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The Matter of Stealing in Moses’ Day
Like other commandments given to the people of God, this one points to the fact that a follower of God can be tempted and succumb to that temptation. God’s intention for the eighth commandment deals with more than simple stealing. He illustrates:
- Ownership: God is owner of all.
- Management: God entrusts us with the personal responsibility to manage what He has given.
- Trust: We must trust in the Lord as Provider.
- Work: We earn a living by honest effort.
- Respect for Others & Their Property: We should honor what God has given to others and respect their management of it so we would never even consider stealing it.
Proverbs 6 speaks of a thief who steals out of hunger. Ultimately the thief must repay seven times the worth of the stolen goods since seven is a symbol of completion. Therefore, the idea is that the thief doesn’t actually repay seven times what was stolen, but merely that complete repayment must be made. Stealing is wrong, a wrong that should be made right regardless of the thief’s motive or situation.
While there may be times that stealing is not intentional, we must still seek to care for another’s property the way we care for our own. If we are responsible for another’s loss, we should seek in every way possible to restore that loss. Theft was not tolerated in Moses’ day and where it occurred, proper restitution had to be made.
So Many Ways to Steal, and All are Sinful
There are several kinds of stealing. Ezekiel (18:1-20) listed several sins that violate God’s prohibition against stealing:
- Failure to restore a debtor’s pledge for a loan, which oppresses the debtor. This is equal to taking financial advantage of someone in great need, callously ignoring a kindness one could show.
- Violently robbing someone.
- Withholding help from someone who is injured.
- Lending money at interest to a fellow Israelite.
Instead of robbing and oppressing others, Christians who please the Lord look out for others, providing for their needs by sharing in many ways.
Israelites were not to charge any interest on a loan or seek profit from the hardship of another. The Lord had brought the children of Israel out of the severity of slavery in Egypt and had given them the land of Canaan, with all of its abundance, and He wanted His people to show the same generosity to others in need.
Psalm 15:5 reveals that obedience to this law is a mark of a person of integrity.
Malachi pointed out that the people were robbing God by not bringing their tithes and offerings into the storehouse (Malachi 3:8-12). Nehemiah also dealt with the people’s failure to make proper provision—robbing the Temple and the priests (Nehemiah 12-13).
In Amos 8:5, the merchants were guilty of rigging their scales to “make the bushel smaller and the shekel bigger” and therefore deceive buyers. Cheating buyers through dishonest scales and adding filler to the grain increased profits, which the greedy merchants then used to buy more slave labor so they could increase their profits even more.
When we consider the many laws given in Scripture against stealing, failure to return pledges, charging interest, and using dishonest business practices, it is obvious that God is far more concerned about people than about mere material matters. He deals with stealing because stealing affects people in many hurtful ways.
Obeying the command against stealing requires more than simply not taking something that belongs to someone else. It also involves proper use and wise management of everything we have.
On Tithing & Giving
If we truly recognize that we are stewards of what God provides for us, we will give Him our best—and our “firstfruits.” The Old Testament Law required three different tithes, equaling about 23% of one’s income and each coming from the fields and flocks:
- Support the Levites and Temple services (Leviticus 27:30-32; Numbers 18:21-32; Deuteronomy 14:27);
- Provide for three yearly national feasts (Deuteronomy 14:22-26; Exodus 34:23-24);
- Support the needy every third year (Deuteronomy 14:28-29; 26:12-15)
Before the Law was given, Abraham gave a tithe (tenth) to God Most High. That is a good pattern to follow and the starting point for giving. In the Old Testament, part of the tithe funds took care of national needs. In the New Testament economy, some of those needs are taken care of by government authorities, thus the call to pay appropriate taxes (Romans 13:1-7). New Testament giving is by the standard of grace, not law, so the amount of the gift is as generous as the heart of the giver.
Jesus Changes Thieves
Just as the tax collectors often took an extra amount for their own pockets, the soldiers had the authority and force to skim for themselves, as well. John commanded the soldiers not to “take money from anyone by force” (Luke 3:14) or to falsely accuse anyone in an effort to gain more money.
From Mark 12:38-40, we see that Jesus warned His listeners to beware of the scribes, those most learned in the law of God, who wanted to be honored in the marketplace, in the synagogues, and at the feasts. Jesus warned that they would “devour widows’ houses,” meaning they took advantage of widows by convincing them to give their resources to the Temple or to the scribes themselves, either by giving tithes and offerings far greater than what the law required or even by giving up their homes rather than keeping what their husbands left them for their security in old age.
In John 12:1-8, Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with a “very costly perfume of pure nard.” Greedy Judas, observing this act, pointed out the missed opportunity to sell the perfume and give 300 denarii (the equivalent of a year’s wage) to the poor. Of course, his pious concern was a sham. He was not interested in the poor or in honoring Jesus. Judas was concerned only about getting more into the disciples’ treasury so he could steal from it.
Sometime during the next few days, Judas went to the chief priests to bargain with them in an eventual deal that required Judas to disclose Jesus’ whereabouts (Matthew 26:6-16; Mark 14:3-11). The priests gave Judas 30 pieces of silver for this information, the price paid for a slave (Exodus 21:32). Judas revealed he had the heart of a thief. Jesus understood that Judas, like Satan, was a thief, always ready to “steal, kill, and destroy” (John 10:10).
Paul Confronts the Issue
Not surprisingly, Paul confronts the matter of stealing in a straightforward way, “Let him who steals steal no longer” (Ephesians 4:28). Perhaps the members of the church of Ephesus thought as many modern people do, that taking whatever one can get away with is a necessary part of getting by in life. But Paul makes it clear that stealing should not be a part of the new life that Christ gives to those who follow Him.
In his letter to the Romans (13:8-10), Paul again takes a straightforward approach to the eighth commandment, “You shall not steal.” Anyone who obeys God’s law will love his neighbor as himself and do no wrong to that neighbor which includes no stealing.
In Titus 2:10, Paul goes on to urge bondservants (employees) to work “not pilfering.” In modern use, pilfering means “stealing small amounts frequently,” and thereby escaping notice.
Instead of stealing, each Christian should work hard, taking personal responsibility for tasks and doing them well. The purpose of the work is to meet our personal needs and those of our families and also to help others in need. God wants us to be givers, not takers.
Christians should be careful to avoid any type of stealing in the workplace, which can include setting aside time for oneself, not doing one’s job, or setting aside goods or supplies, even embezzling funds. Instead, each should make his or her faith in Christ evident through honest hard work, just as though Jesus were doing that job Himself.
Self-Evaluation
It’s time to pull out our most powerful leadership tool. Consider the following three areas of life, and evaluate where you are in each:
My Job
- Job Performance: Am I giving full-time effort?
- Am I stealing any time at work?
- Am I taking anything from my employer that has not been given?
- How is my Quality of Work?
My Income/Spending
- Am I providing for my needs and the needs of my family?
- Am I saving for future needs?
- Am I wasting my income on needless items, useless habits, or frivolous pursuits?
My Giving
- From my weekly income, am I giving first to the Lord?
- Am I tithing as an acknowledgement that all is a gift from Him and that I am entrusted by Him as a manager?
- Am I giving to the cause of missions, both locally and abroad, as the Lord directs me?
Like money, we can spend, invest, give, save, waste, or steal from God and others our time and effort. How are you using or misusing these?
Here’s a recommended prayer for this week, “Lord, may I continually use what You entrust to me in a way that is pleasing to You, never stealing or wasting any resources.”