January 19, 2024 

Today's Reading: 10 Commandments, 5th Commandment

Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 44:1-16, 23-29; Romans 9:1-18

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. At first, this commandment seems rather simple: don’t kill people. For many centuries following God writing the Commandments and giving them to Moses to give them to God’s people, you shall not murder, simply forbade taking another person’s life. This simple law is good, for the benefit of our neighbor, but it can give the illusion that we have kept this commandment if we are never labeled a murderer. Our Lord, in His teachings from the Sermon on the Mount, takes this simple command and expands it. It is not enough to simply avoid being an ax-murderer. Christ tells His hearers, “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.” So now the command is, "Don't kill anyone, but also, do not be angry with those around you, do not insult them, and do not think unkind things about them. Dr. Luther takes his explanation of the fifth commandment from Christ’s direct teachings. Do not wish or enact harm against your neighbor. Now, when we look at this commandment, we are not as innocent as we would first assume. Sure, I haven’t killed anyone but I have insulted those around me and I’ve definitely thought mean things towards family. 

Christ’s teachings on this commandment (and Luther’s explanation centuries later), teach two things. The first is that we are to avoid harming our neighbors, no matter how small the offense may be. The second aspect of this teaching is the helping aspect, especially pointed out in Luther’s explanation. We are to help and befriend our neighbors, seeking their best interests and striving to provide support and help when needed. We see this modeled in Jesus. We know that Christ perfectly kept the law, but He kept the law perfectly for us. Sinners cannot keep any of the commandments. Rather than leave us to the judgment of hellfire we deserve, Jesus Christ befriends and helps us in every need.  His suffering for us means we are now strengthened by the Holy Spirit to serve and help our neighbor. We are shaped by Jesus to not seek the worst for our fellow sinners, but look on them in love - the same love shown to us first by our God. This love extends to us while we are still sinners, calls us from death into life, and grants us strength to persevere in a death-filled world.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.