The murder of Iryna Zarutska, the death penalty, and Jesus

What does the Bible actually say about capital punishment—and how should I respond as a Christian when tragedy strikes? In this deeply personal episode, I reflect on two heartbreaking events: the murder of a young Ukrainian woman here in Charlotte and the death of Charlie Kirk. I’m not weighing in on politics. Instead, I’m using these moments to lead a biblical deep dive into the questions: What does Scripture teach about taking human life and the death penalty? How do justice and mercy fit together for followers of Jesus? From Genesis 9 to Romans 13, I trace the Hebrew Bible’s foundation for justice, Jesus’ teaching, and the New Testament’s view of government authority. I also walk through how Christians—across traditions—have wrestled with capital punishment, mercy, and the sanctity of life. This isn’t a hot take. It’s a careful, pastoral look at violence, vengeance, forgiveness, and justice for Christians who want faithful biblical interpretation and real discipleship. n the words of Habakkuk, "How long, O LORD..." If this helped you think biblically: 👉 Please like and subscribe for more long-form Bible teaching and thoughtful cultural engagement. 👉 Comment: Where do you land on this—and why? 👉 Explore more resources at discipledojo.org (Bible study, biblical interpretation, Christian discipleship, Old Testament context, and more). Resources mentioned: The original blog post: - https://www.discipledojo.org/blog/death-penalty The most important concept in Biblical Theology: Jesus as Israel - https://youtu.be/OQ2X8wOUZZ4?si=LXL2Z06oTKD6_V7Z Wiki on Religions and the Death Penalty - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_and_capital_punishment Catholicism - https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/the-church-and-capital-punishment United Methodism - https://www.umcjustice.org/what-we-care-about/civil-and-human-rights/death-penalty Global Methodism - https://irp.cdn-website.com/1876eae9/files/uploaded/2024-Book-of-Doctrines-Discipline-FINAL-15JAN2025.pdf Anglican 39 Articles - https://anglicansonline.org/basics/thirty-nine_articles.html Anglican Lambeth Conference - https://www.searchlight.vc/our-readers-opinions/2011/10/21/capital-punishment-part-2/ ***Disciple Dojo shirts and other gifts are available over in our online store! - https://www.zazzle.com/DiscipleDojo ***Become a monthly Dojo Donor and help keep us going! - https://www.discipledojo.org/donate ***Dojo Donor Patches: If you are a monthly donor and would like an iron-on DiscipleDojo patch, supplies are limited so message JM directly via the contact page at https://www.discipledojo.org/contact ***If you are an unmarried Christian looking for community, check out our Facebook group “The Grownup’s Table” over at www.facebook.com/groups/grownupstable ------ Go deeper at www.discipledojo.org   Subscribe to the Disciple Dojo podcast for more in-depth teaching and discussions:  SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/discipledojo   Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/26BDZz70HmnT5eoD9BEKQ7   iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/disciple-dojo/id1002934837 Amazon - https://tinyurl.com/uz8dbfet