Samson & Euthanasia

[Guest]

Somehow, in my preparation for the subject of Euthanasia, I didn't think of (or run across an author thinking of) the case of Samson. Usually people refer to the case of Saul (which doesn't seem like a positive case for euthanasia at all. In fact, to me, it seems like a case against it), but the Samson story is more interesting by a mile in these regards. Thankfully, one of the wise men in our congregation brought Samson into the discussion.

Judges 16
28 Then Samson prayed to the LORD, "O Sovereign LORD, remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes." 29 Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, 30 Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines!" Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.

Samson was on the brink of death (I'm sure after the Philistines had some fun with him, they were going to eliminate him). In other words, his case was terminal. He prayed for permission to (among other things) commit suicide. And God granted his request. This is what seperates this case from Saul's. When we're told Saul's story, we read nothing of divine approval of his action (in fact, David rebukes the man who says he euthanized Saul), but here God seemingly approves Samson's request to speed his death by giving him the strength to accomplish the task.

So what? Well, I don't think this case supports an individual taking his/her life in their own hands (or even requesting that another human assist them in such), but it does seem to support the idea of praying for a quicker death in a terminal case. Of course, if the revenge is the focus of the passage (and suicide merely an effect), then perhaps no strong case is being made at all.

What do you think?

[Guest]

Matt,

This is a good question. Someone else brought this up to me as a suicide question instead of a euthanasia question, but I guess in a sense they are the same thing. However, I am going to go a different route for an answer and that would be the avenging motive.

To support the avenging motive here is a passage from Revelation 6:

10 and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"

11 And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.

In this passage there are people who are requesting vengence for their deaths and God is going to grant that request on his time clock. So, it appears that granting vengence against someone for doing you wrong appears to be okay as long as God is doing the judging.

Now to tie this back in with the Samson story, I would like to quote some earlier verses:

23 Now the lords of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice, for they said, "Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hands."

24 When the people saw him, they praised their god, for they said, "Our god has given our enemy into our hands, Even the destroyer of our country, Who has slain many of us."

These quotes remind me of the story of Nebuchadnezzar when he said in Daniel 4:

30"The king reflected and said, 'Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?'

The reason I bring this verse up is because it appears to me God is granting Samson's request because he is avenging both the boastful words of the Philistines, just like Nebuchadnezzar, and the wrongs committed against Samson, who just became right with God when he asked God to remember him as a sign of repentance.

On a side note...Why do you think Samson was on the brink of death? I'm just curious because the passage comes more across as supporting suicide than euthanasia.

[Guest]

Well, the main reason I am considering it with the issue of euthanasia is because it was brought up during our sunday night service in that context. But I do think Samson was on the brink of death. I guess I just assume the Philistines weren't going to play around forever. They hated the guy and I'm quite certain they were going to kill him soon thereafter.

Either that, or torture him for a while, in which case, the line between suicide and euthanasia is pretty thin.

[Guest]

Thanks Matt,

I can see that point. They may, however, could have kept him alive till old age just as an example of what their god was able to accomplish. Sort of as a warning to any other intruders who may have heard of Samson's conquests.

[Guest]

just a note of clarification.. if i remember correctly Saul fell on his sword or his spear, but did not succeed in killing himself. another person came along, and saw saul, and saul asked him to finish him off. which he did.

this is the same person that david not only rebuked, but also had killed for having the nerve to put saul out of his misery. i never understood this story about david.. it bothered me a little when i read it.

in regard to samsons death, i see it more as an act of war against the phillistines, sort of like kamikaze pilots. that is how samson wanted to go, and God granted his request.

TK

[Guest]

TK,

I think David was upset because God had chosen Saul to be King and it was God's choice to end Saul's reign, not man's. David had plenty of opportunities to kill Saul, but chose not to because Saul was ordained by God. It also could have tainted David's kingship because people could have thought he had Saul killed in order to become King. Anyway, that is what I think explains David's attitude.

[Guest]

So what? Well, I don't think this case supports an individual taking his/her life in their own hands (or even requesting that another human assist them in such), but it does seem to support the idea of praying for a quicker death in a terminal case. Of course, if the revenge is the focus of the passage (and suicide merely an effect), then perhaps no strong case is being made at all.

I would agree with the bolded part of your statement. Is it a sin to pray for God to take you home, if you are commited to His will?

I'm also reminded of a story from the life of Sundar Singh. When preaching Christ in a Tibetan town, he was tossed out of town by the police and threatened with torture and death if he returned. As he sat outside the city, he felt prompted by the Lord to return and continue preaching and he did. Practically, he knew that returning would probably result in his death (i.e. a suicidal action), if the Lord allowed it. However, he entrusted himself to God and returned anyway. He did experience torture, but was not killed, but expelled again. Another example of this type of situation from the book of Acts would be Paul returning to Jerusalem regardless of prophecies about imprisonment and danger from the Jewish leaders.

Maybe God was prompting Samson to take this action and he subsequently requested the strength to obey. Practically, it seemed that it would result in certain death, God would have been able to deliver him, if He chose. Samson's plea "Let me die with the Philistines." may have been a dramatic representation of his commitment to obey.

As Christians, we may (and many throughout history have) face situation where obedience to God looks like it will result in our death. I can't imagine that would be the same as putting a gun to one's head or jumping off a building.

*Sidebar question* -
I wonder how we know any of these facts from Samson's last moments. It would seem that all present were hostile to Israel and probably died.

[Guest]

hi micah-- you are right about david's motives in regard to him taking saul's life himself, but this other guy performed what he perceived to be a mercy killing (saul was going to die anyway). i think david was a tad rash with him. they were bloody times indeed.

[Guest]

schoel wrote: I wonder how we know any of these facts from Samson's last moments. It would seem that all present were hostile to Israel and probably died.

good question- i asked a similar question under misc theological topics that no one has responded to, namely:

My apologies if this has been beaten to death elsewhere. But i would like some thoughts on how others feel that inspiration of the scriptures worked. Much of the Bible, as we know, is written by persons who weren't actually present to witness first hand the things being written about. for example, Samuel didnt personally witness all the events that he wrote about. however, he records conversations between people, etc. i dont see samuel running around with a notepad and pencil like a reporter asking everyone a bunch of questions, etc. after the events occurred. surely he did not have time to do so. so when it came time to write his books, did the words just "come to his mind?" the same would obviously be true for Moses, who was writing about events (including conversations) that occurred many generations earlier. i know that it was a miraculous (god-breathed) process, but i still wonder how it may have worked.

[Guest]

hi micah-- you are right about david's motives in regard to him taking saul's life himself, but this other guy performed what he perceived to be a mercy killing (saul was going to die anyway). i think david was a tad rash with him. they were bloody times indeed.

Or so the Amalekite said. If this guy's motives were mercy, why did he bring Saul's crown and bracelet to David. He seems to be interested in a reward from David for killing David's adversary.