Capital Punishment

Capital Punishment

INTRODUCTION

Material taken from various sources including articles by Jacob J. Vellenga, John H. Yoder; C. S. Milligan; G. H. Clark, writing in "Christianity Today.? (1959-1960).

During the past 28 years in the U. S. A., (1922-1960) 3,616 persons were executed; 3,136 for murder; 418 for rape, and the others for treason, espionage, kidnapping and bank robbery. Many States now have abolished the death penalty and others never demand it though it is still on the statute books. The question of the abolition of capital punishment has been before the Canadian parliament for several years.

Worldwide protests flowed in when Caryl Chessman died in the gas chamber on May 2, 1960, after fighting the death penalty for twelve years.

Open forums in newspapers both secular and religious have debated this controversial issue for some time.

One Canadian columnist says, "Not one authenticated case is known of a person being deterred from murder from fear of the consequences"; the columnist continues by saying,

"The gallows are a guilty monster that should be obliterated from Canadian Society forever. " In my own experience a man confessed to me, "I’d kill that man (and humanly speaking he had good reasons to do so) but the authorities would just take my life," and that murder was never perpetrated

Capital punishment is immoral; it is repulsive to modern concepts of society.

Progressive nations like Great Britain practically abolished the death penalty (except probably for treason). The death penalty is expensive for the country for it involves endless appeals even, when the individual is undeniably guilty, hoping to find technicalities in the law to delay the execution or obtain a new trial.

Actually records show that only 2% of convicted cases are actually executed; many’ with money or friends escape the death penalty via "insanity" or similar excuse. The 2% who die are the poor and friendless and not necessarily the most vile or wanton.

Up to 5% of those convicted are actually innocent; they have been convicted on mistaken identity, circumstantial evidence, prejudiced juries or over-powerful appeals by lawyers. Capital punishment brutalizes society by cheapening life.

Capital punishment is morally indefensible; it is not a deterrent to murder.

Capital punishment makes it impossible to rehabilitate criminals.

Those favouring capital punishment are stigmatized as heartless, vengeful and lacking in mercy.

Civil governments are instituted by God and are duty bound to execute murderers. The government must consider the protection of society, not only the welfare of the criminal. Justice must be maintained and this will instil standards of right and wrong among the people. Governments based on the Bible are to maintain high moral and ethical standards. The opposition is based on modern philosophical systems; sociological studies.

Capital punishment is not a social evil like segregation, racketeering, the liquor traffic or gambling.

Capital punishment is a matter of jurisprudence established for the common good and benefit of society.

Genesis 9:4-6, "... whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed. . ."

Exodus 20:13, God’s law, "Thou shalt not kill." The warden who performs the execution does not commit murder in the taking of a life according to Numbers 35:27, for he is the Lord’s appointed "revenger of blood. "

Numbers 35:27, "... and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood. " . Numbers 35:31, "Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall surely be put to death." Death penalty only given after the evidence has been confirmed by more than one witness- Numbers 35:30, "Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die." The Bible makes a distinction between premeditated murder and an accidental killing- Exodus 21:12-17; no death penalty for an accidental killing.

Leviticus 24:14-17, capital punishment for blasphemy, cursing and murder.

Numbers 35:15-34, cities of refuge for the murderers who committed murder accidentally.

Numbers 35:16-18; Numbers 35:21; Numbers 35:30-31,-the murderer to be killed.

Deuteronomy 17:6-7, testimony of two or more witnesses essential to give death penalty.

Deuteronomy 19:11-13, authority to take the individual guilty of first degree murder from the City of Refuge and slay him. The Old Testament gave the death penalty for:

Outright, premeditated murder, Numbers 35:16.

Stealing and selling people, Exodus 21:16.

Cursing father or mother, Exodus 21:17.

Ox and owner to be killed if owner knew of the tendency of the animal to kill and didn’t curb it, Exodus 21:29.

Witches, Exodus 22:18.

Those sacrificing to a false god, Exodus 22:20.

Adultery, Leviticus 20:10; Harlot and whoremonger both to die, Deuteronomy 22:24.

Blasphemy, Leviticus 24:10-14.

Breaking the Sabbath, Numbers 15:32.

Jesus Christ came to fulfill the law, Matthew 5:17-20; He did not come to change or abrogate the law.

Matthew 5:21-22, men are liable "to the judgment" which would include capital punishment. Some argue that the New Testament is based on love even to loving one’s enemies, Matthew 5:44.

They say that we are to love our neighbours (even criminals) as ourselves, therefore, we ought not to execute them. The opponents of capital punishment quote the story in John 8:1-11, where the woman was taken in adultery and brought to Jesus for passing of judgment. The law demanded the death penalty but Jesus forgave the woman. Why didn’t Jesus demand justice? If the woman were actually taken in adultery then both she and the man should be stoned together. Jesus said that the one without sin was to cast the first stone: perhaps they were all guilty in this affair and the woman the least guilty.

Others quote the story of Paul requesting leniency for Onesimus the runaway slave, who deserved the death penalty according to Roman law. Paul pleads for leniency because of Onesimus’ conversion.

Romans 13:1-4, establishes the right of governments to use the sword if necessary to revenge evil. The sword would certainly include the death penalty.

Romans 12:19-21, the grieved individuals were not to take revenge as they did in the Old Testament but allow the constituted authorities to execute proper judgment.

Romans 13:1, "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.? We are to obey them.

CONCLUSION

Some feel that a definite conclusion is not possible but continue to wait for the mind of Christ to better understand the problem.

Personally I feel that capital punishment is God’s divine order for today; this principle antedates the giving of the law by 800 years:(Ussher). The argument that capital punishment rules out the possibility of repentance for crime is ridiculous.

If a man does not repent with a death sentence over his head I doubt if he ever will under a "life sentence."

Physical life is less important than eternal life; a man has to die sometime.

Hebrews 9:27, "It is appointed unto men (every man) once to die...? No one can deny that the execution of a murderer is a terrible spectacle but we must not forget that murder is certainly far more horrible.

If one accepts the authority of the Scriptures, the issue is clear is essential to a safe community.

Let us not be led astray by modern concepts of naturalistic ideas of sociology and penology. Let us study the Bible and obey it completely, remembering that the God of the Old Testament is the same as the God of the New Testament; the basic principles of God and His government will never change.

Hebrews 13:8.

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