Gospel and Spiritual Growth Series by Pastor David K. Spurbeck, Sr.

 

Message #37 – 1-6-2002 – Synopsis and Outline

 

SOCIAL WORKS AND LUSTS FROM THE FLESH – VII

 

This message deals with the 15th work of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21 in the AV "murder."  There is some question as to whether or not it should be in the text since there are some texts that omit it.  It happens to resemble the last word "envy" in the Greek having the same letters except omitting the theta.  Those who reject it believe that it is an example of haplography which is an accidental duplication of all or some of the letters in a word just copied.  The manuscript evidence is strong for its inclusion with broad support.  Satan often gets credit for murder because of John 8:44 which says that he was a murderer from the beginning.  The word used there is completely different from the one in Galatians 5:21 where the normal word is identified as a work of the flesh.  Interestingly enough the 6th commandment "thou shalt not murder" is repeated in the New Testament six times.  

 

The word "murder" involves brutal intentional malicious taking of a life.  The sixth commandment uses a Hebrew root that describes murder with intent that is planned in any time frame [instantly or over a period of time].  The translation "kill" there misrepresents its true meaning and leads to the idea that taking of any life is prohibited by God -- animal, human, plant etc.  The word and its derivatives are found 30 times in the N. T. 13 occur in the Gospels.  14 occur in grace revelation and three in the book of Revelation.  Hebrew has a far greater vocabulary for murder and killing than the Greek of the New Testament.  The Hebrew links through the LXX are noted.  In classical Greek and other koine references it has the more general meaning of the taking of a life of another person without as much of an emphasis on intention and righteous taking of a life.  For example it is used of deaths in war, capital punishment and other types of death.  In the classics it is often linked to the shedding of blood.  My definition is senseless slaughter or killing of a human being with intent.  In grace revelation this word is always used of an evil taking of life with no good reason.  It may involve brutality.  It may involve shedding of blood but not exclusively (example is strangulation).  It can be self-murder (i. e. suicide).  There is always a mental determination to murder so that it is not an accident.

 

The O. T. identifies the source of this work of the flesh as coming out of the heart (i. e. the rationale, volition and emotions).  Barabbas murdered because he was in a rebellion or insurrection against the Roman government (Mark 15:7; Lu. 25:19, 25).  Matt. 23:35 is the one N. T. passage that emphasizes the shedding of blood in this act.  4. covers each occurrence of the sixth commandment and its role in context.  It is interesting to notice that James identifies a main motive for murder is to get riches and other gain (4:2; 5:2-6).  The context of these passages emphasizes how a person who strives to be rich can go so far as to murder another person or persons.  Murder is found in two clusters:  the list of the works of the flesh (Gal. 5:19-21) and the list of all unrighteousness in Romans 1:29. 

 

Murder has resulted from religion from its very beginning with the death of Abel.  Cain slit his throat as a sacrifice (1 Jn. 3:12 Gk.) and responded that his perversity [the bent of his fallen nature] was more than he could bear (Heb. of Gen. 4:13).  Saul was a religious Jew before his salvation and was actively involved in the murder of Christians (Acts. 9:1).  The Jewish nation murdered in opposition to the prophets of Jehovah (Mat. 23:31) because they didn't like the revelation from Jehovah.  In Revelation 9:20, 21 idolaters from mankind will commit murder because of their religious idolatry.  An interesting passage is Acts 28:4 concerning the Barbarians' view of murder.  When a poisonous serpent attached itself to Paul, they believed that he was a murderer and that the serpent was the punishment of the gods. 

 

The death of Christ is seen as murder in Acts 7:52.  Scripture uses nearly every New Testament Greek word for killing to describe the death of Christ.  In fact seven verbs for die describe the death of Christ more than forty times in the New Testament.  Anareo is found five times [Lu. 22:2; 23:32; Acts 2:23; 10:39; 13:28) means to take one's life or kill.  Apokteino means to slay or kill and is found 28 times (Matt. 14:5; 16:21; 17:23; 21:38, 39; 23:34; 26:4; Mk. 8:31; 9:31; 10:34; 12:7, 8; 14:1; Lu. 9:22; 13:31; 18:33; 20:14, 15; Jn. 5:16, 18; 7:1, 19, 25; 8:37; 9:40; 11:53; Acts 3:15; 1 Th. 2:15).  Christ Himself used this anticipating His death in the Gospels.  Diacheiridzomai has the idea of laying hands on to kill and is only found of Christ in Acts 5:30.  Thuo means to slay as a sacrifice and refers to His death in 1 Cor. 5:7.  Thanatoo means to put to death and is found four times (Matt. 26:59; 27:1; Mk. 14:55; 1 Pe. 3:18).  Sphatto describes His death as the slaying of a sacrifice by the slitting of the throat four times (Rev. 5:6, 9, 12; 13:8).  One can pursue these words in Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words under kill and in Englishman's Greek Concordance under kill in the English index.  I merely mentioned these in the message so this is bonus material from the actual message.

 

Murderers are the type of persons that will be in the Lake of Fire (Rev. 21:8).  Peter tells Christians not to suffer as a murderer (1 Pe. 4:15).  He recognizes that believers can commit murder but discourages this along with equally unrighteous personal characterization of thief, evildoer or a busybody.  I have been working on a writing project and just went back through the derivatives for Lord or to lord it over (kurios and kurieo).  The word for busybody was there since its root means to act as a lord or master.  It actually means to be another of the same kind as a third party in making decisions or acting as a master over one's affairs.  It is a person who has no business to tell anyone else what to do -- a third party removed from that person's business.  An interesting word!

 

This is one work of the flesh that most Christians do not believe that they could ever commit.  Carnality can take one to this extreme.  Often the other works of the flesh push one this direction (as hatred, anger, religious superstitious awe etc.).  Christians have murdered themselves.  Peter tells saints not to be in such a condition as to have to suffer as a murderer!

 

Sharing all spiritual blessings with all saints,

DKS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#37 -- Gospel and Spiritual Growth

Valley – January 6, 2002 a.m.

 

SOCIAL WORKS AND LUSTS FROM THE FLESH -- VII

Galatians 5:21 -- Murders -- fo,noj

 

Proposition:   To present the concepts involved in the word "murder" which is easily understood by most Christians.  This is the fifteenth work of the flesh listed in Galatians five.  This work involves the senseless taking of a life with violence.

 

        Introduction

              A.  The Establishing that Murder Is a Work of the Flesh

                    1.  The Omission of the Word in Some Manuscripts

                    2.  The Division of the Evidence

                    3.  The Rejection of the Suggested Scribal Duplication [Haplography]

                    4.  The Inclusion of the Word in the Text

              B.   The Evidence for Murder as Being a Work of the Flesh

              C.  The Extent of Words Describing the Taking of a Life

                    1.  In the Old Testament

                    2.  In the New Testament

              D.  The Emphasis on the Repetition of the Sixth Commandment

                    1.  In the Gospels -- Matt. 5:21; 19:18; Mk. 10:19; Lu. 18:20

                    2.  In Grace Revelation -- Rom. 13:9; Jas. 2:11

 

TRANS:   The fifteenth work of the flesh is murder.  This involves the malicious taking of the life of another person. 

 

VII. MURDERS OR INTENTIONAL BRUTAL MALICIOUS TAKING A HUMAN LIFE -- MURDER ANOTHER PERSON -- PERSONAL TERMINATION OF THE LIFE OF ANOTHER PERSON BY INTENTION AND DESIGN -- AB IRCHESTRATED REMOVAL OF PHYSICAL LIFE FROM ANOTHER PERSON -- Galatians 5:21

        A.  The Extent of the Revelation in the New Testament

              1.  fo,noj (phonos) -- masculine noun -- ten times trans. "murder" (8x); "slaughter"  (1x); "be slain" (1x)

              2.  foneu,w (phoneuo) -- verb -- twelve times  trans. "kill" (11x); "do murder" (1x); "slay" (1x)

              3.  foneu,j (phoneus) -- noun -- seven times  trans. "murderer"

              4.  avndrofo,noj (androphonos) -- noun -- one time  trans. "manslayer" (1 Tim. 1:9)

              5.  Total New Testament Occurrences of All Forms and Derivatives -- 30x

        B.   The Evidence in its Distribution in the New Testament

              1.  In the Gospels -- 13 times

                  a.  As the Noun fo,noj (phonos)  -- five times (Matt. 15:19; Mk. 7:21; 15:7; Lu.

                       23:19, 25)

                  b.  As the Verb foneu,w (phoneuo)  -- seven times (Matt. 5:21(2x); 19:18; 23:31;

                       23:35; Mk. 10:19; Lu. 18:20)

                  c.  As the Noun foneu,j (phoneus) -- one time (Mat. 22:7)

              2.  In Grace Revelation -- 14 times

                  a.  The Noun fo,noj (phonos)   -- four times (Acts 9:1; Rom. 1:29; Gal. 5:21; Heb.

                       11:37)

                  b.  The Verb foneu,w (phoneuo) -- five times (Rom. 13:9; Jas. 2:11(2x); 4:2; 5:6)

                  c.  The Noun foneu,j (phoneus) -- four times (Acts 3:14; 7:52; 28:4; 1 Pe. 4:15)

                 d.  The Noun avndrofo,noj (androphonos) -- one time (Mat. 22:7)

            3.  In the Book of Revelation

                 a.   The Noun fo,noj (phonos)   -- one time (Rev. 9:21)

                 b.   The Noun foneu,j (phoneus) -- two times (Rev. 21:8; 22:15)

        C.  The Examination of the Uses in the Greek Old Testament (LXX) 

              1.  Hebrew Words Translated by the Noun fo,noj

          a.  For ~D' (dahm) -- four times (Ex. 22:2; Deut. 22:8; Prov. 1:18; 28:17)

                    b.  For br,x, (cherev) -- three times (Ex. 5:3; Lev. 26:7; Deut. 28:22)

                    c.  For rg<Pe (pegehr) -- two times (Ezek. 43:7, 9)

                    d.  For hPe (peeh) -- three times (Num. 21:24; Deut. 13:15; 20:13)

                    c.  For xc;r' (rahtsach) -- one time (Hos. 4:2)

              2.  Hebrew Words Translated by the Verb

                    a.  For xc;r' (rahtsach) -- 30 times (ex. Ex. 20:15; Deut. 5:18)

                    b.  For gr;h' (hahrag) -- eight times (Judg. 16:2; 20:5; Neh. 4:11; 6:10; Est. 9:12;

                         Prov. 1:2; 7:26; Lam. 7:20)

                    c.  For hk'n" (nahcah) -- five times (Josh. 10:28, 30, 32, 35; 2 Chron. 25:3)

                    d.  For ~r;x' (chahram) -- one time (Josh:10:35)

        D.  The Emphasis of Usage in Classical and Koine Greek 

        1.  Generally of Taking of Life of Another Person

        2.  In Law It Was a Murder or Homicide

3.  Was Used of the Death Penalty for Punishment

4.  Very Often Linked with the Shedding of the Blood of Another in Classical Greek

        E.   The Emphasis of the Definition of Murder

              1.  My Definition:  Senseless slaughter or killing of a human being with intent

              2.  The Details from the Definition

                  a.  Involves the taking of a human life

                  b.  Involves no good reason for taking the life [punishment is a good biblical reason]

                  c.  It may involve brutality in the act

                  d.  It may involve the taking of one's own life

                  e.  It can involve premeditation or may be simply a spur of the moment taking of life

        F.   The Examination of Biblical Revelation for Understanding Murder

              1.  The Source of Murder

                  a.  Out of the Heart -- Matt. 15:19

                  b.  Out of the Heart of Man -- Mark 7:21

              2.  The Sedition That Led to Barabbas Committing Murder -- Mark 15:7; Luke 25:19, 25 (cf. Acts 3:14)

              3.  The Shedding of Blood in Murder -- Matthew 23:35

              4.  The Sixth of the Ten Commandments Referred to in the New Testament

                  a.  The Purpose of Law -- 1 Timothy 1:9

                  b.  The Potential for Physical Punishment for Violation -- Matthew 5:21

                  c.  The Program of Law Endorsed by Jesus Christ -- Matthew 19:18; Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20

                  d.  The Provision of Fulfillment of Law in Grace -- Rom. 13:8, 9

                  e.  The Possession of the Royal Law and Liability for the Ten -- James 2:11

              5.  The Significance of a Reason for Murder

                  a.  Fleshly Motivation for Gain -- James 4:2

                  b.  Fleshly Justification for Murder for Riches -- James 5:2-6

              6.  The Sharing in Cluster in Grace Revelation

                  a.  All Unrighteousness:  Romans 1:29

                  b.  Works of Flesh:  Galatians 5:21

              7.  The Striking Out in Murder for Religious Reasons

                  a.  Saul as a Religious Jew -- Acts 9:1

                  b.  Idolaters of Mankind -- Revelation 9:20, 21

                  c.  Opposition to Prophets -- Matthew 23:31

              8.  The Superstition of the Barbarians Concerning the Intervention Gods for Murder -- Acts 28:4

              9.  The Significance of the Death of Christ as Murder -- Acts 7:52

            10. The Statement Concerning Persons Who Will Be Present in the Lake of Fire -- Revelation 21:8

            11. The Suffering of a Believer Like a Murder Discouraged -- 1 Pe. 4:15

 

TRANS:   Murder is often the most recognized of the works of the flesh.  There are some who will attribute this work to Satan but that involves another Greek word.  Several of the works of the flesh can easily lead to murder.  Most of these we have already studied.

 

      Conclusion

              A.

              B.

              C.

              D.

 

© by David K. Spurbeck

Valley Baptist Church

P. O. Box 99, Gaston, OR 97119