Day 733: What Jesus said - Proverbs 28 vs 17

If one is burdened with the blood of another, he will be a fugitive until death; (Hebrew 'until the pit') let no one help him. Proverbs 28:17 English Standard Version.

Regular readers will recall that I did this verse last week in Proverbs under the heading of 'Choose life'. The next verse in the chapter went on to say: “Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered, but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.” But I thought we shouldn't pass on from the subject of shedding blood (through murder or manslaughter) without noting Jesus' words in Matthew 5:21-22. He said: “You've heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment. But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.”

Jesus goes to the root of violence. Premeditated murders happen because of deep seated hatred. Unintentionally causing someone's death will most often be because of a loss of control of one's anger. There are times when anger is justified. But anger can also be due to hatred and malice towards another person. People sometimes wish that another person was dead. The apostle John applied Jesus' words when he wrote to Christians saying: “We know we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” (1 John 3:14-15) The apostle Paul warned how anger can develop into something worse when he said: “Be angry, yet do not sin. Don't let the sun set while you are still angry!” (Ephesians 4:26)

I’m sure that those who read these posts are not people who would want to murder anyone! But we can be guilty of allowing our thoughts towards someone to become angry and hateful. In God's sight that makes us, in Jesus' words, 'liable to judgment'. God might have to discipline us in some way so that we are not full of bitterness and name calling. In Ephesians 4:31 Paul says: “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and slander, be put away from you, along with all malice.”

The other part of last week's post touched on capital punishment. In the political world those who describe themselves as 'liberals' strongly oppose capital punishment. But it's a subject even Christians differ on. When Jesus spoke of murderous thoughts and words He warned of being liable to 'the hell of fire'. He then said to the Jewish people of His day: “If you're offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.” (Matthew 5:23-26)

So Jesus did not question that there is such a thing as accountability and punishment. The apostle Paul said that Christians must subject themselves to authorities because they've been instituted by God and are God's servants for our good. If we do wrong, said Paul, we should be afraid, because they do not bear the sword in vain. They are a servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. (Romans 13:1-4)

Murder is an evil crime and society should deal strongly with murderers. But as Christians, we need to go even further and guard our hearts against sin's roots. We must put away all wrath, anger, clamour, slander, and all malice. May God by His Spirit enable us to do that continually.