The Meaning of Exodus 20:13: Protect Life, Honor God

Context of Exodus 20:13

This commandment comes as part of the Ten Commandments, given by God to the Israelites after He rescued them from slavery in Egypt.

The people had just witnessed thunder, lightning, and the sound of a trumpet at Mount Sinai, and they were terrified - so much so that they asked Moses to speak to God on their behalf. God was forming a covenant with His people, a special agreement where He would be their God and they would live as His holy nation. These laws, including 'You shall not murder,' were meant to shape a just and peaceful society reflecting God’s character.

By forbidding murder, God affirms that human life is sacred because every person is made in His image - a truth first stated in Genesis 1:27 - and this command sets a foundation for all healthy relationships in the community.

Meaning and Heart of 'You Shall Not Murder'

This commandment is clearer when we understand the original Hebrew word used: *ratsach*, which specifically means unlawful killing, not all forms of taking life.

Unlike general words for 'kill,' *ratsach* refers to murder - the intentional, unjustified taking of a human life - and this distinction matters because the law allowed for things like capital punishment or wartime actions, which were not considered *ratsach*. Compared to other ancient laws like those of Hammurabi, which often focused on protecting property or social class, this law emphasized the sacredness of human life itself.

It’s not just about avoiding murder - it’s about guarding your heart from the anger and hatred that can lead there.

But Jesus takes this even deeper in Matthew 5:21-22, where He says that anyone who is angry with their brother without cause is already guilty in God’s eyes. He shows that the commandment concerns the heart's condition, not merely the act. The real goal is a society where people value each other, control their anger, and live in peace, not merely one without murder. This shifts the focus from mere rule-following to cultivating love and respect from the inside out.

How This Command Points to Jesus

This command to not murder is more than an ancient rule; it finds its full meaning in Jesus, who kept it perfectly and revealed its deeper purpose.

Jesus taught that hatred and anger break this command at its heart, but He lived out the opposite: love, mercy, and life-giving grace. On the cross, He took the violence of this broken world upon Himself, not retaliating but offering forgiveness - even to those who killed Him (Luke 23:34: 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do').

Jesus didn’t just obey this command - He showed us what it means to truly value life.

Because of Jesus, we’re no longer defined by rules alone, but by a relationship that transforms our hearts. The apostle John puts it simply: 'Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer' (1 John 3:15), showing that the standard hasn’t been lowered - it’s been raised, and fulfilled in Christ.

The Heart of the Law: From Image of God to Love in Action

Now we can see how this command stretches all the way from the foundation of human dignity in Genesis to the call for radical love in Jesus’ teaching.

Genesis 9:6 says, 'Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image' - this is the bedrock: life is sacred because we reflect God’s likeness, not because of status, success, or similarity to us. Then Jesus raises the bar in Matthew 5:21-22, not by dismissing the law, but by revealing its heart: anger and contempt devalue that image and break the command long before violence ever begins.

The command not to murder starts with the truth that every person bears God’s image - and that changes how we see everyone, even those we disagree with.

The timeless principle is to honor the image of God in every person by guarding your heart and choosing love, even when it’s hard - such as showing patience in a heated argument or refusing to spread a harmful word online for the sake of satisfaction.

Application