April 9, 2016

“‘You shall not murder.” Deuteronomy 5:17

“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.” (Martin Luther’s explanation to the Fifth Commandment – Small Catechism)

“As when your neighbor sees that you have a better house and home [a larger family and more fertile fields], greater possessions and fortune from God than he, he is sulky, envies you, and speaks no good of you. Thus by the devil’s incitement you will get many enemies who cannot bear to see you have any good, either bodily or spiritual. When we see such people, our hearts, in turn, would rage and bleed and take vengeance.

Therefore…In the first place… we harm no one, first, with our hand or by deed. Then, that we do not employ our tongue to instigate or counsel thereto. Further, that we neither use nor assent to any kind of means or methods whereby any one may be injured. And finally, that the heart be not ill-disposed toward any one, nor from anger and hatred wish him ill, so that body and soul may be innocent in regard to everyone, but especially those who wish you evil or inflict such upon you. For to do evil to one who wishes and does you good is not human, but diabolical.” (Martin Luther’s explanation to the Fifth Commandment – Large Catechism)

Luther is very clear that “Not to murder” means more than to kill something or somebody. This of course is the first intent of the commandment. But it goes deeper than that. We are also not to “kill” our neighbor’s reputation, nor be ill-disposed toward our neighbor out of anger and hatred.

Now, we may find it fairly easy not to plunge a knife into or raise a gun to someone, but to hold our tongue when we are angry, or to resist lashing out at someone who has insulted us, well, that is another, just as difficult thing.

We have so many examples in our society today, through television shows, and through social media, where we are encouraged to return evil for evil. We see adults shaming children on social media – we see politicians spewing hatred for each other. There was a time when all we needed to do was to be careful about the gossip we spread verbally. Now, we have avenues to shame people that, it they turn viral, can be shared around the world.

I just try to remember the advice my mother always gave to me, “If you have nothing good to say about someone, don’t say anything at all.” Boy my mother was wise.

Pastor Dave