SUICIDE IN THE BIBLE

Our denomination sets aside one Sunday a year for a lesson on the sanctity of life. I have been called on more than once to teach that lesson, and so I have had to branch out a little to talk of related subjects in addition to abortion. One of those lessons zeroed in on the question of suicide.

Myth #1: Suicide is not a major problem

This is not a theoretical issue, but one that has probably impacted some of you. So I apologize in advance if this lesson brings back unpleasant events in your life. How many of you have known someone personally who committed suicide or attempted suicide? In my case, I counted up seven acquaintances and one family member

“Suicide kills more people than cancer and HIV/AIDS, and more people from ages 15-44 than war.”  Jennifer Hecht, Christianity Today, August 2014

Myth #2: Suicide is the unforgivable sin.

The reasoning goes: You can't ask forgiveness of God after you are dead. You can't go to heaven without asking forgiveness for all your sins. This is pretty much the Catholic idea of dying in a state of grace. My wife's stepmother was not a Catholic, but sincerely believed this. So before going to sleep at night she would ask God to forgive her for any sins that she was not aware of. She told us that she felt she would go to hell if she died in her sleep without doing it. Even if the theology were correct (which it isn't), it doesn't address the situation of those who are in a state of clinical depression and don't have complete control over their actions.

But what about: “Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you. If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.” I Corinthians 3:16-17

Ten commentaries I consulted all clarified these verses by their context and grammar as applying to the local church body and those who would bring it harm through false teaching or causing division. It is a misapplication of these particular verses to apply them to individuals. But there is a similar verse in I Corinthians we will consider in a minute that does refer to individual Christians.

Myth #3: Suicide hurts no one but oneself.

This is the opposite extreme. I can do anything I want with my own body because it affects no one else. We could actually better argue that every suicide affects someone else. I'll just cite two examples: my grandfather on my mother's side was distraught over the loss of his wife and laid down on a railroad track and was decapitated. My mother had to identify the body and needed to drop out of high school for a year to support herself and her three sisters. Her father's suicide had a lasting impact on the way she viewed life. More recently, we had a neighbor a few doors from where we lived who committed suicide about a month after she and her husband adopted a young boy from Korea. Imagine the effect this will have on the boy as he grows up and has to cope with the fact that not only did his birth mother choose not keep him, but his adopted mother killed herself soon after he arrived in the U.S.

And then there is the copycat syndrome. The suicide influence is so powerful that “a suicide might also be considered a homicide.” Jennifer Hecht, quoted in CT, August 2014

This is especially true of school children, which is why schools bring in counselors after a student commits suicide.

Myth #4: The Bible neither condones nor condemns the act of suicide. In the first place, Dr. Philip Johnston (Dictionary of Old Testament Historical Books, p. 216) states: “Several factors indicate that it was highly abnormal: the small number of suicides [in the Bible], their occurrence in contexts of strife, and their complete absence in other circumstances. Life was not to be scorned without exceptional reason.”

There are actually more passages relating to the subject than I had first believed. Let's cut to the bottom line first.

Basic New Testament Teachings

"We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord." Romans 14:7-8

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body."  (I Corinthians 6:19-20)  Since being “bought with a price” refers to Christ's sacrifice on the cross, note that all three persons of the Trinity are involved here.

Let's look at the biblical examples of those who resisted the urge to commit suicide and those who gave in to it. It is also helpful to consider the probable causes in each case.

JOB (cause: loss of loved ones, health, possessions, position in community)

Then his wife said to him, “Do you still persist in your integrity? Curse God, and die.” But he said to her, “You speak as any foolish woman would speak. Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. (Job 2:9-10)

He is a model for those who have suffered great losses in their lives but do not give in.

JEREMIAH (clinical depression)

He has been called the Lamenting Prophet – “Why did I come forth from the womb to see toil and sorrow, and spend my days in shame?” (Jeremiah 20:18)

This is so persistent a theme in Jeremiah's writing that it has often been suggested that he was suffering from clinical depression. And yet he resisted the temptation to take his own life.

ELIJAH (episodic depression)

Read the account in I Kings 19:1-4. Episodic depression often follows stressful events such as marital problems or the death of a loved one, or as a let-down after some important event in one's life.

Some of the signs and symptoms of depression according to the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5, include the following:

• Prolonged sadness or unexplained crying spells

• Significant changes in appetite and sleep patterns

• Irritability, anger, worry, agitation, anxiety

• Pessimism, indifference

• Loss of energy, persistent lethargy

• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness

• Inability to concentrate, indecisiveness

• Inability to take pleasure in former interests, social withdrawal

• Unexplained aches and pains

• Recurring thoughts of death or suicide

Much of this description fits Elijah. Note how God brings him out of it.

1. He first makes sure Elijah takes good physical care of himself. It is hard to fight depression when you are in poor physical condition (v. 5 An angel touched him and said to him, “Get up and eat.”...He ate and drank, and lay down again.)

2. In verse 8, God sends him off on a leisurely trip through the wilderness away from all pressures; a trip to Mt. Horeb could have easily been traversed in 15 days, but Elijah takes 40 days,

3. At Mt. Horeb (Mt. Sinai) where God revealed himself to the people, God personally appears to him. We need to get back in touch with God when we are feeling down.

4. God points him to several important tasks he has in mind for him, assures him that there are still useful things for him to do (keeps his mind off of himself and directs him toward a ministry he can fulfill for God and others).

5. And lastly, in v. 18 he tells Elijah that he is not alone in his situation; not only will God be with him, but that there are still 7,000 in Israel who haven't bowed their knees to Baal. Elijah went on from that point to anoint two kings and train Elisha as his replacement.

There is an additional danger sign that is often ignored, but I have personally seen it twice right before a suicide. There was a supervisor at work who had a driven personality; he was a perfectionist who was always hard on himself. I never saw him walk somewhere when he could run instead. One morning we were the only ones in the lab, and I saw him walking in a leisurely manner down the hall. He stopped to say hello to me, which was highly unusual. It turns out that he had just come in from the chemical storage building where he had taken a bottle of potassium cyanide off the shelf. At noon he drove about a mile away to a parking lot where he swallowed it and died. With some people who have been contemplating suicide for some time, when they give in and decide to do it, they actually are no longer conflicted within and feel like a weight has been lifted off their shoulder.

JONAH – (anger; frustrated, sinful desires)

Jonah said, “And now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” And the LORD said, “Is it right for you to be angry?” (Jonah 4:3-4 and 4:8-9)  God identifies Jonah's problem as not depression, but anger due to frustrated desires. In Jonah's case, he is in a minor snit and God attempts to shake him out of it and put everything in proper perspective.

For teenagers especially, anger and frustration can lead to suicide. A boy I had known since elementary school hanged himself in high school because his girl friend broke up with him. It turned out, she was married at the time and broke up with him in order to go back to her husband.

JUDAS vs. PETER – (guilt)

When Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. He said, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” Throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed; and he went and hanged himself. ( Matthew 27:3-5)

At that moment the cock crowed. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said: “Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.” (Matthew 26:75)

It is interesting that Judas actually showed more apparent signs of repentance than Peter, who just expressed sadness. But Peter went on to be forgiven by Jesus and given a major role in the new church. We sometimes think, like Judas, that our sins are too great to ever be forgiven by God. This is actually an egotistical point of view and completely underestimates the power of Christ's sacrifice.

ABIMELECH – (shame, in contrast to guilt)

Abimelech...came near to the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire. But a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech's head, and crushed his skull. Immediately he called to the young man who carried his armor and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, so people will not say about me, 'A woman killed him.'” So the young man thrust him through, and he died. (Judges 9:52-54)

His ploy didn't work as we can see from a conversation that took place 150 years later: “Who killed Abimelech son of Jerubbaal? Did not a woman throw an upper millstone him from the wall, so that he died at Thebes?” 2 Samuel 11:21

Shame vs. Guilt Cultures

In a guilt culture such as the West, you know you are good or bad because of an internalized conviction of sin – by how you feel about your behavior and choices. In a shame culture, morality is governed by external sanctions for good behavior. In other words, you know you are good or bad by what your community says about you.      Andy Crouch, CT, March 2015

With the internet and the social media, we are beginning to swing more toward a shame culture: a growing source of suicides.

Myth # 5: Purposely putting one's life at risk is the same as suicide.

It can be: The most obvious case would be "suicide by cop." Drinking oneself to death has been called a case of slow suicide. Adrenaline junkies may not be committing purposeful suicide, but they are certainly being careless with a valuable possession in God's eyes and are not caring much about the welfare of their families. A man I am mentoring sold his motorcycle as soon as he became a father. But there is another side to this issue.

SAMSON

Then Samson called to the LORD and said, “Lord God, remember me and strengthen me only this once, O God, so that with this one act of revenge I may pay back the Philistines for my two eyes...Let me die with the Philistines.” He strained with all his might; and the house fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So those he killed at his death were more than those he had killed during his life.”  (Judges 16:28-30)

Samson may not have been a sterling character. But God created him for the purpose of ridding the Jews of Philistine persecution. This is the only time recorded in the Bible where Samson prayed to God. God honored his prayer, and the writer of Judges comments favorably on Samson's action. And yet it was a form of suicide.

PAUL

A prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. He came to us and took Paul's belt, bound his own feet and hands with it, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.'” 

Then Paul answered,”...I am ready not only to be bound but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” Acts 21:10-11,13

Paul could also characterized as someone who had a death wish in that he proceeded to Jerusalem even when warned by the Holy Spirit, but he felt that there were more important things than preserving his own life.

And then we get Paul's famous “To be or not to be” speech: "For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith." (Philippians 1:21-25)

It has been suggested that Paul was considering suicide because he was depressed. It seems rather to be part of Paul's overall attitude toward life, and was related to his statement that he had learned the secret of being content whether in riches or in poverty.

JESUS

One could even argue that Jesus committed suicide. Matthew 26:53: "Do you not think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the scriptures be fulfilled, which say it must happen in this way”

He said, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” (John 19:30b) The early Church Fathers and many current commentators stress the voluntary nature of the act. “Giving up the spirit” is not the usual phrase for one dying. Hebrews 9:14 talks about Jesus offering himself to God in death.

The basic principle:

"Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it." (Matthew 10:39)

"No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." – John 15:13

I would include anyone who puts himself in harm's way for the sake of others: whether those in the military, police force, firemen, or especially foreign missionaries.

END OF LIFE DECISIONS

These involve people facing imminent death who chose to die on their own terms. This is a difficult issue that many of us will face for ourselves or our loved ones.

AHITHOPHEL

When Ahithophel saw that his counsel [to Absalom] was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went off home to his own city. He set his house in order, and hanged himself; he died and was buried in the tomb of his father. (II Samuel 17:23)

He was a former counselor to David who betrayed him in order to follow Absalom. He anticipated that Absalom's rule would end soon and he would be in trouble with David. He is felt to be a type of Judas.

ZIMRI

When Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king's house; he burned down the king's house over himself with fire, and died – because of the sins that he committed, doing evil in the sight of the LORD. (I Kings 16:18)

He was an army commander who had assassinated the King of Israel and all his family and set himself up as king.

Notice that neither of these men was exactly a model of godly behavior before their suicides. So their actions are definitely not set down as examples to follow, but more as warnings of how not to act.

PAUL'S JAILER

When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he suppose that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted in a loud voice. “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.”(Acts 16:27-28)

It is often taught that Roman law required a jailer to suffer the punishment due to any prisoner who escaped. However, this was a later ruling under Emperor Justinian, and in any case Roman law was not binding on Herod Agrippa in internal administration of his kingdom. The motive for the jailer's attempted suicide was more likely cultural due to the idea of a Roman soldier's duty and honor, rather than fear he would be executed.

Paul is horrified that the jailer is about to commit suicide, assures him, and leads him and his family to salvation.

ASSISTED SUICIDE

JONAH

When Jonah is in the storm at sea, he asks the sailors to throw him overboard since he knows the storm is his fault. It sounds like a noble act of Jonah to save the sailors, but why didn't he simply jump overboard? Because he knew it would be a sin, but felt that the guilt would be on the sailors if they did it to him. Note that the pagan sailors were afraid of being guilty of assisting in Jonah to die even though he requested it.

SAUL

I Samuel 31:3-5 describes how Saul was mortally wounded in battle so he requests his armor-bearer to finish him off wo that he doesn't fall into the hands of the Philistines. When the armor-bearer refuses, Saul falls on his sword and so does the armor-bearer. 

Why did the armor-bearer refuse Saul's request? Several motives have been proposed: he had too great a respect for God's anointed one (Cambridge Commentary), he didn't have the heart to do it (Bible Knowledge Commentary), he is faithful to Saul to the end (New International Commentary on the Old Testament).

Myth # 5: Christians oppose assisted suicide

In a 2015 Gallop poll, a large percentage of Americans self-identified as Christians said that doctors should be allowed to end the lives of anyone who requests it. But following media coverage of Californian resident Brittanny Maynard's crusade to take lethal drugs to avoid death by brain cancer, prescriptions written for lethal drugs in Oregon (where assisted suicide is legal) rose 39% over previous months. (Kim Kuo, “Giving Our Final Days to God,” CT, Sept. 2015)

I usually don't believe in using the “slippery slope” argument” but it appears to apply here. In Belgium, where assisted suicides are legal, euthanasia rose 27% in 2014 to five mercy killings a day. 32% of these assisted deaths were done without the patient's consent, according to one study.

The Netherlands has mobile euthanasia units so that people can die at home and is considering an initiative to make euthanasia available to anyone over 70 years old who is simply tired of living.

Myth #6 Defense of the Second Constitutional Amendment is a core Christian value.

There was an election flyer left on my windshield one Sunday morning while I was parked in a church parking lot recommending candidates who stood for Christian values. One of these supposed values was opposition to any restrictions on ownership of firearms. The flyer didn't include a Bible verse to justify it, and I am still looking for one. I think we have to be careful not to confuse Christian values with defending our Constitutional Rights. They are not necessarily identical.

At a previous church, a young man who had been to a year of Bible college mentored me in Greek. He later moved to north Texas to start a combination Bible book store and gun shop with his brother. (Only in Texas!) A few years later I read about him in the paper; he had shot his wife and young daughter to death and then committed suicide.

All in all, since moving to Texas I have personally known of three suicides, two homicides, one case of irreversible brain damage and one case of manslaughter due to firearms. Only one of these involved gun owners who were hunters – they are generally much more responsible with the handling of firearms.

A UCSF analysis of fifteen different studies published online several years ago in Annals of Internal Medicine concluded the following:

“When firearms were accessible, men were nearly four times more likely to commit suicide than when firearms were not accessible, while women were almost three times more likely to be victims of homicide.”

“In the United States...firearms cause an estimated 31,000 deaths each year.”

“Firearms play a significant role in both suicide and homicide, accounting for slightly more than half of all suicide deaths and two-thirds of homicide deaths, according to 2009 data.”

Myth #6: There is nothing that Christians can do about reducing suicide rates.

Seek Christian counseling

Look for danger signs in yourself and others.

Vote your conscience.

Secure any guns in your possession.