Podcast Summary: Jesus’ View of Murder

Podcast: Renewing Your Mind
Host: Ligonier Ministries / Nathan W. Bingham
Speaker: Dr. R.C. Sproul
Date: September 21, 2025
Series: Exposition of Matthew’s Gospel; Sermon on the Mount

Overview

In this episode, Dr. R.C. Sproul delves into Jesus’ exposition of the Sixth Commandment (“You shall not murder”) from Matthew 5:21–26. Sproul examines how Jesus deepens and broadens the understanding of murder, moving the commandment from mere external action to the internal state of the heart. The episode highlights the seriousness of sinful anger, insults, and estrangement, and calls listeners to reconciliation and a life that honors the sanctity of all human life. Sproul concludes with the gospel hope that, despite being “murderers at heart,” believers are saved by the sacrificial death of Christ.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jesus' Deepening of the Sixth Commandment

• Surface vs. Substantial Obedience:
  • The rabbis taught that avoiding physical murder was enough to keep the commandment, but Jesus shows it encompasses much more (02:47–04:19).
• Quote:
  • “The first problem that Jesus demonstrates to us is that the rabbis had such a superficial understanding of the law that they assumed that if you refrained from committing murder in the first degree, that you had therefore obeyed the commandment, 'Thou shall not kill.' Jesus said, wait a minute. This commandment is far more profound than the simple external act of murder in the first degree.” — Dr. R.C. Sproul (04:19)

2. The Elliptical Nature of God’s Law

• Law Prohibits & Requires:
  • The command not only prohibits murder, but anything that damages life—anger, slander, estrangement, etc. (05:00–06:55)
  • It also enjoins the active promotion of the safety, welfare, and sanctity of life.
• Quote:
  • “What Jesus is saying here is that not only life is so important that we ought never to do damage by killing somebody, yet at the same time, we are to be working in a positive way to promote the safety, the welfare, and the sanctity of life.” — Dr. R.C. Sproul (07:02)

3. Pro-Life Principle & Cultural Critiques

• Sanctity of Life Applied:
  • The biblical principle of sanctity of life is the basis both for opposing abortion and for supporting capital punishment in certain cases (08:05–10:14).
  • Public criticism (e.g., from Larry King) arises from a misunderstanding of this consistency.
• Quote:
  • “The case against abortion is based upon the biblical principle of the sanctity of life. And the case for capital punishment is based on the biblical principle of the sanctity of life.” — Dr. R.C. Sproul (09:22)

4. Actual vs. Potential Murder

• Potential Destruction Prohibited:
  • Not just the act, but the potential destruction of life (including via abortion) is addressed in the heart of the commandment (11:02–13:21).
• Quote:
  • “What is prohibited is not just the actual killing of a human being, but those things that represent potential destruction of a human being.” — Dr. R.C. Sproul (11:42)

5. Jesus, Ethics, and the Depth of Sin

• Comparison of Sins:
  • Jesus does not claim that anger and murder are identical in effect, but that both violate the commandment in kind, if not in degree (15:02–16:46).
• Quote:
  • “Jesus doesn't say, it's just as bad to be angry with your brother as it is to kill him...but just because you haven't gone all the way to murder does not mean that you are free from the full-orbed responsibility of the law.” — Dr. R.C. Sproul (16:10)

6. The Danger of Insult, Slander, and Estrangement

• Insulting Language & Judgment:
  • Words like “Racah” (numbskull, stupid) and “fool” are not trivial; they reflect heart-sins subject to God’s judgment (18:05–20:40).
  • There is a difference between intellectual and moral insults—“fool” in Hebrew is a moral judgment (19:50).
• Quote:
  • “To be a fool in biblical categories may be the description of a person who has the highest IQ in the world...but with all of his knowledge...remains rebellious, cynical to the sweetness and excellency of God.” — Dr. R.C. Sproul (21:33)

7. The Requirement of Reconciliation

• Call to Action:
  • Before worshiping or giving offerings, Jesus calls for reconciliation with those we’ve wronged (22:20–22:56).
• Universal Guilt:
  • No one fully keeps this commandment: “Every one of us still harbors anger...Every one of us has been guilty of slander towards our neighbor and towards our brother.” (23:02)

8. The Gospel Hope

• Christ’s Sacrifice for Murderers:
  • Christ died for us, who are all guilty of murder in the heart; His blood brings the new covenant and salvation (23:32–24:16).
• Quotes:
  • “If it were not for the murder of Christ, we would go to that place from which we would never be released. But our Lord was murdered for us. Because we are murderers. We've committed murder in our hearts. We've committed murder against Him. But in that murder comes our salvation. In his blood comes a new covenant.” — Dr. R.C. Sproul (23:54)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Our Lord was murdered for us because we are murderers. We've committed murder in our hearts, we've committed murder against him, but in that murder comes our salvation.” — Dr. R.C. Sproul (00:00, recurring at 23:54)
• “The law against murder not only prohibits actual murder, but it also prohibits potential murder.” — Dr. R.C. Sproul (11:42)
• “Just because you haven't gone all the way to murder does not mean that you are free from the full-orbed responsibility of the law.” — Dr. R.C. Sproul (16:10)
• “It’s because none of us loves our neighbor as ourself that none of us has kept all of the implications of even this one commandment since we got out of our bed this morning.” — Dr. R.C. Sproul (22:58)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00 — Introduction; the gravity of murder in the heart
• 01:36 — Jesus exposes true scope of the Sixth Commandment and critiques rabbinic interpretation
• 04:19 — Explanation of the elliptical nature of biblical law
• 07:02 — Sanctity of life: prohibitions and positive requirements
• 09:22 — Consistency of pro-life principle across issues like abortion & capital punishment
• 11:42 — Potential murder and implications for abortion
• 16:10 — Jesus’ teaching on anger, insult, and law’s demands
• 19:50 — Intellectual vs. moral accusations in biblical terminology
• 21:33 — Foolishness, unbelief, and the posture before God
• 22:20 — Command to reconcile before worship
• 23:32 — Our universal guilt and Christ’s atoning death
• 23:54 — The gospel: Christ’s death for murderers

Tone & Style

Dr. Sproul’s teaching is thorough, intellectually rigorous, and pastorally urgent. He combines exposition, historical-cultural insight, and systematic theology, urging humility and repentance. The episode is earnest, thoughtful, and permeated with gospel hope.

Takeaway

Jesus’ view of murder profoundly expands the Sixth Commandment from mere external obedience to the state of each heart, calling all to examine anger, words, and broken relationships. The cross offers hope: “Our Lord was murdered for us, because we are murderers.” Trusting in Him, even the greatest heart-sins are washed away.