Capital Punishment

[Annahavil]

GENESIS chapter 9 verse 6
This verse seems to possibly support hanging but as this is the first book of the Old Testament it may not be addressed to our present age.  Then we ask is it God who is to take life or man?  It’s so very serious and its so hard to know what to really take out of this verse.  What is obvious is that serious crimes are not punished properly in this world.  They will certainly be punished in the next.  If a criminal repents and asks for God’s forgiveness then he will escape punishment.  This needs to lead to salvation as it is there he escapes.
Reading a Catholic newspaper I came across some facinating and quite revealing information.  I am not surprised at these findings except in the severity.  It’s about the endless problems in imposing the death penalty.  From,”Alive,” Septrember 2000 a study reveals errors in this system of punishment.  Between 1973 and 1995 there were 5,760 death sentences.  Less than 5.5% of these resulted in executions.  On average the appeals lasted 9 years.  Is this proof then that capitalpunishment is wrong, it certainly looks like it.
Taking life is what the sixth commandment is all ablut: Thou shall not kill.  Here is what a young Bible scholar friend of mine, Martyn McGeown says.  “This is literally from the Hebrew, Thou shalt commit no murder.  To define murder you must examine the Old Testament Law: God gives three occasions where killing is lawful (and therefore not murder).  These are killing in self-defence, or in defence of the weak, one’s family etc. (indeed that is a duty), the just punishment of execution of the ungodly by the state (many crimes were capital in the Law of Moses, murder, blasphemy, adultery, idolatry etc., although only murder is punishable by death today) and just war (for example, in the O T, God commanded Israel to war against the Philistines, Amalekites etc., and because God so commanded it was a just war.  Today it is more difficult to decide whether a war is just, but defence of one’s country against an enemy such as Hitler is a just reason to kill – that is not murder).”
Next from the Commentry of JAMISON, FAUCETT and BROWN
Genesis 9 verse 6 – To take a persons life is a daring outrage against the Creator.  High value is attached to the life of every person.
From Commentry of KEIL DELITZSCH
It explains that murder is destroying the image of God in all of us.  Punishment belonged, “to those alone who represent the authority and majesty of God, i.e., the divinely appointed rulers, who for that very reason are called Elohium in Psalm 82 v6,”  This command then laid the foundation for all civil Government.  

[Petro]

Capital Punishment is taught by scripture and was taught in the Law of Moses.

But since we live in this age of grace, the Mosaic law has been abolished, however, capital punishment still stands.

Rom 13
13:1  Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2  Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3  For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
4  For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
5  Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
6  For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
7  Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
8  Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.


This is why it is called CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.


Blessings,
Petro