Introduction
In relationships such as that between employer and employee, or between husband and wife, people depend on the help or service they receive from one another. To covet such service is to have a sinful desire to gain that service for oneself by depriving another person of the source of that service. In order to protect the original person's right to such service, God has given the Tenth Commandment.
The Tenth Commandment
You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his cattle, nor anything that is his.
What does this mean?
We should fear and love God, so that we do not tempt, force or coax away from our neighbor his wife or his workers, but urge them to stay and do their duty.
- What evil does God forbid in the Tenth Commandment?
In the Tenth Commandment, God forbids every desire or effort to interfere with the proper service our neighbor receives from others.
Bible Example: Absalom stole the hearts of the people from King David. - Does this commandment refer only to the service given to someone by his wife or employees?
Employers also are to be of service to their employees, just as husbands are to care for their wives. - What is the difference between the references to the wife in the Sixth Commandment and in the Tenth Commandment?
The Sixth Commandment refers to the wife as the one who loves her husband and is loved by him. The Tenth Commandment refers to the wife as the one who helps her husband and is helped by him. (See Question 62.)
Bible Example: The description of a wife as one who helps her husband - What does God require of us in the Tenth Commandment?
In the Tenth Commandment, God requires that we encourage each other to give the full service we owe to others.
Bible Example: Philemon was asked to be kind to his runaway slave Onesimus. Onesimus was asked to resume his service to Philemon. - How does Jesus regard the service which we provide for others?
Jesus regards the service which we perform for others as being done to Himself. - Why has God given us two commandments that say "You shall not covet"?
God has given us two commandments that say "You shall not covet" to impress upon us that greed, envy and jealousy are very serious sins, especially because they are the roots of so many other sins.
Bible Example: Ahab's greed led him to false witness and murder.
Bible Example: Judas' greed led him to betray his master.
Bible Example: David's coveting led him to the acts of adultery and murder. - How should we guard against the sin of coveting?
We should guard against the sin of coveting by learning from God's Word that, while the earthly things we are tempted to covet will pass away, we by faith in Christ already possess the riches that will never pass away. (See Question 71 and 74.)
Bible Example: The parable of the rich fool
Conclusion
When God says "You shall not covet," it is clear that He forbids more than certain outward deeds. Even the thoughts and intentions of the heart are to be perfectly pure. Anyone who understands this requirement will see that we cannot keep the Law. But Christ has presented His perfect thoughts, words and deeds to God in our behalf. God now counts His righteousness as our own and considers us new creatures, perfect in thought, word and deed.
Hymn
Lord, Thee I love with all my heart;
I pray Thee ne'er from me depart;
With tender mercy cheer me.
Earth has no pleasure I would share,
Yea, heav'n itself were void and bare
If Thou, Lord, were not near me.
And should my heart for sorrow break,
My trust in Thee no one could shake.
Thou art the Portion I have sought;
Thy precious blood my soul has bought.
Lord Jesus Christ,
My God and Lord, my God and Lord,
Forsake me not!
I trust Thy Word. (ELH 406:1)
Bible Readings
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