‘And you shall not steal’ (Deuteronomy 5:19).

This Commandment has been subject to various interpretations as the Jewish rabbis have often interpreted it in a narrow sense, believing it only refers to the kidnapping of people. The argument is, if it included the stealing of money or property, then it would render the Tenth Commandment: ‘You shall not covet…” redundant. However, this is misunderstanding the inward sinful desire that this Commandment deals with rather than the outward action that is prohibited here!

There are two things that we would do well to remember in relation to this commandment. Firstly, the system of judgement among God’s people was to be fair. In Deuteronomy 1:15-18 we read about the kind of men that Moses was to appoint as Judges. The men appointed were to be godly individuals. They were to be respected by the people, they were to judge fairly, not showing favouritism and they were not being influenced by how wealthy, or poor a person was, or by their status in the community. They  were to remember all wisdom comes from God.

Secondly, there was to be a real sense of social care among God’s people for anyone who needed it (see Deuteronomy 15:7-11). There was to be provision for those who were dependent on others for their well-being like the Levites, with their service to the Lord, or because they were badly off like: ‘the sojourner, the fatherless and the widow’ (14:29 and 26:12). Christopher Wright sums this up rather well  ‘Only when Israel responds to the needy by enabling everyone in the community to eat and be satisfied can they affirm “I have done everything that you (God) commanded me.”[1] This obedience also took another form in its rejection of recognising any other provider  other than the Lord.

Theft stems from a sinful lack of contentment. It effectively says, “I’m not happy with the lot God has given me, so I’ll improve it by my own actions”. It fails to: ‘believe that condition best which God has carved out to you.’[2] There is a logic in the order of the commandments which relate to how we treat others and their property coming after the ones which refer to God. If we put God first, understanding who He is, we will be far more content having the privilege of having a relationship with Him rather than taking what does not rightly belong to us and thus demeaning other people’s lives.

My wife and I enjoy watching the ‘Film Noir’  genre of movies. In the movie ‘Key Largo’, Humphrey Bogart plays an ex-soldier held hostage with others by Edward G Robinson’s  gangster and his henchmen, in a hotel in the Florida Keys. When a hostage challenges Robinson, arguing he is nothing but a ‘mindless thug’, Bogart tells them they have misunderstood him; what he wants is ‘more’!  Robinson agrees with this, and when Bogart asks him: “will you ever have enough?” Robinson replies: “well, I guess I never have” and that line sums him up. What he has become is a little god at the centre of his universe who must be gratified – whatever the cost to others.

When we have a lack of gratitude for God’s goodness to us, and His Kingship over us it shows our natural craving to become the centre of our corrupt little world! Until we accept God as the Lord of our lives, and the place given to us in the world, we will never be content, and always wanting more! So what’s the solution? The Apostle Paul when writing to the Roman church makes it very clear the Lord knows exactly what we really need and we should look to him and be grateful. ‘He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?’ (Romans 8:32).

[1] Christopher Wright, Deuteronomy, New International Biblical Commentary (Massachusetts, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc, 1996), 272-273.

[2] Thomas Watson, The Ten Commandments (London, The Banner of Truth Trust, 1965) 68.