Capital Punishment
Yet another case which has been a point of
much discussion is that of capital punishment. Genesis 9:6
gives the command for such, “ Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by
man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he
man.” The ground for capital
punishment is not primarily the deterrent effect of such
punishment, but the fact that the image of God has
been attacked. That is, the sanctity and glory of God is the
ground for capital punishment. There may well be side
effects such as deterring others from such a crime, but this
is not the reason given in Scripture for this punishment.
(See also Numbers 35:31; Exodus 21:15; Deuteronomy 13:5; and
Romans 13.)
-
Morton H. Smith, Systematic Theology
Capital Punishment In Scripture
As to the delegation of
the right of capital punishment for flagrant crimes, the
feeble attempt has been made to represent the injunction of
Gen. 9:6 as not a precept, but a prediction; not as God’s
instruction what ought to be done to the murderer, but His
prophecy of what human vindictiveness would do. The context
refutes this. This command for the capital punishment of the
murderer, having been given to Noah, the second father of
mankind, and before there was a chosen people, is of course,
universal. Look also at the express injunction of capital
punishments for several crimes: for murder, Num. 35:31; for
striking a parent; Ex. 21:15; for adultery, Lev. 20:10; for
religious imposture, Deut. 13:5. In Numb. 35:33, a reason is
given which, on general principles, necessitates the capital
punishment of murder. "For blood, it defileth a land, and
the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed
therein, but by the blood of him that shed it."
Capital punishments are also
authorized in the New Testament. Rom. 13. assures us that
the magistrate "beareth not the sword in vain," but in
bearing it he is God’s minister to execute wrath upon the
evil doer.
- R. L. Dabney, Topical Lectures on
Scripture
