Would Jesus be for the Death Penalty?

I got into a discussion on Facebook. A few women were arguing with me that a man should face the death penalty for his crimes. I was arguing if found guilty he should be put in jail for the rest of his life. That we should pray for his soul and hope he finds redemption. I was told I was being “Holier than thou” and that my views were just an interpretation of the Bible. I completely disagree with this.

The Bible is clear, Jesus wouldn’t want this man to be killed.

For anyone who thinks Jesus would be for Capital Punishment, you must remember these things from the Bible.

First, Jesus stopped a public execution of a woman, making it known that anyone without sin can stone her but no one could.

John 8:4-9
⁴ “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ⁵ The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”

⁶ They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. ⁷ They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!”⁸ Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

⁹ When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman.”

Jesus talked about an eye for eye, tooth for a tooth but said we should not follow that path, he says we should love our enemies. So a murder for a murder would not be Jesus’ message.
Matthew 5: 38-47
“38You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’h 39But I tell you not to resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also; 40if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well; 41and if someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

43You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’i 44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,j 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even Gentiles do the same?”

Remember Jesus actually made a murderer of Jewish Messianic believers a leader in the Christian movement. Saul, who became Paul was the man Jesus chose for this path, he believed in Paul.

Jesus said we must forgive in order to be forgiven, Paul wrote we are murderers if we hate others. How can we continue to have such hatred in our heart?

Matthew 6:15″But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours.“

“1 John 3: 15″Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer.”

If the man doesn’t repent and is redeemed, his suffering will be far worse than anything he did to the person he killed or anything that can be done to him on this Earth.

Most importantly we must remember Jesus suffered Capital Punishment, he received the death penalty in exchange for Barabbas…A Murderer.

I believe in Jesus and trust his word over everything.

Be Blessed
-Chris