Fifth Commandment
The fifth commandment of the Decalogue requires respect for life
"Do not kill".
(Ex 20,13)
"You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, Do not murder, and whoever murders will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment".
(Mt 5.21 to 22)
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Do not kill divine commandment
Fifth commandment
Life is the most precious gift that the Lord has given to man. He entrusted to him as a capital to invest, to produce fruits of eternal life (Mt 25,14-30). Life has immense value that only man possesses on earth; they have not even the celestial angels, because they have no bodies. Through the time of trial the man has the opportunity to earn the eternity of glory.
The radical nature of this commandment is intimately connected with the theme of the union of love, the love relationship, the relationship between God and humanity, between each person and who it is next and, anyway, with every human creature, to a revelation, in Jesus, the deeper reality of God himself, the eternal communion of love of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Already the Old Testament was forbidden revenge, or to return evil for evil: "do not take vengeance, nor will preserve any grudge against the children of thy people" (Deut 19:18), although "avenge the trampled rights and restore justice" was a duty. Inside Israel human life was protected against the blind law of unlimited revenge, capable of destroying families and clans, until arriving to threaten this way the existence of the People of God. And the prophets, in their preaching will extend, in a positive sense, the prohibition of killing, stating that it is an obligation to contribute positively to maintain the life of his neighbor.
Jesus wants to eradicate the root of the murder: "You have heard that it was said to the ancients: Thou shalt not kill, because whoever kills shall be subject to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment. He who says to his brother, stupid, shall be liable to the council. Who says fool, shall be in danger of hell fire "(Mt 5.21 to 22). With this statement of Jesus, the commandment "Thou shalt not kill" becomes limitless and covers all human relationships. Even the anger toward his brother is tantamount to murder because it's like saying "your presence bothers me, get out of my sight, I want to see you dead".
It is therefore necessary to uproot from within themselves all that in one way or another can lead to murder, such as anger, hatred, desire for revenge, exploitation. But not only kill the body: it also kills with backbiting, for example when breaking the estimation of a person and ruin his good name. It also kills with calumny, with hatred, envy, mockery, contempt, deceit, offense, conviction, perjury, criticism, ridicule, the contempt, revenge, pride, malice, treachery. In other words, it really keeps the commandment "Thou shalt not kill" if any sentiment that leads to insult his brother manages to remove from their hearts. That is, if we reach the perfection of love.
Human life is sacred, comes from God and belongs to Him, is the greatest gift that God has given to man, and killing is a lack of love for God. Therefore, do not kill, should not be considered only as an active gesture, or take life, but all that is opposed to life itself, such as any type of murder, genocide, euthanasia and voluntary suicide, in short everything that goes against the integrity of the human person and all that offends personal dignity.
The commandment not to kill it is written, as well as in tables of stone, even in the hearts of men, but the fact is, that the human heart is something terrible happened and scary, because human history is an infinite sequence of physical killings , moral, spiritual. The fact is that, upset the balance with God, rejected his paternity, in the heart of man has broken out violence. God said to Cain, and said to each of us: "sin is crouching at your door; to you it is instinct, but you must master it.".
(Gen 4,7)
God will call to account the lives of others: "And surely your blood, of your lives will I require; they demand an accounting for every living thing, and I will require the life of man to man, in regard to his brother"
(Gn. 9,5)
The true welcome to the fifth commandment requires a strong and determined commitment in favor of life against all forms of violence, injustice, exploitation, marginalization and suffering caused by other, slaying of physical, psychological and moral. "You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, not kill, because whoever kills shall be subject to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment".
(Mt. 5,21-22)
Existence is the first well, the condition of all other goods, it is clear that the existence taking off, killing himself, looks like an act of all, inhumane and unreasonable. Well warns the common consciousness instinctive horror trying to suicide. The suicide is serious injury of charity towards oneself, because, not only in every man, but in each be the trend first, more radical and more profound, is to be preserved. Suicide is a grave sin, as serious as killing because it is against life, and it is an offense to God because He alone has the exclusive right of every life. Suicide is the one who despairs in the help of the Father, therefore, has no faith and does not believe that God can speak to her rescue. The problems and difficulties sometimes oppress and overwhelm the individual pushing anguish and hope can only hold up to the darkness of the present. The hope then, if not rooted in faith in God is destined soon to succumb and then the anxiety can become unbearable and fear can do the rest, pushing the creature into the abyss of nothingness.
Euthanasia is a murder hidden under the guise of piety, justified in wanting to end the suffering in a creature destined to die. The man in this case assumes the right to decide to cancel a life without knowing the end of so much suffering. Everything has a meaning even if, sometimes, we fail to see the outlines. However, we recognize that God is the creator and never abandons his creatures, and then we must leave to Him the right to decide for our own good. The view suffering in itself has no meaning, indeed, it is a paradox but, if we channel in the highest good, then we can find out the reason.
There is also to consider the assassination of the spirit that occurs when you kill your own soul or one's neighbor with the mortal sin which extinguishes the grace of God. "But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will not have forgiveness forever, but it will be guilty of eternal sin "(Mark 3:29). "If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, pray, and God will give him life; refers to those who commit sin not leading to death. But there are sins that lead to death; for it I say in this case not to pray".
(1 lett. Gv. 5,16)
Neither reason nor religion can justify those who expose his life for trivial reasons, or at least not serious enough, like for fun, for sport, for ambition, for profit. Moreover, even the conscience of society distinguished by the boldness temerity, boldness from recklessness.
Commandment not to kill
Exegetical comment
This Commandment forbids the suppression of life, no matter what the reasons are: revenge for hypothetical abuse, or the feeling of omnipotence to gain control and absolute power of their victims, jealousy, ideologies, religions, nothing is justifiable to such extreme gestures and disrespectful of the life of others. In common there is a motivation that ignites and triggers anger, anger, resentment, hatred that devastates the heart and blinds the mind, that breaks in as a devastating force, activating the most cruel and beastly instincts stifling all piety, to go as far as the crime of a person who has the right to live.
Evil action, dark desires, masked idols lurk in the deepest fabric of people, without mercy the ability to forgive is lacking. Forgiveness is the breath of love and frees us from an enormous burden, resolves intricate situations, saves relationships destined to break and makes us rediscover serenity and hope. In the horizon of love is enclosed this commandment that surpasses justice, and reaches the highest summit in the love of God.
Should not kill also apply to animals?
The fifth commandment, "Thou shalt not kill," raises an important question: does it apply to animals? Although the original wording does not specify who should not be killed, we can interpret it more broadly. This commandment concerns all living beings: people, plants and animals around us.
According to this perspective, man has the responsibility of caring for the universe with love and duty. As Christians respect human life, the same ethics should be applied to animals and plants. Therefore, killing an animal should only take place when it is strictly necessary for survival and cannot be compensated by other sources of food.
However, torturing animals, hunting for pure amusement or raising animals with coercive methods are behaviors that go against this principle. Moreover, eating meat just for the pleasure of food is considered a sin of gluttony, one of the seven Capital Vices.
In summary, the ban on killing applies not only to humans but also to animals. Caring for animals is a duty to God, who has commanded us: "Do not kill".
