Exodus 20:17

Ninth and Tenth Commandments

¹⁷a"You shall not covet your neighbor's house; byou shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

Coveting is desiring something to which you have no right, something that belongs to someone else. Covetousness is at the heart of sins against all the Commandments. It is the last commandment because it deals with the inner attitude, which leads to violations of all the others. As Jesus clearly said, "Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander" (Mt 15:19). These last two commandments are heart commandments: they emphasize that not only outward acts are sins, but also the desires and thoughts. The mere desire to do something sinful is a sin. The mere thought of trying to get our neighbor's possessions or house is a sin. External acts are forbidden enough by the other commandments, but these two go one step further to forbid even our thoughts and desires. God now closes the door completely on us. There is now no escape from the accusations of the Law. Even though you might argue that you have never done any of the things forbidden by the other commandments, no one can escape these commandments that govern our thoughts and desires. There is no one who can claim to be without sin now. Anyone who says he has no sin is a liar and the truth is not in him. These commandments seal the case.

Covetousness is rooted in our basic human selfishness. We want what we want, and we don't care who gets hurt or left out in the process. Happiness is our right, and we will get it. In the original draft of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote that each person had inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of possessions. In subsequent reviews, the wording was changed to the pursuit of happiness. Yet our society has indeed come to identify the pursuit of happiness with the pursuit of possessions. We think we will be happy if we have one more thing.

We recognize this pursuit in young children. Buy them a new toy, and they are bored with it after a few hours. We recognize it in drug addicts. The first high is easy, but then they need more and more until it kills them. The recognition of pursuit for possessions or for pleasure is not peculiar to Christianity. The ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus put it this way: "If you want to make a man happy, add not to his possessions but take away from his desires."

Some religions try to shut off all human desires. It's the solution offered by ancient Stoicism, by Buddhism, by asceticism. But God built desires into our very being. Ambition is not evil. Scripture urges us to "earnestly desire the higher gifts" (1 Cor 12:31). St. Paul urges the Corinthians to "earnestly desire to prophesy" (1 Cor 14:39). He urges the Romans to "not be slothful in zeal, [but] be fervent in spirit" (Rom 12:11).

You should have ambition, no matter how young or old you are—it gives you energy and purpose. There's nothing wrong with desiring something, but work for it. Don't desire to get what you have not earned, what you have not worked for, what you have gotten in an unworthy way. Don't desire or intend to get for yourself what belongs to another, such as wife, servants, house and estate, land, or cattle. Don't try to take them by show of right or by a trick to your neighbor's harm.

In our Lord's parable of the rich fool (Lk 12:16–21), the farmer was not wrong to produce a huge harvest. He was not wrong to build big barns to store them. He was wrong to call them "my crops" (v 17), "my grain and my goods" (v 18). As Jesus said in the parable, "The land of a rich man produced plentifully" (v 16). God blessed him. God entrusted the crops, the grain, and the goods to him. God was trusting that he would use these blessings properly. They were not given for his selfish enjoyment but were gifts to use with responsibility and accountability. Just as God entrusts us with money, property, possessions and blessings to use as he directs us. This is the whole concept of stewardship; managing the things God has put under our care according to his will. Rather than covet and desire things for ourselves, we desire to use the things God has given for his kingdom; to show our thanks to God for his love. He has given us possessions, wealth, resources, talents and abilities in order that we might show our love for others and help those in need; to glorify our heavenly Father and serve him. The proper stewardship of the wealth and resources God has given us is to use them for our neighbor's well being; to love our neighbor as ourselves, to help those in need.

Instead, the rich man thought only of himself. He did not think of the needs of others and of God's kingdom. He said to himself, "You have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry" (v 19). He was not wrong to retire. He was not wrong to "be merry." God wants us to be happy. He wants to give you heaven. He offers it to you. Jesus said, "Everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life" (Jn 6:40).

Even now you have "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding" (Phil 4:7). Even now you have "all things" (Rom 8:32). You have no right to them. You have rebelled and failed and disobeyed. All the Commandments have reflected this. Yet the guilt for your sin has been nailed to Jesus' cross. He rose in victory, and he takes you to be his own now and for all eternity.

Heaven is where we will have the life for which our heavenly Father created us, in all its fullness and joy. We eagerly desire it, though we have no right to it. He eagerly desires to have us there at his side for all eternity. It is his joyful gift to us by grace.

Because Christ Fulfills the Law for Us, We Gain All Things through Him.

The foolish rich man in the parable desired the wrong thing. He coveted what was foolish and temporary and selfish. "God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' " (Lk 12:20). He foolishly forgot that he would one day have to give an account of his life and his possessions to God. Jesus concludes the parable by saying, "So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God" (v 21).

The man was not wrong to desire wealth. He was wrong to covet. He was wrong to think that he had a right to it, that it was his to do with as he pleased. His life was oriented around the wrong center, focused on the wrong goal. When our lives have the wrong center, when we are focused on the wrong goal, when we are focused inwardly on our selves, then we are tempted to covet what belongs to our neighbor—what the Ninth and Tenth Commandments warn against.

As Luther explains the Ninth Commandment, "We should fear and love God so that we do not scheme to get our neighbor's inheritance or house, or get it in a way which only appears right" (Luther's Small Catechism, p. 13). And the Tenth Commandment, "We should fear and love God so that we do not entice or force away our neighbor's wife, workers, or animals, or turn them against him" (Luther's Small Catechism, pp. 13–14). As in the other Commandments, the accent is on the positive attitude of serving one's neighbor, "help and be of service to him," and again, "urge them to stay and do their duty."

The foolish rich man in the parable had gained the whole world but lost his own soul (Mt 16:26). He was trying to serve God and money (Mt 6:24). St. John wrote, "If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 Jn 2:15).

What do you eagerly desire in life? Where is your focus? What proceeds from your heart? Where are you looking for happiness? Whom or what are you trying to serve? Do you live for others? What is your ambition and passion in life? Are your energies directed toward helping and serving others?

There is no contentment or meaning or eternity in relationships with things. It is only in relationships with others, and primarily with God, that the real purpose of life is found. The solution of our sinful desires and covetousness is Jesus Christ. He is the one who takes away the sin of the world. He has nailed our sin to the cross and forgiven us. He renews our hearts in baptism and causes a new man to be born in us. He rules in our hearts and gives us the joy and satisfaction of faith in him so that we have no need to covet others. He fills us with satisfaction and joy. He supplies all our needs and wants. Jesus is our all in all, our all sufficient Lord and Savior.

Amen.