Lord’s Day 40
Q107. Is it enough then that we do not kill our neighbor in any such way?
No. By condemning envy, hatred, and anger God tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves, to be patient, peace-loving, gentle, merciful, and friendly to them, to protect them from harm as much as we can, and to do good even to our enemies.
Scripture Proofs — King James Version
Matthew 7:12
“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”
Matthew 22:39
“On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
Romans 12:10
“Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;”
Ephesians 4:1–2
“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;”
Galatians 6:1–2
“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”
Matthew 5:5, 7, 9
“Blessed the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”
Romans 12:18
“If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”
Luke 6:36
“Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.”
1 Peter 3:8
“Finally, all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, pitiful, courteous:”
Exodus 23:4–5
“If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.”
Matthew 5:44–45
“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”
Romans 12:20–21
“Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Commentary — Zacharias Ursinus (1616)
The end or design of this commandment is the preservation of the life and health of the body, and so of the safety both of ourselves and of others. All those things, therefore, which have respect to the safety and preservation of our own life and the lives of others, are here enjoined; whilst, on the other hand, every thing is prohibited which tends to the destruction of life, which may be said to include every unlawful injury, and every desire of inflicting a wrong which any one may cherish, with every expression of this desire. It is called "murder" in this prohibition, or commandment, not because God prohibits this alone, but that in removing the effect he may at the same time remove all the causes which contribute to it, and that embracing under the term murder, all the sins which are connected with it, he may, by showing its aggravated character, the more effectually restrain us from these sins, according to the rule, "that when any particular virtue is commanded or vice forbidden, the general virtues and vices, or whatever is connected with it, is at the same time commanded or forbidden."
We must here show, 1. That this commandment enjoins and forbids not only what is external, but also what is internal.
2. That it prohibits any injury done to ourselves or others.