The tenth commandment excludes covetousness—of anything. In this portion of Deuteronomy, we see many different ways in which covetousness will work its way out if the command is not heeded. The eighth commandment prohibited stealing. The ninth commandment prohibited “legalized” stealing through false witness. The tenth commandment prohibits “legalized” stealing through false motives. “Thou shalt …
Leprosy and Fraud
The ninth commandment prohibits judicial deceit and corruption, and we now come to the portion of Deuteronomy that treats this commandment. While lying is a way to break the ninth commandment “downstream,” the commandment is actually prohibiting “false witness” or what we would call “false testimony in a judicial setting” against one’s neighbor. We see …
When Remarriage is Theft
The conclusion of Moses’ exposition of the prohibition of theft may strike modern ears somewhat oddly. But understanding the laws in this context brings additional light to the question. “When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath …
Some Ancient Property Law
And now, the eighth commandment. How we respect God’s house is directly related to godly stewardship of what we have in our possession, and is the basis for biblical respect for our neighbor’s goods. Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee . . . (Deuteronomy …
A Woman’s Only Real Friend in this World
We now finish the Mosaic exposition of the seventh commandment. But as we do, there are several things which we must keep in mind about the nature of sovereign grace. The first is that it is sovereign. The second is that it is grace. He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy …
The Holiness Code
We must remind ourselves, yet again, that every word that proceeds from the mouth of God is our life. We know that all Scripture is profitable for training in righteousness. The law of the nests considered in our previous installment week was called the least of the commandments by the rabbis, and yet Jesus still …
A Biblical Building Code
In this passage, we conclude the commentary of Moses on applications of the sixth commandment. In some fashion or other, all these commands concern a respect for life. And in all these commandments, we see the glory of biblical wisdom. Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ox or his sheep go astray . . . …
Guilt and Responsibility
Questions concerning life and death remain before us. In the passage we are considering now, more aspects of the sixth commandment are unfolded. If one be found slain in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it . . . (Deuteronomy 21:1-23) In old Israel, when a man was found slain, …
Biblical Warfare
A subject clearly related to murder is the question of war. Whenever war is not conducted in accordance with the Word of God, then it amounts to nothing more than mass murder sanctioned by the civil authority. Consequently, it is important for us to know something of what biblical war looks like. When thou goest …
Cities of Refuge
As we continue to work through Deuteronomy, we are treating it as extended commentary on the Ten Words. We come now to the treatment of the sixth commandment, the prohibition of murder. As we do this, we have to keep in mind the fact that we are Christians, and our faith holds as one of …