Moral choices in the Bible

Moral Codes

The Bible contains the moral codes of Judaism and Christianity. The Decalogue (Ten Commandments) and the Beatitudes provide a moral code for many millions of people.

The Decalogue (Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21) represents a culmination of the experience of a people who sought to live exclusively by the moral vision of one God. The teachings and actions of Jesus, can be summed up in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12) and the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:36-40).

Moral choices

The accounts of moral dilemmas of characters in the Bible are not there to give moral certainty, but rather record stories of the gap between humanity’s response to moral questions and God's preferred response.

The Cain and Abel story (Genesis 4) is an archetypal admonition against murder and the affirmation of the sanctity of human life. Abraham faces the question of lying to Abimelech to save his own life (Genesis 20) and the question of human sacrifice with Isaac (Genesis 22). Lot faces a great moral dilemma over his duty of hospitality (Genesis 19). Jacob chooses to cheat his brother of his inheritance (Genesis 27).

The treachery and revenge killings by Simeon and Levi (Genesis 34) come at a cost to their father Jacob. Tamar’s deception of Judah her father-in law gives her power and a heritage (Genesis 38). The selling of Joseph into slavery is another archetypal story of sibling rivalry and jealousy (Genesis 38). Moses asks God: “What’s in it for me?” and seeks to avoid his call (Exodus 3) and the story of Jonah (Jonah 1 - 3) is the classic account of one who would avoid one’s moral obligations. The story of David and Bathsheba results in tragic circumstances (2 Sam 11).