By Roy B. Blizzard
[15] Thou shalt not steal.
Translation:
You shall not steal.
Comments:
This commandment, "You shall not steal," is a part of verse 13 of Exodus 20 in the Hebrew text. The injunction not to steal is very closely linked to the injunction not to commit premeditated murder and not to break into an existing marital relationship with the intention of breaking it up. In every case, it involves taking something that does not belong to you. Committing premeditated murder is taking another’s life. Committing adultery is taking another’s wife. And, the injunction "You shall not steal," is applicable in both cases. In other words, don’t take anything that does not belong to you.
The last two commandments, 9 and 10, are similarly linked, as we shall see in a further study. It is significant to note that of the ten commandments, only four relate to man’s relationship upward with God while six relate outward to man’s relationship with his fellow man. It would not be incorrect to say that God is more concerned with how one relates to his fellow man than how one relates upward to God. This fact is emphasized over and over again in the words of Jesus that emphasize man’s responsibility to his fellow man in acts of charity or tzedakah. See, for example, Matthew 25: 34-45
[34] Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
[35] For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
[36] Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
[37] Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
[38] When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
[39] Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
[40] And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
[41] Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
[42] For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
[43] I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
[44] Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
[45] Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
I think that it is safe to say, without fear of contradiction, that the foundation of Biblical faith is Tzedakah – man’s responsibility to his fellow man. That fact is demonstrated here in Exodus 20, verse 13 (Hebrew text) as we will see as we continue our study.
