Book Critique; Criminals of the Bible

 

Name

 

Institution

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abstract

This paper is an analysis of the book the criminals in the Bible which is authored by Mark Jones and published by FaithWalk Publishing in 2006. The book analyzes the context of criminal acts committed by persons in the Bible. The acts are measured against the Mosaic Law which was prevalent for a long duration within which the Bible was written. Also, the author considers peer reviewed views of criminal law philosophers both in the twenty first century and before. The paper follows the traditional three part (introduction, body conclusion) model in its presentation. The three main aspects that are analyzed in this paper are;

Ø  The themes presented by the author

Ø  The structure followed by the author, and,

Ø  The controversies that the book prompts to the conventional interpretations of the Bible

Before coming up with the conclusion, this paper shows the new dimensions that the book has brought in the interpretation of the Bible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction

The nature of what society determines as a crime, and the punishment that is passed for such a crime has always drifted. In the book Criminals of the Bible (2006), Mark Jones highlights the ridge that exists between what was considered as a crime in the Book and what society presently refers to as a crime. In addition to this, the punishments that were awarded, and those that were not passed bring about a better understanding of how crime and punishment in society can evolve. For instance, some of the key figures in the Book who Christians hold as virtuous would in the legal system of today be considered as criminals. Jones (2006) mentions twenty five incidences where the issue of crime and punishment in this specific regard can deliberated.

This work provides an overview of the book in relation to crime and punishment.

Key Themes

The most evident aspect of the book is that overly revolves around crime and punishment. Although the title may imply that it is a religious piece of literature, it is apparent that Jones is mostly concerned with crime and punishment from a Biblical point of view.

What society refers to as a crime is one of the key objectives of the book. Different states within the United States have different laws that govern its ‘society’. For instance, marijuana has been legalized in some states but it is still a crime to be in position of the same in most states. Colorado is one state that has embraced the drug, but it also has an individual sentenced to life in prison for distribution of marijuana. It is this phenomena that Jones is trying to delve into, but uses the Bible instead of the State of Colorado (Schwarzbach, 2011).

The Bible has a large following all across the world, and basing a book on it would be more effective at highlighting the issue of crime and punishment. What it does best is to make a reader question the context of crime in society. This is achieved particularly when it uses the legal system in contemporary times to analyze key figures in the Bible. For instance, Moses is viewed as both a murderer and fugitive although it is almost impossible to do the same in the Bible. He is a savior in the Book, but he would be a criminal in the society today. The instances that make him a hero in the Bible would be controversial in the society. How he went without any punishment once he went back to Egypt is explained as some of the legal dilemmas in the Bible.

The consequence of a crime is punishment, but what is and what is not a crime is debatable. Again, Jones expresses this by using characters in the Bible. Genesis is one book with many characters who are punished for what God considers as crimes. Adam and Eve are sentenced to separate forms of punishment. For eating a fruit, Eve has to feel pain where bearing children while Adam will have to work to make ends meet. Cain is another culprit who is punished for killing his brother. The punishment in this case is that he (Cain) is exiled and loses most of his livelihood.

The nature of punishment adopted in the bible is what Jones questions. For instance, it would be impossible to pass such sentences to criminals in the context of contemporary legal systems. The same punishments that many today in the Christian community consent were plausible would not pass as humane in the present times. It would be even unlikely that anyone would go to prison for eating a fruit.

Structure

The book is able to achieve its objective particularly because of how it is structured. Jones (2006) goes about it by first mentioning a quote from the Bible. This allows the reader to analyze information that is already contained in the Bible before they get the opportunity to get introduced to the concept of crime and punishment according to Jones. The quote may just be a few lines or even a few pages. The author strives to maintain the quote as they were in the Bible, and as long as the relevant content on crime and punishment pushes on.

The section after that is one that identifies the crime in the quote, and the punishment passed. In some instances, such as that of Moses, it is identified that no punishment was awarded for their crimes. However, what this section does is to compare the two concepts then and the modern view. For instance, Moses was revered in the Bible as a man of God. However, Jones is of the view that the same character can be identified as a murderer and fugitive from the law in contemporary times regardless of the any other roles they may have played in society.

The final section of each crime and punishment in the book is titled as ‘lessons’. This bit is actually made up of assumptions that can be made from the two previous sections. The case of Moses, for instance, is very paramount since most Christians can relate to the man of God. There is a divine role that Moses plays in the religion of Christianity with which every faithful is summoned to adhere to. Jones analyses the implications of these contradictions to modern society. The Bible, to a certain extent, downplays the fact that Moses killed another person and run away. He then creates a strong relationship with God and is one of the major characters in the Bible.

Controversial

The book is inclined towards learning more about crime and punishment, and being in a position to share it with people. The author is very knowledgeable on these topics, and is likely using the bible to make the book more effective at passing the knowledge to the readers. However, it is a bit complicated to make many readers to view Moses as a murderer and fugitive of the law, or the punishment awarded to Adam, Eve, and Cain as excessive. There is a line in religion that is not meant to be crossed, one where the Holy Book is questioned.

What Jones does best in the book is to compare all the ‘crimes’ in the Bible with their possible outcomes in the present times. It is apparent that the author does not have any religious views because he refers to the deeds as ‘crimes’, as opposed to ‘sins’. This may work in favor of encouraging more audience but may also appear to take the Holy Book lightly. Although it is not outright, it is possible to view the book as controversial particularly because its audience is broad (ECU, 2006).

New Dimension

The most notable aspect of the book is how it reveals a dimension that has always existed but not noted by many. By studying the concepts of crime and punishment from the Bible, it is apparent that times change. The nature of society and what it perceives as wrong and how to punish such doings is an evolutionary process. What people in the biblical era deemed as a crime may not have been a crime in contemporary ages. For instance, the woman to be stoned to death for adultery was a form of punishment. It would be considered inhumane and actually a crime for anyone to stone another for any reason today.

It is this interaction between the present and the past that makes the book overly captivating, and effective at achieving the objective for which it was intended. As a scholar in criminology, Jones (2006) illuminates on the fact that the field of study is not static and evolves as other forces around it do the same. The view of society in this case is that it is on a gradual process that will see it evolve into other dimensions in the future. Hence, the book in a way suggests that future generations will not adhere to the present concepts of crime and punishment.

Conclusion

Jones (2006) uses the Bible to reflect on the issue of crime and punishment. The decision to use the Book in this case to analyze the two areas of study is critical as it makes it easier for readers to comprehend the specifics that the authors is trying to convey. The use of notable figures in the Bible and stating their actions that would be in the present would be considered as crimes is enlightening. What society considers as a crime, and the manner they would want one to be punished for it changes over time (Hörnle, 2008).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

ECU. (2006, December 19). ECU professor investigates biblical outlaws in new book.

Retrieved from East Carolina University: http://www.ecu.edu/cs-admin/news/newsstory.cfm?id=1097

Hörnle, T. (2008). Social Expectations in the Criminal Law: The "Reasonable Person" in a

Comparative Perspective. New Criminal Law Review: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal, 11(1), 1-32.

Schwarzbach, B. E. (2011). Reason and the Bible in the So-Called Age of Reason.

            Huntington Library Quarterly, 74(3), 437-470.

 

 

    • 9 years ago