Disobedience to Parents: A Capital Offense?

Aaron,

Capital punishment was instituted by God prior to the giving of the law at Sinai. See Gen 9. The laws which imposed capital punishment for those things such as adultery and wanton adolescent disobedience under the Old Economy appear to have been "fulfilled" (Matt 5:17) with the advent of Christ. For example, Jesus does not condemn the woman caught in adultery. Also Paul does not advocate for the death penalty for the son caught in an affair with his step mother (making him both disobedient and an adulterer). So while capital punishment is still enforce for those who unlawfully take another life, the "lesser" crimes found in the civil code of OT Israel do not necessarily carry the same inherent degree of penal sanction.

I hope this helps.

 

I would also like to know if they eat catfish,pork or shrimp ! Great question Aaron...I don't think we will see many answer.

 

HP: Well said Pastor. I agree. :thumbs:

 

These laws were given specifically and exclusively to Israel. The Law was not given to anyone outside of Isreal.

This law on diet was to show Israel the distinction between clean and unclean, since they were living among and near pagan nations who sacrificed children, worshiped false gods, had debauched rituals, practiced occult arts such as contact with the dead, etc.

This strenous effort to abide by these regulations showed the Hebrew people what sin was and how holy God is in comparison. The law was a standard to reveal God's holiness and the need to be set apart from pagan nations.

 

I believe God is faithful and will keep His word. In the covenant promise to Noah, the Lord promises to not destroy the world in that manner again. To which the rainbow was given as a sign of His abiding promise. As to the specific notion that for a life, a life is required, yes, I believe this is the beginning and function of the civil authority - to administer justice (Rom. 13).

 

Actually the law of God is written on every heart - though suppressed in unrighteousness in many, if not most (Rom. 1).

 

Many of the sundry judical laws of OT Israel did serve to provide for the common interest and welfare of the people. And while adultery and disobedience to parents remain heinous sins against God, this does not necessarily mean that they remain civil crimes for all times. They may, they may not. Actually, if we study the way the NT handles these and other issues from the OT Mosiac law code, it appears they become more of an ecclesiastical matter than a civil one.