Why does Exodus 21:15 prescribe death for striking a parent? Text Under Examination “Whoever strikes his father or mother must surely be put to death.” (Exodus 21:15) Immediate Literary Context Exodus 21–23 is commonly called “the Book of the Covenant” (Exodus 24:7). These statutes follow the Ten Commandments and unpack their social application. Verse 15 sits among prohibitions on murder (v. 12), kidnapping (v. 16), and cursing parents (v. 17), placing assault on parents in the same category of gravity. Vocabulary And Translation Notes • “Strikes” (nāḵâ) is used elsewhere for intentional, injurious blows (Exodus 2:11; Numbers 35:16). • The phrase “must surely be put to death” translates the emphatic infinitive absolute plus imperfect, marking non-negotiable penalty. Ancient Near Eastern Legal Background Comparable law codes—e.g., Code of Hammurabi §195 (“If a son strikes his father, his hands shall be cut off”)—confirm that filial assault was universally condemned. Yet Israel’s law is distinctive: (1) it prescribes equal dignity for both parents (“father or mother”), unlike many patriarchal codes; (2) it grounds the sanction in Yahweh’s covenant holiness, not merely social custom (Leviticus 18:1–5). Theological Foundation: The Fifth Commandment Exodus 20:12 commands, “Honor your father and your mother.” Honor (kāḇēd) means heavy, weighty respect. Assault is the antithesis of honor; thus the capital penalty safeguards the moral order established by God. Romans 13:1–4 shows that civil authority bears the sword against evil; in the Sinai theocracy parental authority was second only to God’s. Social Function Of The Penalty 1. Deterrence: Deuteronomy 13:11 states that capital sentences produced communal fear, preventing copycat rebellion. 2. Protection of the vulnerable: Elderly parents had no social-security network; divine law shielded them from violent offspring. 3. Preservation of covenant cohesion: Malachi 4:6 warns that broken parent-child relationships invite a curse on the land. Lex Talionis And Proportional Justice Striking a peer without death did not merit execution (Exodus 21:18–19). Why the escalation here? Parents are the God-ordained life-givers; violence against them symbolically attacks the Source of life. Thus the penalty is proportionate to the offense’s theological weight, not merely its medical outcome. Covenant Theocracy And Capital Crimes Israel’s civil code functioned under direct divine kingship (1 Samuel 8:7). Capital sanctions marked behaviors that, if tolerated, would unravel covenant life (Numbers 15:30–31). Assaulting parents was classified with idolatry, witchcraft, and murder—sins threatening national holiness (Leviticus 20). CHRISTOLOGICAL AND New Testament PERSPECTIVE Jesus reaffirms the principle: “God said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Whoever curses father or mother must be put to death.’” (Matthew 15:4). He condemns religious loopholes (Corban) that undermined parental care. While theocratic Israel’s civil penalty is not imposed by the church (John 18:36), the moral imperative remains (Ephesians 6:1–3). Continuity And Change Of Administration The civil-judicial aspect (death penalty) belonged to national Israel (Hebrews 9:1–10). Under the New Covenant, church discipline (1 Corinthians 5) replaces civil execution, but the underlying sin still “shuts people out of the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9–10). Governments retain the right to legislate against domestic violence (Romans 13). Objections Answered • “Primitive cruelty”: The law actually elevates parental respect above surrounding cultures and contains judicial safeguards (two-witness rule, Deuteronomy 19:15). • “Incompatible with love”: Hebrews 12:9 links respect for earthly fathers with submission to the Father of spirits, demonstrating that love and discipline are not opposites but partners. • “Contradicted by Jesus”: Christ upholds the command; He fulfills its penalty in His own death, offering mercy to repentant lawbreakers. Practical Application Today Believers cultivate honor through financial care (Mark 7:11–12), verbal respect (Proverbs 30:17), and physical protection of aged parents (1 Timothy 5:4,8). Societies enforce statutes against elder abuse, reflecting the enduring righteousness of Exodus 21:15. Conclusion Exodus 21:15 prescribes death for striking a parent because (1) it safeguards the sanctity of the family, the fundamental covenant unit; (2) it acts as a deterrent against destructive rebellion; (3) it reflects God’s own authority structure; and (4) it prophetically reveals the gravity of sin that required Christ’s atoning death. The text is historically verified, ethically coherent, and theologically indispensable—directing every generation to honor parents and, ultimately, to honor the Father who gave His Son for our salvation. |
    |