Capital Punishment and the Bible

Capital Punishment and the Bible
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Capital Punishment and the Bible
What is the origin and biblical basis for the death penalty?
In the Old Testament, capital punishment played a vital role in the Israelites’ justice system. The death penalty option convicted serious civil crime such as false prophesy, in opposition to God’s holiness, witchcraft, rape, and murder. From the mosaic law, the scripture provides evidence in support of the death penalty. “Show no pity: life for life, eye for an eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” (Deut. 19: 21 NIV). It is clear from the verse that retributive punishment worked in the Mosaic law where the penalty was proportional to the harm made (Recinella, 2015).
Is there a difference between the Old and New Testament approach to the death penalty?
The old testament doesn’t prohibit the death penalty. Instead, it inflicts strict measures that support capital punishment under specific conditions. The New Testament does not support the death penalty as it closes off all death penalty chances through the new social order that Jesus Christ supported. The new kingdom in the new testament preaches against violence and calls for love. Because revenge and killing contradict love, it is obvious the new testament is against capital punishment (Mandery & Mandery, 2011).
Explain the U.S. Supreme Court’s treatment of juveniles and the mentally ill in death penalty cases.
The execution of persons under the age of 18 for a crime committed has been a constitutional debate since its introduction in 1976.

The supreme court recognizes that when embossing punishment, it is essential to consider the offender’s age. The court works in defense of the juveniles where it states that they are inexperienced, less intelligence, less education, and peer pressure make them less able to weigh the consequences involved compared to adults. Besides, a juvenile does not have responsibilities and privileges as compared to those of the adult (Recinella, 2015).
The federal constitutional law exempts juveniles with mental illness from capital punishment. The court is in their defense due to the disabilities of judgment, reasoning, lack moral culpability, and have less control of their impulses. Due to the mentioned impairments, a juvenile has less capability to learn from experience, process and understand information, and display logical reasoning (Recinella, 2015)
Does the death penalty provide a valid punishment option in today’s society?
The death penalty is unfair punishment. No matter how we look at it, taking one’s life is wrong since in the first place we didn’t create that life but God. There other alternative and resources that can be used to impose punishment. Criminals deserve chances to change. Death sentence deprives them of this chance.
References
Mandery, E. J., & Mandery, E. J. (2011). Capital punishment in America: A balanced examination. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Recinella, D. S. (2015). The Biblical Truth about America’s Death Penalty. University Press of New England.