Capital Punishment Under the New Covenant
Richard Lanser, of Associates for Biblical Research, states that the “agreement of the testimonies of two or three witnesses is sufficient to establish the factuality of an event”. Richard gets this understanding from the Scriptural principle of two or three witnesses. The sixth commandment in Exodus 20:13, “You shall not murder”, teaches us not to murder our fellow man. But there are sins that require capital punishment. Putting an individual to death for committing a capital crime is not murder. It is in fact a requirement of Yahweh’s Torah to put a capital criminal to death. Why? to maintain order in society and put the fear of Yahweh into men’s hearts. Yahweh has not repealed ANY of His commandments. In order for Yahweh’s capital punishment system to work, you must have honest witnesses, plural. It is the responsibility of the civil government in our fallen world to uphold Yahweh’s Torah and maintain a safe, orderly society.
Lev. 19:11, “You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another.”
Dt. 17:6-7, “Whoever is deserving of death shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three witnesses; he shall not be put to death on the testimony of one witness. 7The hands of the witnesses shall be the first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So you shall put away the evil from among you.”
Dt. 19:15-21, “One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established. 16If a false witness rises against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing, 17then both men in the controversy shall stand before Yahweh, before the priests and the judges who serve in those days. 18And the judges shall make careful inquiry, and indeed, if the witness is a false witness, who has testified falsely against his brother, 19then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother; so you shall put away the evil from among you. 20And those who remain shall hear and fear, and hereafter they shall not again commit such evil among you. 21Your eye shall not pity: life shall be for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
Mt. 18:16, “But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’” Notice Yeshua directly quoted Deut. 19:15 above.
1 Cor. 14:29, “Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge.”
2 Cor. 13:1, “This will be the third time I am coming to you. “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.”” Notice Paul quoted Deut. 19:15 also.
1Tim. 5:19, “Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses.”
Heb. 10:26-31, “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28Anyone who has rejected Moses’ Torah dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of Yahweh underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”says Yahweh. And again, “Yahweh will judge His people.” 31It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living Mighty One.”
Proverbs 14:5, “A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness will utter lies.”
Proverbs 19:5, “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who speaks lies will not escape.”
You see, our human judicial system will always be imperfect, because how do we really know whether or not a witness is lying? We don’t, only Yahweh knows. The Scriptures state that every man is a liar, so how can we ever have perfectly truthful witnesses in this world? We can’t, so we must work with what we have, fallen sinners. Our judicial system will be imperfect until Yeshua returns to establish His Kingdom on earth. Can you imagine trying to lie in a courtroom during the Millennial Reign of Yeshua HaMashiach? Someone might try, but they won’t get away with it for an instant.
John 20:24–29, “Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when (risen) Yeshua came. 25The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Master.”
So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
26And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Yeshua came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” 27Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
28And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Master and my Mighty One!”
29Yeshua said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.””
Thomas did not believe the testimony of his friends, though he knew in his heart that they were honest men and women. Let’s not be like Thomas, let’s believe the testimonies of our saved friends and neighbors.
Mt. 10:16, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”
Acts 5:1-11, “But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. 2And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? 4While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to Yahweh.”
5Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. 6And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.
7Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8And Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?”
She said, “Yes, for so much.”
9Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of Yahweh? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. 11So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.”
Yahweh saw fit to take Ananias and Sapphira out just for lying. Our Father demands honesty in His church family. Our human judicial system can never mete out pure, righteous justice like our Heavenly Father can. That’s another reason why He gave us capital punishment. It’s the most merciful thing sinful humans can do to a capital criminal. An executed capital criminal will simply have to wait until Yahweh’s Judgment Day to receive perfect justice. The victims of human crimes will simply have to wait until Judgment Day to receive perfect justice for what was done to them in this life. Matthew 10:28, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
Yeshua, Paul, all the Apostles, including the author of Hebrews, upheld, taught, and lived by the commandments of the Torah. Yeshua never put aside the Old Covenant law, but came to fulfill it and to interpret it properly. On Judgment Day, all crime, all evil, all unpunished sin will be settled once and for all. Yeshua will wipe your slate clean or He will wipe you out of His Book of Life. It’s pretty simple to understand, get saved, have yours sins forgiven, or get tossed into the eternal Lake of Fire.
Yahweh believes in Capital Punishment. Yahweh uses capital punishment and will implement it against Satan and his horde of demons. That is why you don’t want to be associated with Satan or his demons. Sinning is a one-way trip to the Lake of Fire, so repent of your sins today and turn to Yahweh through faith in His Son Yeshua. Yeshua paid for your sins on His execution stake way back in 30 CE, so if you will repent and receive His forgiveness, you won’t have to face punishment for your sins. This is His FREE OFFER to you. It’s the best deal going, take advantage of it today.
Gene Benjamin II
October 31, 2011 CE