Capital Punishment

Jim:

Numbers 35:1-3, 9-15, 30-34
In reading verses 30 and 31 I was led to wonder how these words compare to our modern criminal justice system. “If anyone kills another, the murderer shall be put to death on the evidence of witnesses; but no one shall be put to death on the testimony of a single witness. Moreover you shall accept no ransom for the life of a murderer who is subject to the death penalty; a murderer must be put to death.” One of the most persistent controversies surrounding capital punishment is that it is not meted out in a fair or even-handed manner. It is commonly assumed that those with more resources are able to avoid the death sentence more often while those with fewer resources are not. And of course there have been wrongful or questionable executions over the years. The verses from Numbers allow for—insist on—a death sentence in the case of murder, but set a high standard of evidence in such cases, and do not allow for an alternative to death. As forensic science moves ahead one would hope that the instance of wrongful executions would disappear. But I wonder if we are doing enough as a society to provide for evenhandedness in such cases. And while these verses from the Old Testament support the use of a death penalty, what are we to infer from the gospel and the words of Jesus? (Incidentally, I find http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment to be a very helpful overview of the issue of capital punishment from various religious and cultural perspectives.)

Romans 8:31-39
And just like that, Paul moves the entire question of capital punishment out of the way and reminds us that nothing at all can separate us from God’s love. Does that include murder? I believe so. Years ago when Debbie and I lived in Scotland we were made aware of a man found guilty of murdering his mother, who served time in prison for the crime, and, after his release, became a minister in the Church of Scotland. Who better to understand the love of God than one who has done so much wrong and yet been led back to the light of God’s grace and truth? I wonder what he would have said about the passage from Numbers. I wonder also how fresh the word of God appeared to his parishioners in light of his past. As the words of the hymn “Amazing Grace” testify, “I once was lost but now am found/ was blind but now I see.” What God is able to do with a life is beyond our ability to comprehend. Ultimately we belong to God no matter what, and we need to value that in every way possible.

Matthew 23:13-26
In light of the other two readings I find Jesus’ words in verse 23 to be enlightening. There he condemns the religious leaders of the day for paying more attention to the minor aspects of the law and overlooking God’s desire for “justice and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practiced without neglecting the others,” Jesus says. Do we spend too much time on the minor details while willfully ignoring God’s command to love one another and to “do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with…God”? That’s the real danger, I’m afraid.

New Growth

I see a theme or connection, especially between the Jeremiah and the Romans texts, but the John passage fits in as well. Jeremiah 11:16 says, "The Lord once called you, 'A green olive tree, fair with goodly fruit;' but with the roar of a great tempest he will set fine to it, and its branches will be consumed." In Romans 6:11 Paul says, "So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus." The olive tree, which represents Israel (the people of God), consumed in sin like a mighty fire, has been nurtured and brought back to life in the death and resurrection of Jesus. It reminds me of what happens in the seasons after fire purges a forest area. Slowly new growth returns and, in time, the forest is restored. In the death and resurrection of Jesus, in which we share, God is bringing new growth for the community of faith. John 8:34-35 says, "Jesus answered them, 'Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not have a permanent place in the household…'" Sin leaves us prone to death and estranged from God. But through Jesus Christ we find that we are nurtured, cared for, and allowed to grow into what we were meant to be: a pleasant planting of God.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Here are some thoughts I have based on the readings for today from the Daily Lectionary. We are currently in Year 1, the 3rd week of Lent. Quotatations are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible.

Jeremiah 8:4-7, 18-9:6-- Verses 8:22-9:1 say "Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the health of my poor people not been restored? O that my head were a spring of water, and my eyes a fountain of tears so that I might weep day and night for the slain of my poor people!" God's poor people--Judah-- have within their grasp the power to be restored. It is God's word which is just as close and personal to them as the resin of the Styrax tree, a healing ointment. Incidentally, this morning my wife said she was very happy to be reminded that there is a balm in Gilead. I guess that would be her verse for the day from Jeremiah as well.

Romans 5:1-11--I've underlined vs. 3-5: "And not only that, but we also boast in our suffering, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts thought the Holy Spirit that has been given to us." This whole chapter is powerful, but this portion on finding hope in the struggles we face is especially moving to me.

I'm not crazy about John 8:12-20. (I notice we skipped the woman caught in adultery.) But vs. 12 is helpful: "Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.'" Sometimes I find myself in some pretty dim places. It is good to know that Jesus is the light that can lead me home!