuse before God, nor will it be forgiven unless he comes truly repentant before His divine presence.

There is no right to cut down the tree that one has not planted or the tower that one has not built, much less is there any right to deprive one's fellow of life, since the Supreme Creator gave them existence. Who is man to destroy God's work without His authorization?

Homicide is the greatest and most horrendous of all crimes that can be committed on earth. Let us consider that even animals, which are irrational beings, guard their offspring with fierce jealousy, and when they are affected by the loss of one of them, they generally suffer and call for them for several days. How much do we humans suffer the loss of our loved ones! Even when they die a natural death or by accident, the pain experienced is indescribable. How much more when knowing that a fellow being has taken a life intentionally!

Homicide brings great pain, sadness, and suffering to humanity. How many parents have been deprived of their children forever due to homicide! How many widows! How many orphans! Countless are the evils this criminal sin has caused humanity throughout all its history.

As stated by our distinguished writer11 in his commentary on this commandment, any act of abuse, assault, threat, and insult, as well as any injustice that contributes to shortening a life, the spirit of hate and vengeance, or any word that leads one to wish harm to another, constitutes a violation to a greater or lesser degree of the sixth commandment, for which one has to account to God. In this regard, let us consider what the following biblical passage tells us:

Matthew chapter 5: verses 21 and 22: “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire”.51

Also, the apostle John, in his first epistle to the Church, declares: Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. (First John chapter 3: verse 15).51