Punishments for violating Ten Commandments

[DentalMac]

I apologize for offending anyone. My intention is not to attack but to understand the punishments. I have my own opinion on the matter but I want a Christian explanation. I tried asking some very devoted Christians I know with whom I can intelligently discuss--not just debate--Christanity. They told me they were unaware of the punishments. Frankly I found their ignorance regarding the punishments for TC violation surprising considering the all of the emphasis placed on the TC.

I am just having difficulty understanding the punishment of execution for violating some of the TC.

The responses here just made me ask more questions to help to understand--I think that's called the socratic method.

If this the wrong forum for this discussion, could it please be moved to the proper forum?

 

[DentalMac]

Okay, I reread the posts. I did incorrectly attribute quotations. I apologize.

Without names, here is a synopsis:

Remember this is in regard to the OT's specifying the death penalty for violating some TC and, in part, why the penalty has changed.

One person wrote:
God doesn't change, but we do - same as the rules for a child changes and a parent gives over more responsibility to the child as it matures. Mankind has grace to grow, for the time being.

One person wrote:
Sinners today are not different, but God is different as he has offered redemption through his Son, Jesus Christ.


So, to me, there still seems to be a contradiction. One person says "God doesn't change" but another says that "God is different."

What am I missing?

 

[Serapha]

Hi,

I hope this is the correct forum for my question.

It seems that the Ten Punishments for violating the Ten Commandments are what I have listed below. The punishment for violating some of the commandments is death. How do Christians respond to these punishments?

I asked my Christian brother-in-law but he was completely unaware of these passages.

I'm not looking for a fight, just a Christian explanation.


You might fare better posting the specifics on Jewish laws and traditions on a Jewish forum. Christians tend to look at the "laws" in terms of New Testament grace and that isn't going to answer your questions....


Thanks.

1. Ex. 22:20: He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the Lord only, he shall be utterly destroyed.

A translation of "utterly destroyed" is not just death but the destruction of possessions only. That is from the Targum of Jonathon.







2. Lev. 24:16: And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death.

There is no atonement for blasphemy. This is carried through to the New Testament teachings of Christ and the unpardonable sin. (Matt 12:31) and as the passage indicates is both to the Jew and to the Gentile.
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3. Ex. 31:15: Whosoever doeth any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.


The targum of Jonathon stated further that the person shall be stoned to death. Actually for their transgressions against the Sabbath, the Jewish people were taken into captivity for 70 years or for 490 sabbaths that were violated.



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4. Ex. 21:15: He that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.

Further instruction is that the form of death is by strangulation or by using a napkin to choke the person. A napkin was also the wrapping that was placed around a dead person's head when prepared for burial. Look in the Targum.


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5. Ex. 21:17: He that curseth his father or his mother, shall surely be put to death.


The targum identifies the passage of 15 as being an abuse that leaves a mark on the person whereas the passage of 17 identified that even a tongue lashing to a parent or speaking badly of them would be punishable by stoning. In the earliest form, stoning was of two types. The first type was the throwing of stones at a person such as most people recognize. The second type was to tie a person's hands and throw them off of a height onto a pile of rocks. If the stoning or being "stoned" by throwing onto stones did not kill them, then one of the witnesses had to actually crush the skull by dropping a heavy stone on the head.

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6. Ex. 22:19: Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.
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Again, a death by stoning. This was considered to be a crime that could not be comprehended. (Again, look in the targum)



7. Lev. 20:13: If a man lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death.


Again, this concerns beastiality. The man is to be stone and the animal killed so as not to tempt another man. (targum)



8. Lev. 20:10: And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death.


Again, the targum identifies stoning for the engaged who commits adultery and stoning for the married who commit adultery.


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9. Mark 16:16: He that believeth not, shall be ******.



For those that are knowledgeable of the Gospel of Christ and believe not in Christ, they will be eternally lost, or as one person told you... spiritually dead. This is the only aspect of your posting which truly applies to Christianity. All of the other pertain to Jewish law or tradition. The Jews became so compulsive with serving the law that they could no longer serve God in praise, worship, and by righteous living.

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10. Mal. 2:1-4: And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. If you will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart to give glory to my name, ... behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces.



There were different blessings under Jewish law. This curse affected the temporal blessing which was the harvest. The curse is so bad as to affect the seed for planting and thus a poor harvest which would be an insult to offer anything in sacrifice else the "dung" be thrown back at you.

How... with the understanding of the above... what is the specific question?



~malaka~

 

[DentalMac]

Okay, here is a recap of arguments made by several posters to justify execution for violating some of the TC:

1) The death is a spiritual death

2) Since there were no prisons to place the offenders execution was deemed acceptable. Also, a variety of means of execution were used in accordance to the violation.

3) However, some offenders were banished instead of executed. (The only punishment God specified for TC violation was execution. I can only assume the poster meant banishment the punishment for violating other commandments other than the TC.)

4) God once struck sinners dead lest the pollute society. (This was in the OT I presume.) However, he no longer does this in part because He is refining his church for entry into heaven. (I assume the poster meant He no longer strikes sinners dead so they have a chance to repent and accept Jesus to get into heaven.)

5) God sent Jesus to die for our sins. This created a new and improved covenant. Under this covenant, since Jesus died for our sins execution is no longer meted out to sinners.

6) When a sinner is executed for his violations, it's not the physical death that's important but the spiritual death. (I assume this is because someone who is physically dead can still enter heaven but not someone who is spiritually dead.)

7) Even though the punishment has changed so that execution is no longer the penalty, it's not God that changed but mankind. Mankind has matured beyond the point to where God deems execution acceptable of TC violation. (I don't understand what the poster means because I don't know in what way mankind has changed.)

(Here is the writer's original quote: God doesn't change, but we do - same as the rules for a child changes and a parent gives over more responsibility to the child as it matures. Mankind has grace to grow, for the time being.)

8) Sometimes we can understand God but other times we cannot. When we cannot it's because "it is only a mark of how hollow our understanding of anything is."


In conclusion, I assume the Christian consensus as to why execution is no longer the punishment for violating some of the Ten Commandments is #5: God sent Jesus to die for our sins so we don't have to.

If my assumption is correct, why did God do that to Jesus? I couldn't resist asking another question!

 

[Serapha]

Okay, here is a recap of arguments made by several posters to justify execution for violating some of the TC:

1) The death is a spiritual death

2) Since there were no prisons to place the offenders execution was deemed acceptable. Also, a variety of means of execution were used in accordance to the violation.

3) However, some offenders were banished instead of executed. (The only punishment God specified for TC violation was execution. I can only assume the poster meant banishment the punishment for violating other commandments other than the TC.)

4) God once struck sinners dead lest the pollute society. (This was in the OT I presume.) However, he no longer does this in part because He is refining his church for entry into heaven. (I assume the poster meant He no longer strikes sinners dead so they have a chance to repent and accept Jesus to get into heaven.)

5) God sent Jesus to die for our sins. This created a new and improved covenant. Under this covenant, since Jesus died for our sins execution is no longer meted out to sinners.

6) When a sinner is executed for his violations, it's not the physical death that's important but the spiritual death. (I assume this is because someone who is physically dead can still enter heaven but not someone who is spiritually dead.)

7) Even though the punishment has changed so that execution is no longer the penalty, it's not God that changed but mankind. Mankind has matured beyond the point to where God deems execution acceptable of TC violation. (I don't understand what the poster means because I don't know in what way mankind has changed.)

(Here is the writer's original quote: God doesn't change, but we do - same as the rules for a child changes and a parent gives over more responsibility to the child as it matures. Mankind has grace to grow, for the time being.)

8) Sometimes we can understand God but other times we cannot. When we cannot it's because "it is only a mark of how hollow our understanding of anything is."


In conclusion, I assume the Christian consensus as to why execution is no longer the punishment for violating some of the Ten Commandments is #5: God sent Jesus to die for our sins so we don't have to.

If my assumption is correct, why did God do that to Jesus? I couldn't resist asking another question!

Hi there!


I don't want to discuss what has been posted in the past on this thread. I took the original question and gave you some form of historical and religious reference to Judaism/Christianity.

Then, I asked what is your specific question?

Now, please... stick to the subject... and ask questions... but, one at a time... I don't want theories on what other people said, or theories on what other people think... I just want to address one issue at a time.


If your question is.... Why did God send Jesus to redeem the entire world of sin... then the answer is...

Because God created man to be His eternal companion. That is why man is different from animals... God breathed the breath of life into man and man became a living soul. God's plan of sacrifice and atonement includes blood atonement. In the Old Testament, the animal/fowl was slaughtered and the blood was sprinkled on the altar for atonement of particular sins. Jesus Christ was the final blood atonement for sin.

Now.. Christians don't have to sacrifice blood for atonement for sin, they simply have to believe that Jesus Christ did that for them already... they have to realize they have sin in their life, acknowledge that the result of sin is separation from God, and that Jesus will reconcile them back to God through His blood sacrifice for our sins.

Ac 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.







~malaka~

 

[Rafael]

In conclusion, I assume the Christian consensus as to why execution is no longer the punishment for violating some of the Ten Commandments is #5: God sent Jesus to die for our sins so we don't have to.

If my assumption is correct, why did God do that to Jesus? I couldn't resist asking another question!

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

You have got to be pulling our leg.......

 

[Rafael]

God doesn't change. He is immutable.

Malachi 3:6For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Our knowledge of Him is not without change, and the beginning of that knowledge is hopefully not the same at its ending as at the beginning - if we are able to receive.
The way He has revealed this knowledge doesn't please everyone, nor even many, but a few see the revelation of the Living Word - His Son, Jesus - as good news, indeed.
Why death? Well the fall must have been severe that man took, and the reasons for the fall.....? Well then, who knows the things only privy to the mind of God? We can speculate........perhaps: how can one perceive light without darkness? But God says that the answer is full of unspeakable glory. Look at creation around you, and tell me you don't see beauty and wonder. We can't even imagine how wonderful creation was before death entered in and all creation groaned under the weight of sin. That's why the Bible says that better is the end of a thing than the beginning. Even death has no sting for those in Christ.

Okay, I reread the posts. I did incorrectly attribute quotations. I apologize.

Without names, here is a synopsis:

Remember this is in regard to the OT's specifying the death penalty for violating some TC and, in part, why the penalty has changed.

One person wrote:
God doesn't change, but we do - same as the rules for a child changes and a parent gives over more responsibility to the child as it matures. Mankind has grace to grow, for the time being.

One person wrote:
Sinners today are not different, but God is different as he has offered redemption through his Son, Jesus Christ.


So, to me, there still seems to be a contradiction. One person says "God doesn't change" but another says that "God is different."

What am I missing?

Now I've tried to give a sincere answer to your questions, along with ohters here, so please don't take pieces of my answer and put them next to someone elses answer and cry contradiction. I makes me think you have no desire for an answer, but only one to point out some flaw between the minds of different people. I have not contradicted myself, and have given a clear idea of how God's plan has unfolded over a time span analogous to that of a parent over a child. The analogy is a good one, but does not always fit to every situation and circumstance, just like any analogy. The analogys are to meant lend wisedom to perspective, as it only comes from living and experiencing the role of parent or child.
I'm sure there are others that could explain better, the dispensations of God's revelation to man and the time envolved. I myself am in awe of God's plan and have only recently learned more of it concerning the last days and Israel, which is on the TV everyday. I hope this has helped, but if not, then I would suggest more study, patience, and lots of prayerful submission to God. Taking the time to ask Him to tell you by His own Spirit of truth would be a wise first step.