“But if the ox tended to thrust with its horn in times past, and it has been made known to his owner, and he has not kept it confined … its owner also shall be put to death” (Ex. 21:29).
The principle of personal responsibility is pervasive throughout biblical law. This is true not only in the Old Testament but in the New. As Christians, we are to take responsibility for our actions and for the actions of those under our care, whether they be man or beast. In the passage before us, we see this personal responsibility being maintained in the case of wayward animals. If an ox (or any other animal) killed a person and the owner of the ox had no idea that the animal was prone to such behavior, then the ox would be killed and its flesh was not to be eaten. God takes seriously the killing of human beings. They are made in His image, and as such are more highly valued than any other created thing. Therefore, if a beast kills a person, justice is served by killing the animal. And not only that, but its honor in serving as nourishment for man is to be taken away. Its flesh is not to be eaten. Animals are designed to serve man, either through labor or as a source of food. According to biblical law, whenever an animal is killed, it is to be eaten (even in the sacrificial law, there are often parts set aside for consumption). It was considered a curse on the animal when it was left to rot. Any killing of animals, even as a judgment, resulted in the animal’s flesh being reserved. The passage before us makes reference to which person—the owner or the victim—should receive the flesh when an animal was killed or died.
It might seem strange to many of us today to see personal responsibility carried to such lengths as these. No one today would be put to death if his animal (whom he knew to be dangerous) killed someone because of the owner’s negligence. A lot of arguments can be made for why this is the case, but one thing we cannot overlook is the blatant lack of personal responsibility we see in today’s society. Too often, even Christians do not want to take responsibility for things they either caused or could have prevented. Instead, we put ourselves in the position of the victim, even when biblical law would insist that we are the criminals. Even our courts have become subject to such distortions of justice. The guilty often are set free as personal responsibility is tossed to the wind and the innocent are punished. The Scriptures teach that a society that has lost its sense of personal responsibility to this extent is unjust and cursed (Prov. 17:15).
How do you take responsibility for your actions? How do you take responsibility for the actions of those under your care, those actions that you could have prevented? How have you seen or experienced the loss of personal responsibility in our society? Pray that you, your family, and your church will take personal responsibility seriously.