Episode 49: The Fifth Commandment

The Fifth Commandment: You shall not murder. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not hurt or harm our neighbor in his body, but help and support him in every physical need.

Bible Passage: Matthew 5:44: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

• What is murder? “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in His own image.” Genesis 9:6
  • Murder is the unlawful killing of a human being.
• “But now we go forth from our house among our neighbors to learn how we should live with one another.” LC 1:180
• “The commandment has this goal, that no one would offend his neighbor because of any evil deed, even though he has fully deserved it.” LC 1:186
  
  
• Does the Fifth Commandment only forbid hurting your neighbor physically? (Matthew 5:21; 1 John 3:15; Ephesians 4:26)
  • You have 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. Matthew 5:21-22
  • Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 1 John 3:15
  • No, the Fifth Commandment also forbids murdering your neighbor with your thoughts.

• Not only should you not hurt your neighbor, but what should you actively do to keep the Fifth Commandment? (Luke 10:29-37)
  • Help and support him in every physical need.
  • “In the first place, we must harm no one, either with our hand or by deed. ….. Second, a person who does evil to his neighbor is not the only one guilty under this commandment. It also applies to anyone who can do his neighbor good, prevent or resist evil, defend, and save his neighbor so that no bodily harm or hurt happen to him—yet does not do this [James 2:15-16]. LC 1:188-189

• Does the government have authority to put criminals to death? (Romans 13:1-4) Do soldiers who kill in war commit murder? (1 Peter 2:13-14; John 19:11; Genesis 9:6)
  • For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Romans 13:4
  • 1 Peter 2:13-14: ¹³ Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution,^[a] whether it be to the emperor^[b] as supreme, ¹⁴ or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.
  • John 19:11: Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.”
  • Genesis 9:5-6: And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.⁶ “Whoever sheds the blood of man,
        by man shall his blood be shed,
    for God made man in his own image.
  • Yes. No.
  • “Therefore, God and government are not included in this commandment. Nor is the power to kill taken away, which God and government have. To punish evildoers, God has delegated His authority to the government, not parents. In earlier times, as read in Moses, parents were required to bring their own children to judgment and even to sentence them to death [Deuteronomy 21:18-21]. Therefore, what is forbidden in this commandment is forbidden to the individual in his relationship with anyone else, but not to the government.” LC 1:181
    
    
• What is abortion? Is abortion murder?
  • For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. Psalm 139:13
  • Abortion is the killing of a baby still in the womb. Yes.
    
    
    
• What is euthanasia? Is euthanasia murder?
  • “He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.” Acts 17:25
  • Euthanasia is Greek for “good death. It is a euphemism for killing sick people. Yes.
    
    
    
• What is suicide? Is suicide a sin? Can those who commit suicide be saved?
  • “See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no God beside Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.” Deuteronomy 32:19
  • Suicide is when a person kills himself. Yes. Yes. 
• The Fifth Commandment does not teach bodily autonomy, but rather that God created us in His own image and therefore values our body and soul and seeks to protect it. This also hints at the Gospel, as Christ laid down His body in order to ransom our bodies from death and hell.

Luther’s Large Catechism

• “[God] wants to make us used to keeping this commandment ever in view, always to contemplate ourselves in it as in a mirror [James 1:23-25], to regard the will of God, and to turn over to Him the wrong that we suffer with hearty confidence and by calling on His name.” LC 1:187
• “Therefore, it is God’s ultimate purpose that we let harm come to no one, but show him all good and love. … this commandment is especially directed toward those who are our enemies. For to do good to our friends is an ordinary heathen virtue, as Christ says in Matthew 5:46.” LC 1:193-194
• “In comparison with these works all human holiness is just stench and filth [Isaiah 64:6].” LC 1:198

Bible Stories to Teach the Fifth Commandment

• Cain and Able: Genesis 4
• The Good Samaritan: Luke 10:25-37
• The Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 5:21-26
• Joseph and His brothers: Genesis 37
• Proverbs 25:21-22: If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, 22 for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.

Catechism Hymn

“You Shall not murder, hurt, nor hate;
Your anger dare not dominate.
Be kind and patient; help, defend,
And treat your foe as your friend.”
Have mercy, Lord! (Martin Luther, These Are the Holy Ten Commands, LSB 581:6)