explanation of this bible quote please?

Question

Exodus 22 "18": Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

does this not brake one of the ten commandments?

does it justify the return of witch burning?

or is it just a contradiction?

Answer 1

I take it to mean that you should not make a witch suffer in her life.

Answer 2

First you have to prove that someone is a witch. And now, without going to witch world, it is difficult, to say the least. So it is easier to accept that there are no more witches. But consider this, if a witch was killing children in a village then that section of the bible would apply. The bible is not just a goody goody book you know.

Answer 3

In slightly more modern language:

"You must not preserve a sorceress alive"

That is - under the Mosaic Law, it condemed to death practicers of sorcery.


The previous & following verses put this into context.

The Ten Commandments were for the preservation of the Isrealites ONLY. Witches, sorcerers & 'black arts' we regarded as false & punishable by death (21:12)...much like Murder was punishable by death, and beastiality (22:17), kidnap (21:16)
eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth 21: 26+27

There is no contradiction here.

These laws were put aside with the New Covenant of Christ.
"Love your neighbour as yourself", which covers all possible 'sins' against others

Answer 4

You will find that whenever people were killed in the days of Israel's sojourning, it usually was a response to their sinfulness and rebellion against God and His servant Moses. The very definition of a witch is a maligned person that is wicked and corrupting others. A witch is a malignancy to the whole. They had to be cut out, because they were deceitful and debauched (look up the definition of this word) others. Essentially, one rotten apple spoils the whole bunch. God was leading His chosen people to be "set apart" from sin, unto Himself. He did not want anyone leading them astray into corruption. If anyone stoned a witch, they were doing it by God's commandment, which was put in place for the safety and benefit of all. This is not a contradiction. When the 10 commandments said, "you shall not kill" it was not saying that they were not allowed to kill enemy combatants in war, for instance. They went to war by God's direction. So, the standard operating procedure (if you will) was to not kill anyone. But there had to be exceptions to this rule on ocassion, and these exceptions were made known by the Lord to His people. They were not in confusion as to what they should do, he made it very plain for them.

Answer 5

No one alive keeps the commandments of God. And if they did, they were killed anyway. Look what happened to Christ, who kept all the commandments and the prophets who wrote them. Does anyone you know follow the Law of Moses? The Law brought death, Christ through the Law, born of a woman, brought Life Eternal.
I see no contradictions in this.

Answer 6

It would seem a contradiction of one places restrictions on the law giver Himself, but if God makes an exceptions to any of His commandments, when/if He decides to execute justice in the here and now, if he deems it necessary for the sake of others, then He will do so. He can definitely command the execution of a witch (or someone practising in sorcery or other abomination). God's reasons are His own.

As for the rest of us, we are not to kill anybody, unless God Himself commands it, as He alone is the author of life and death and none of us have the right to decide.

In those times, they were raw and cruel times and the people were hardened. So hardened in fact, that God must have wanted to tear His hair out trying to guide them, when they CONTINUED to go back to their old ways and occult practises, even after He had shown them miracles and they knew who the true God was. People being people, they were stubborn and hard heartened.

"Fear not who can kill the body, but who can kill the soul". Witch craft, occultism, sorcery etc, was so dangerous a thing to a person's soul, that God would go so far as to actually order the person's execution, due to the danger of of this practise to others.

When Christ came, He died on a cross for all our sins and you will notice the change in the ways after Christ came. God does not change, only men change and now along with the ten commandments, God Himself as already sacrificed Himself for every known sin (including witch craft). Does not mean it's ok, but the order of justice on earth has altered because of Christ.

Sadly, justice afterwards, if one does not desire the saving grace of God is another story.

So what you see seems a contradiction, but if you see it from God's perspective of the abomination of witchcraft and many other abominable practises that were an affront to Him, you will see why He ordered such a strong sentence. Humans however, have no right to take the law into their own hands and kill anybody and certainly after Christ came, the sacrifice for all sin has been given. One only has to call upon it and repent!

I do not believe it justifies the return of witch burning. If you read the old testament, they were raw and cruel times and the people hard as nails. God had a very hard time with them and getting them to do anything was a handful. If you read their behaviour in Exodus, you can imagine how frustrating they were and how patient God was with them, even after what He had done for them and the astounding miracles that they had witnessed!!! The parting of the Red sea was not enough for most of those people. No wonder Moses was so angry when he came down from Mount Sinae, that he broke the ten commandments in total rage and horror at what he saw when he came down.

God had to give him two new sets!!!! lol. Moses is only human, but he was a holy righteous man and seeing these people, even after what God had done and brought them through, revelling in all kinds of sin, just because he had left the camp for a "little too long". This is how they repaid the almighty God. Is it any wonder God's anger erupted at their ways?

witchcraft was evil, because it excluded the almight God and instead called upon other spirits. Though it proclaims to be good, any spirit that is contrary to God, is of the Devil. Even the Devil can disguise Himself as good and helpful, as this gives the person the impression they are getting through to the "mother earth" and many other things they decide are nature. All worship outside of God is actually spiritual adultery and very dangerous to a person's soul, including those who become also caught up in it and decide it is not only not harmful, but "good".

"woe to those who call good evil and evil good". There is more danger is these things, that some of the more blatant that is obvious to everyone that it is evil. Satan is very subtle.

Answer 7

Actually, the Old Testament was "done away with" that is the Old Covenant with Moses, was, when Christ Jesus died. With his death came the New Covenant as he said. The ONLY reason the 10 Commandents are still relevant is because Christ himself said they were! The rest of the Levitical laws, including tithing and circumscion were done away with. If you read the New Testament it would tell you this. : )

During the days BEFORE Christ, yes, Witches were to be condemned to death, however, it was more because humans were not equipped to deal with the magic which they were weilding than any associations with demons. God considers mankind to young to deal with magick and that its not controllable. Also, the association with Demons, such as Saul and the Witch of Endor conjuring Samuel, causing Sauls death the very next day on the battlefield for his affront to his God by doing this thing. So, again, we are not to trust demons impersonating dead people, which is basically what Ghosts are. There is no real knowledge to be gained, and possibly something dear to be lost.

I mean, name ONE thing that has helped anyone that was "learned" from the dead?

Answer 8

Zondervan's NIV version states "Do not allow a sorceress to live". It only breaks a commandment if you go out and kill someone believing they are a witch. God is the only one who can make those decisions. No, it doesn't justify witch burning.

Answer 9

These contradictions are what religious people tend to use to justify huge inhumanity in the name of "morality". Bush and Blair (Both "Christians") must use these loopholes all the time.
Morality has been brought into such disrepute that it no longer has ANY credibility, whatsoever. Unless, of course, your'e in the Matrix.
People need to think for themselves, not from out-of-date books.

Answer 10

In those days, anyone who did magic did it by submitting to Satan. Therefore, all types of magic-practice were condemned. However if magic is an ability, and done without turning against God, then it's very much alright. It might be a God-given talent to fight injustice or not do evil.

Answer 11

It means that those who practice witchcraft aren't allowed to live.
This was directed to the Israelites long ago because witchcraft goes against God. God justifies the killing of people for many things. The Israelites were his chosen people, meaning that they should be separate from all the others in how they live their lives. This is not the only time God condones killing.

The ten commandments deal with murder. Would you say that the guy who administers lethal injections to prisoners on death row is a murderer? No, because the law says he isn't. It's impartial. God's law (the first few books of the old testament) works kinda the same way in this respect.