Anakalypsis / Unveiling the Word

Capital punishment

secondary Bioethics

Whether civil government may execute murderers (Genesis 9:6, Romans 13:4). Traditional view: the state bears the sword and capital punishment is a legitimate civil sanction for grave crimes. Catholic teaching has narrowed in recent decades (Evangelium Vitae, then more sharply under Francis) to a near-prohibition; many mainline Protestants oppose it. Evangelical and Reformed Protestants are typically permissive. "Affirms" = traditional permissive view; "denies" = abolitionist view. Look for explicit church statements on the death penalty.

This doctrine distinguishes traditions but is not a boundary of orthodoxy.

Key scriptures

  • 1Sam 15:33 — And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.
  • 2Sam 1:16 — And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD’s anointed.
  • Acts 25:11 — For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.
  • Deut 19:11 — But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities:
  • Deut 21:22 — And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:
  • Exod 21:12 — He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
  • Gen 9:6 — Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
  • Heb 10:28 — He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
  • John 19:11 — Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.
  • Lev 24:17 — And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death.
  • Matt 26:52 — Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
  • Num 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.
  • Rev 13:10 — He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
  • Rom 13:4 — For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
Confessional witness

What the confessions say

Articles of the historic confessions that address this doctrine.

Voices from the tradition

The Church Fathers

The earliest Fathers who commented on the Scriptures above.

For since man, by departing from God, reached such a pitch of fury as even to look upon his brother as his enemy, and engaged without fear in every kind of restless conduct, and murder, and avarice; God imposed upon mankind the fear of man, as they did not acknowledge the fear of God, in order that, being subjected to the authority of…

Who would not prefer the justice of the world, which, as the apostle himself testifies, "beareth not the sword in vain," and which is an institute of religion when it severely avenges in defence of human life? When we contemplate, too, the penalties awarded to other crimes-gibbets, and holocausts, and sacks, and harpoons, and…

According to the law, "the adulterer and the adulteress were put to death." They could not say, "We seek repentance and we pray for mercy." There was no place for tears, and no opportunity was granted for any correction, but in every way it was necessary for those who had contravened the law to be punished. This was observed in certain…

Now power is given against us in two modes: either for punishment when we sin, or for glory when we are proved, as we see was done with respect to Job; as God Himself sets forth, saying, "Behold, all that he hath I give unto thy hands; but be careful not to touch himself." And the Lord in His Gospel says, in the time of His passion,…

But all who use the sword do not perish by the sword; of those who have used the sword either judicially, or in self-defence against robbers, fever or accident carries off the greater part. Though if according to this every one who uses the sword shall perish by the sword, justly was the sword now drawn against those who were using the…

And who have "outraged the Spirit of grace," which is in us? These are the people who consider the gospel to be equal to the law of Moses.

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