Sixth Commandment
“You shall not murder” (Ex. 20:13; Deut. 5:17).
Heidelberg Catechism
Heidelberg Catechism Question 105. What does God require in the sixth commandment? That I am not to abuse, hate, injure, or kill my neighbor, either with thought, or by word or gesture, much less by deed, whether by myself or through another, but to lay aside all desire for revenge; and that I do not harm myself or willfully expose myself to danger. This is why the authorities are armed with the means to prevent murder.
Heidelberg Catechism Question 106. But does this commandment speak only of killing? In forbidding murder God means to teach us that he abhors the root of murder, which is envy, hatred, anger, and desire for revenge, and that he regards all these as hidden murder.
Heidelberg Catechism Question 107. Is it enough, then, if we do not kill our neighbor in any of these ways? No; for when God condemns envy, hatred, and anger, he requires us to love our neighbor as ourselves, to show patience, peace, gentleness, mercy, and friendliness toward him, to prevent injury to him as much as we can, also to do good to our enemies.
Westminster Shorter Catechism
Shorter Catechism Question 68. What is required in the Sixth Commandment? The Sixth Commandment requireth all lawful endeavors to preserve our own life, and the life of others.
- Eph. 5:29 “For no one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church.”
- Matt. 10:23 “When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”
- Ps. 82:3-4 “Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
- Job 29:13 “The blessing of the wretched came upon me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.”
- 1 Kings 18:4 “when Jezebel was killing off the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah took a hundred prophets, hid them fifty to a cave, and provided them with bread and water.”
Shorter Catechism Question 69. What is forbidden in the Sixth Commandment? The Sixth Commandment forbiddeth the taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbor unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth thereunto.
- Acts 16:28 “But Paul shouted in a loud voice, ‘Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.’”
- Matt. 5:22 “But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire.”
- 1 John 3:15 “All who hate a brother or sister are murderers, and you know that murderers do not have eternal life abiding in them.”
- Gal. 5:15 “If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.”
- Prov. 24:11-12 “if you hold back from rescuing those taken away to death, those who go staggering to the slaughter; if you say, ‘Look, we did not know this’— does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it? And will he not repay all according to their deeds?”
Study Catechism
Study Catechism Question 108. What do you learn from this commandment? God forbids anything that harms my neighbor unfairly. Murder or injury can be done not only by direct violence but also by an angry word or a clever plan, and not only by an individual but also by unjust social institutions. I should honor every human being, including my enemy, as a person made in God’s image.
- 1 John 3:15 “All who hate a brother or sister are murderers, and you know that murderers do not have eternal life abiding in them.”
- Prov. 24:17 “Do not rejoice when your enemies fall, and do not let your heart be glad when they stumble.”
- Rom. 12:19-20 “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ No, ‘if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.’”
- Col. 3:12-13 “As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”
- Matt. 5:21-22 “You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire.”
- Matt. 26:52 “Then Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.’”
Thinking, Praying, Living | Ten Commandments | Previous | Next
