“You Shall Not Murder”

Of all the commands, this one seems pretty easy. Sure, true crime documentaries and murder mysteries are fascinating, but we’d never actually murder someone. Easy to check off the list!

If only it were that simple.

This commandment poignantly illustrates how much deeper the intent of the 10 commandments goes. Later in Exodus, the Lord gives laws on parapets (raised barriers on one’s roof) and untamed goring oxen, laying the blame not on the person injured but on the homeowner and ox-owner! In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ says to even be angry with someone can qualify as breaking this commandment. “You shall not murder” reveals one part of God’s heart: the Giver of Life has authority over both life and death. He loves life enough to give it freely to all of creation. He is also the One who

cuts short some lives and elongates others. This commandment, then, calls us to respect the well-being and safety of others, and I would wager that often break this commandment through our negligence.

In Exodus 21 and 22 are two case laws that illustrate sins of negligence that defy this commandment. The law on parapets instructs the Israelites to build small barriers on the edges of their roofs called parapets so that neighbors or family who come over to enjoy fellowship on the roof are in no danger of falling off. A home is under the protection of the homeowner, so a homeowner without safety features for obvious dangers neglects to care for his neighbor when he does not install a parapet. Similarly, the law on goring oxen places blame onto the ox’s owner if the ox is in the habit of goring. One or two instances of an ox injuring another is relatively normal before the ox is properly trained; repeated assaults show a lack of attention from the ox’s owner. This negligence makes the owner liable for the cases of injury or death of another person when the ox targets them with their horns. In our world today, this instructs us that, when we have people in our domains, we have a responsibility to keep them safe. This is also why it is good for local governments to maintain emergency and police forces to ensure the safety of its citizens; local officials are liable for rampant, unchecked crime or accidents that occur under their watch that could easily have been prevented.

In the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, Jesus drills into the hearts of his hearers by asserting that even the one who possesses such anger in his heart to call his neighbor a “moron” is liable of breaking the 6 th commandment. His intent here is not on the use of language because he says the issue is the anger directing the language. Backhanded compliments can violate this commandment where foul language among understanding friends would not. Though there are cases where the endangerment of our lives or those of others rightly provokes our anger, it is true that the majority of our incitements toward anger do not deserve the heat of our rage. Disagreements of taste or opinion do not merit our wrath, but they should instead draw us toward patience and understanding.

For me, I am continuing to work on quelling my anger toward other drivers on the road. Regardless of their recklessness, it is my duty to respond with patience to keep other drivers and myself safe on the road. De-escalation rather than provocation leads to better ends for others and kills my sinful desires.