Property for the Common Good – The Eighth Commandment

Property for the Common Good

The Eighth Commandment

The Law requires generosity and respect where property is concerned.

Deuteronomy 23:24, 25

“‘If you go into your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat your fill of grapes, as many as you wish, but you shall not put any in your bag. If you go into your neighbor’s standing grain, you may pluck the ears with your hand, but you shall not put a sickle to your neighbor’s standing grain.’”

Two principles are suggested by this statute. First, Israel was to remember that the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it (Ps. 24:1). They held their property in trust for Him and were expected to use it as He Himself would—generously and with a view to the needs of others. We are our neighbor’s keeper, and we must always be prepared to share our property with those in need.

But, second, the needy must not take advantage. You could eat your fill of grapes or grain, but you could not put any in your bag or cut any with a sickle for later consumption. Our neighbor is to be generous, but we must always respect his property as just that—his.

We are now accepting registrations for the course, Spiritual Maturity 1: Revival. This free, six-session course by T. M. Moore allows you to study by yourself or with a mentor, and includes free resources from Patrick, Columbanus, Luther, and Edwards, among others. Visit The Ailbe Seminary for more information on this training opportunity.

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In the Gates is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore, editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001, 2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.