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Orthodox Doctrine (Summary of Christian Divinity)
Metropolitan Platon of Moscow, tr. Pinkerton, 1814
10. Part 3, Section 10: The Sixth Commandment
The sixth commandment requires, that we should do no injury to our neighbour, either ourselves or through others, in deeds, nor in thoughts; but, on the contrary, that we should do what we can to preserve him from all harm.
The whole human race compose a kind of society, for the prosperity of which, it is absolutely necessary, that we not only do no harm to our neighbour, as being a co-member and citizen of this world with ourselves, but that we promote his happiness as much as we do our own. Therefore, God, as the supreme governor of the world, who careth for the happiness of the human race, hath given to them this commandment. And the transgressors against this salutary commandment are,
1. Those who take away men’s lives, either with arms, or by suffocation, or drowning, or poison, or in any other way. In this number must also be reckoned, those who engage in duels, boxing-matches, treachery, rebellions, unlawful war. If any one has a full desire and intention to deprive a person of his life by any one of these means, but cannot attain to it on account of circumstances which obstruct the accomplishment of his wishes, he is condemned by the law of God as an actual murderer. But judges who deliver criminals over to be executed, and soldiers who, in defending their country, kill their enemies, cannot be called transgressors of this law; for in so doing, they serve God, and promote the ends of his justice in their respective callings.
2. Those also break this command who give any kind of advice or assistance in promoting murder, injury, or provocation; or give any occasion to these, that is, who incite one against another, or are defamers and tale-bearers, thereby murdering a man’s honour; who plunder or set fire to houses, or who compel men to drink above measure; by which means, though the life is not always taken away, yet it is shortened, and persons rendered miserable.
3. Unjust judges too, violate this precept, who through bribery, or their connections by kindred, or by flattery, or through fear, either justify, or do not condemn the guilty. Such judges are, in another sense, insufferable murderers, because those very men sacrifice justice, from whom she ought to find protection. With a similar kind of guilt are they also chargeable, who having power to prevent murder and injury, do not exercise it; for example, they know of an evil plot, but do not reveal it, or they conceal thieves about them, or seeing a fight do not try to separate the contending parties, or do not assist in extinguishing a conflagration, or do not give help to the drowning. In this list we must also include those who do not try to comfort such as are falling into despair, or to prevent the accomplishment of evil intentions, or who, possessing abundance themselves, permit the poor to die of hunger, or cold, or seeing another suffering in disease, do not give assistance though it is in their power; with many similar circumstances.
4. Such masters are also guilty as overburden their subjects with labour, or correct with cruel punishments, or lay upon them unreasonable taxes. For such conduct is nearly allied to murder.
5. This commandment also forbids all that paves the way to murder, and that by degrees leads to an untimely death; as, for instance, anger, contention, quarrellings, disputings, remembrance of injuries, hatred, envy, revengeful dispositions, and ferocity. In condemning these vices, the following virtues are enjoined; kind and sincere behaviour, meekness, forgiving of injuries, patience, magnanimity, mercy, and a sincere love of all these. To the same purpose the word of God admonishes us: “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any; even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” Col. iii. 12, 13.
6. This commandment also strongly forbids suicide. For our life and breath are not our own, but are at the disposal of God; he alone has the power of life and death; and as we did not give to ourselves life, so we have no right to take it away. Therefore we ought to wait the command of our Maker to leave this world. On the contrary, self-murder is a daring infringement of the prerogative of the Almighty, and an appropriation of that power which belongs to him alone; and such an audacious breaker of the divine law, willingly rushes upon certain punishment.
Those also should be considered as self-murderers, who rush upon evident danger of death; for example, if any one attempts swimming across a river at an evident risque of drowning, or without necessity exposes himself in that quarter where the plague is raging, and in other similar circumstances.