Q & A 105
Q. What is God’s will for you
in the sixth commandment?
A. I am not to belittle, hate, insult, or kill my neighbour—
not by my thoughts, my words, my look or gesture,
and certainly not by actual deeds—
and I am not to be party to this in others; (1)
rather, I am to put away all desire for revenge. (2)
I am not to harm or recklessly endanger myself either. (3)
Prevention of murder is also why
government is armed with the sword. (4)
1 Gen. 9:6; Lev. 19:17-18; Matt. 5:21-22; 26:52
2 Prov. 25:21-22; Matt. 18:35; Rom. 12:19; Eph. 4:26
3 Matt. 4:7; 26:52; Rom. 13:11-14
4 Gen. 9:6; Ex. 21:14; Rom. 13:4
Q & A 106
Q. Does this commandment refer only to murder?
A. By forbidding murder God teaches us
that he hates the root of murder:
envy, hatred, anger, vindictiveness. (1)
In God’s sight all such are disguised forms of murder. (2)
1 Prov. 14:30; Rom. 1:29; 12:19; Gal. 5:19-21; 1 John 2:9-11
2 1 John 3:15
Q & A 107
Q. Is it enough then
that we do not murder our neighbour
in any such way?
A. No.
By condemning envy, hatred, and anger
God wants us
to love our neighbours as ourselves, (1)
to be patient, peace-loving, gentle,
merciful, and friendly toward them, (2)
to protect them from harm as much as we can,
and to do good even to our enemies. (3)
1 Matt. 7:12; 22:39; Rom. 12:10
2 Matt. 5:3-12; Luke 6:36; Rom. 12:10, 18; Gal. 6:1-2; Eph. 4:2; Col. 3:12; 1 Pet. 3:8
3 Ex. 23:4-5; Matt. 5:44-45; Rom. 12:20-21 (Prov. 25:21-22)