Not Misleading or Harming a Child | Law of Messiah Commandment Study

DA59

Not Misleading or Harming a Child

DA59

We are not to mislead or harm a child.

We are not to mislead a child

We are not to harm a child

Category: Neighbours & Brothers

Type: Negative

Form: Explicit

Source dataset: New Testament

Uniqueness: Not unique

Classical commandment: No

New Covenant Literal Application

Applies to Person Categories: Not specified

Literal Application: Not specified

More explanation about the icons and New Covenant Literal Application

The New Covenant Literal Application Code (NCLA) is an interpretive guide used by the authors to indicate which person categories a mitzvah applies to, and at what level of literal compliance.

Each card above groups one application level such as mandated or optional. The three people icons show whether that application is meant for Jewish, K'rov Yisrael, or Gentile believers, and the male or female symbols show whether it applies to men, women, or both.

Jewish

Used for instruction directed to Jewish believers.

K'rov Yisrael

Used for non-Jewish believers living closely with Israel and Torah practice.

Gentile

Used for instruction presented as applying to Gentile believers more broadly.

Male and female symbols

These show whether the instruction is directed to men, women, or both.

This code reflects the authors' interpretive opinion and is provided for prayerful consideration. The icon view is only a visual summary; the detailed codes and source explanation remain available below for careful study.

Read the full explanation from the source

Bible references

Key NT Scriptures

Colossians 3:21
Mark 9:42
Matthew 18:5-6
Matthew 18:10

Supportive NT Scriptures

Ephesians 6:4
James 1:27
Luke 9:48
Luke 17:1-2
Luke 18:15-16
Mark 10:13-16
Matthew 10:42
Matthew 19:14
Matthew 25:40
1 Timothy 5:8

Supportive OT Scriptures

Exodus 20:13
Exodus 21:22
Proverbs 19:18
Proverbs 22:15
Proverbs 29:15

Bible verses copyright: PUBLIC DOMAIN except in the United Kingdom, where a Crown Copyright applies to printing the KJV. See http://www.cambridge.org/about-us/who-we-are/queens-printers-patent

Commentary

Rabbi Michael Rudolph

This Mitzvah has both a physical and a spiritual component. The Tanakh supports (even promotes) the pain and humiliation of spanking as a tool (available among others) for correcting our children but not to the extent of harming them. Spanking children to punish them or to dispense justice (e.g. for disobedience) is not addressed in Scripture, and physical pain of any kind must not to be applied while a parent is excessively angry or out of control. That is why we recommend caressing our child and expressing love after delivering a spanking. The Kitvey B’rit Chadashah does not address spanking, but prohibits harming children by misleading them (ensnaring them in sin). It also warns us against unnecessarily and unreasonably irritating our children and causing them to resent us.

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Source and License

Based on The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective by Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster.

Volume 1 & 2 | Volume 3

License: CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution required, NoDerivatives). CC BY-ND 4.0

Disclaimer: the original content is authored by Rabbi Michael Rudolph and Rabbi Daniel Juster; additional notes or implementation details on this website are not part of their original work and do not represent their views.

Record source: The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective - Volume 3

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