Capital Punishment and the Bible Essay - 1355 Words

Capital Punishment and the Bible Capital punishment has always been an arguable issue and for good reason. The Old Testament clearly calls for the death penalty on many occasions, whereas; many of the teachings of Jesus and others in the New testament readily denounce it. Therefore, both advocates ands opponents of capital punishment have Biblical references to support their beliefs. Opponents use the creation story to show that all are created in Gods image. Genesis 1:27a states that â€Å"God created man in his image.†1 God, thus, has the power to give and take away life as he chooses. All men are to preserve life to the best of their ability. M. Margaret Falls says that we cannot treat†¦show more content†¦As stated before, capital punishment was commanded by God of the people in the Old Testament. Exodus 21:14 states that â€Å"if a man schemes and kills another man deliberately, take him away from my altar and put him to death.† Levitical 24:17 and 24b essentially say the same thing to the effect that â€Å" whoever kills a man must be put to death.† And lastly, Exodus 21:23 commands that â€Å"if there is a serious injury, you are to take life for life.† Genesis 9:5b-6 is the simplest statement mandating society to punish their fellow beings for murder3: â€Å"And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed for in the image of God has God made man.† Advocates stress that these verses are not a suggestion, but instead a command that is not to be questioned - God demands, therfore, one should obey. The murderer must suffer for his actions because murder is denying the image of God in the harmed individual. To murder a man is equivalent to murdering God since man is created by him and in his image. The murderer, thus, did violence to God himself. Jesus, in a sense, rewrites the OldShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Bible and Capital Punishment1432 Words   |  6 PagesThe Bible and Capital Punishment What Does Christianity Tell Us To Do In Case Of Extreme Crime?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Capital Punishment, commonly known as the death penalty, is one of the most controversial problems of our society today. There are many stands you can take with it: yes; no; maybe; only in this situation; only if this doesn’t happen. Even the Bible is undecided about what to do with people who commit such horrendous crimes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Bible first mentions what to do in case of extreme crime inRead MoreCapital Punish Relating to The Old Testament Essay1430 Words   |  6 Pages Why do some christians agree with the capital punishment? 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