Today we are going to look at the world of the text of the Sixth Commandment found in Exodus 20:13:

You shall not murder

Well, you know, I’m pretty good at dressing up thing and talking for a while about things, but this one is pretty simple.  You shall murder. Don’t murder people. And we’re done.

That’s pretty accurate, but it is helpful for us to take a deeper look at the underlying Hebrew within this passage.  The word murder here means taking another life, both purposeful and premediated, as well as accidental. What this passage is telling us that life is the domain of God.  God gives life and God takes life. It is not for us to take life. All life is sacred. From conception to death, all life is sacred and should be treated as such. This commandment isn’t just about ending life, it is a command that calls us to respect all life.  This is a command of the sacredness of life.  All life is a gift from God, all life is sacred.

Today, see life as sacred.  Tomorrow we’ll look at the world in front of the text and real-life applications.

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