Dictionary of Bible Themes » 5000 Humanity » 0 » 5067 suicide
The deliberate taking of one's own life, a rare occurrence in Scripture.
Psychological causes of suicide
A sense of guilt leads to suicide
Matthew 27:5 See also Acts 1:18-19
Defeat leads to suicide
1 Samuel 31:4 See also 1 Samuel 31:5-6 pp 1 Chronicles 10:4-5; 2 Samuel 1:9; Samuel 17:23; 1 Kings 16:18
Defiance leads to suicide
Judges 16:26-30; 2 Samuel 17:23
Failure leads to attempted suicide
Acts 16:27
Desire for death is more frequently expressed in the Bible than actual suicide
The desire for death in a prophet's depression
1 Kings 19:3-4 See also Jeremiah 15:10; Jeremiah 20:14-18; Jonah 4:1-3 A desire for death does not lead to taking of one's own life, but to entrusting the place and time of one's death to the Lord.
The desire for death arising from grief and pain
Job 10:1 See also Job 3:1-4; Job 7:15-16
The desire for death because of judgment
Revelation 9:6 See also Hosea 10:8; Revelation 6:16
Life hated because of its apparent futility
Ecclesiastes 2:17 See also Psalm 90:8-10; Ecclesiastes 4:1-3
Suicide usurps God's sovereignty over life
God is Creator, and thus has authority over his creation
Job 10:12 See also Genesis 2:7,17; Psalm 90:1-10; Psalm 139:13-15
God controls life and death
Job 1:21 See also Exodus 23:25-26; Deuteronomy 32:39; Job 30:23; Ecclesiastes 8:8; Luke 12:22-25; Hebrews 9:27
Taking life, including one's own, is sin
Exodus 20:13
God's command that believers love themselves is violated by suicide
See also Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:39; Ephesians 5:29
God's command that believers should love others is violated by suicide
Matthew 7:12 Relatives and friends are hurt when a loved one commits suicide.
See also
5040 murder 5331 hanging 5831 depression 6172 guilt 9020 death
