Ethics in the Bible

The Bible is fraught with ideas about morally based decision making. It is quite interesting to see the multiple types of ethical categories that are employed without. In the reading of Exodus 1:8-22 it was apparent that the midwives adhered to Virtue Ethics. They were instructed by an external authority, the Pharaoh to kill the baby boys and keep the baby girls. Though by law, the midwives should of obeyed, they instead chose to make their decisions based on their own virtuous character -- to them, to kill the baby boys was unjust and simply murderous. Not ever for a powerful Pharaoh could these women even consider to act so heinously. In this reading, though, it did say explicitly that these women "feared God" but since they were not making the decision after consulting God and instead made the decision in reference to their character (which could be related to their religious disposition) they were acting a virtuous way.

In Matthew 5:17-48 the use of Duty-Based ethics is quite apparent. It is referring to the commandments and instructing the proper way in which to obey them. The reading explicitly refers to things that can be broken, as in there are things to which you must refer to and act accordingly within. When these commandments are broken the trespasser will be persecuted: they will "be called least in the kingdom of heaven." According to this reading, one must obey these commandments otherwise they are not obeying the law of god. The law is spiritual and the body that we live in is carnal, according to Romans 7:14-25, meaning that we do not have the correct nature already instilled in us, instead we must obey the laws and commandments of God for those will direct us morally and ethically. This is an external authority to which we must refer in order to find guidance for our rotten nature.

As mentioned in the other readings, outside of the Bible, Consequentialist ethics do not seem to play a big role in the Biblical readings. Again, according to Romans, we are only living in sin, so to base our judgment on sin would be incorrect no matter what. All decisions must be based on one's duty to god, adhering to the commandments, or rather referring to one's own virtuous nature that was learned from forming good habits in reference to the laws of god. In Matthew 5:17-48 it reads that one cannot take gods name in vain, neither should they swear at all. It seems that one cannot even swear properly if they abide closely to their religion -- not even by their own head. If they were to swear by their own head, it would mean absolutely nothing for they do not have control over their own head. God has control over all things, so merely being human does not give you to right to swear by anything at all because you do not have such power; only god, as the external authority has the power to do such and all that a believer can do is to follow the word of god if they ever hope to do anything right.