By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen
This is a simple study of the tenth commandment.
All Biblical quotations are from the ESV (English Standard Version), unless noted otherwise.
Where it is found, and what it says.
This command is found in Exodus 20:17, and in Deuteronomy 5:10. The command says: "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's."
This is a prohibition of an internal attitude
One of the striking things about this command is that it is a prohibition of an internal attitude, not just an external action. It is harder to prohibit an attitude than to prohibit an action. We might not make idols to worship, and yet be idolatrous in our hearts. We might not take the name of God in vain with our mouths, but do so in our hearts. We might not murder someone, and yet want to do so. We might not commit adultery, and yet have adulterous thoughts. We might not steal, but wish we could do so. We might not bear false witness against someone, and yet be liars at heart. In other words, we might be outwardly obedient to the ten commandments, and yet inwardly be in defiance of God's authority. We might be like the little girl who did not want to sit down to eat dinner with her family. She wanted to stand next to the table. Upon her father's insistence, she sat down to eat. But she told her father she was sitting down on the outside, but standing up on the inside. But when it comes to the tenth command, we cannot only follow it externally. We either covet, or we don't. That is, we are either covetous, or we are not. That is the distinguishing feature about this command.
What does the word "covet" mean?
The NKJV (New King James Version) Study Bible, second edition, published by Thomas Nelson, answers this question in its comment on Ex. 20:17, which says: "Covet means 'to have a strong desire for.' Coveting was not merely an appreciation of something from a distance, but an uncontrolled, inordinate, selfish desire. This tenth command governed an internal matter: the sin of coveting occurred in the mind. This demonstrated that God intended the Israelites not only to avoid the actions named in the previous commands, but also to turn away from the evil thoughts that led to those actions."
All Biblical quotations are from the ESV (English Standard Version), unless noted otherwise.
Where it is found, and what it says.
This command is found in Exodus 20:17, and in Deuteronomy 5:10. The command says: "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's."
This is a prohibition of an internal attitude
One of the striking things about this command is that it is a prohibition of an internal attitude, not just an external action. It is harder to prohibit an attitude than to prohibit an action. We might not make idols to worship, and yet be idolatrous in our hearts. We might not take the name of God in vain with our mouths, but do so in our hearts. We might not murder someone, and yet want to do so. We might not commit adultery, and yet have adulterous thoughts. We might not steal, but wish we could do so. We might not bear false witness against someone, and yet be liars at heart. In other words, we might be outwardly obedient to the ten commandments, and yet inwardly be in defiance of God's authority. We might be like the little girl who did not want to sit down to eat dinner with her family. She wanted to stand next to the table. Upon her father's insistence, she sat down to eat. But she told her father she was sitting down on the outside, but standing up on the inside. But when it comes to the tenth command, we cannot only follow it externally. We either covet, or we don't. That is, we are either covetous, or we are not. That is the distinguishing feature about this command.
What does the word "covet" mean?
The NKJV (New King James Version) Study Bible, second edition, published by Thomas Nelson, answers this question in its comment on Ex. 20:17, which says: "Covet means 'to have a strong desire for.' Coveting was not merely an appreciation of something from a distance, but an uncontrolled, inordinate, selfish desire. This tenth command governed an internal matter: the sin of coveting occurred in the mind. This demonstrated that God intended the Israelites not only to avoid the actions named in the previous commands, but also to turn away from the evil thoughts that led to those actions."
Why do we covet?
The Lord Jesus Christ answered this question in Mark 7:21 - 23, which says: "For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person." The Lord's statements reveal that we covet because we have corrupt hearts. Remnants of this corruption remain, even if we have obtained forgiveness and salvation by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, we must always be on guard so it does not dominate our lives.
The Lord Jesus Christ answered this question in Mark 7:21 - 23, which says: "For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person." The Lord's statements reveal that we covet because we have corrupt hearts. Remnants of this corruption remain, even if we have obtained forgiveness and salvation by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, we must always be on guard so it does not dominate our lives.
How serious is the sin of covetousness?
1 Corinthians 5:11 says: "But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler --- not even to eat with such a one." The seriousness of this sin is revealed by what we read in 1 Corinthians 6:9 - 11, which says: "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." The seriousness of this sin is stated in Ephesians 5:5, which says: "For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater) has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God."
This sin can be forgiven.
1 Corinthians 5:11 says: "But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler --- not even to eat with such a one." The seriousness of this sin is revealed by what we read in 1 Corinthians 6:9 - 11, which says: "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." The seriousness of this sin is stated in Ephesians 5:5, which says: "For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater) has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God."
This sin can be forgiven.
Yes, this is a serious sin. But we can believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and obtain the washing, sanctification, and justification we need. If we have believed in him, we need have no fear of going to hell, but can rejoice that we are on our way to heaven.
Some other points based on the tenth command.
First, this command is not to be understood as a prohibition of desiring something new or different, except that we should not desire a new spouse. There is nothing inherently wrong with desiring a new car, new house, or new something else, so long as that desire is not allowed to dominate our lives and cause problems between us and those who have them. We must respect the possessions of others, and be glad that they have them to enjoy.
Second, this command should teach us to be content with what we do have, rather than be discontented about what we don't have.
First, this command is not to be understood as a prohibition of desiring something new or different, except that we should not desire a new spouse. There is nothing inherently wrong with desiring a new car, new house, or new something else, so long as that desire is not allowed to dominate our lives and cause problems between us and those who have them. We must respect the possessions of others, and be glad that they have them to enjoy.
Second, this command should teach us to be content with what we do have, rather than be discontented about what we don't have.
Some other Bible verses that relate to the tenth command.
Exodus 18:21 says: "Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens." (The King James Version says they were to be "......men of truth, hating covetousness....")
Exodus 18:21 says: "Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens." (The King James Version says they were to be "......men of truth, hating covetousness....")
The context of Ex. 18:21 is this: Moses had too many responsibilities, and his father in-law made the wise suggestion that helped him ease his work load. But the men for the job were to be men of good character, even hating a bribe, i. e. hating covetousness. Those who accept bribes are covetous of the money or whatever is offered as a bribe.
Joshua 7:20 and 21 makes reference to Achan's sin of coveting certain objects, taking them, being confronted about it, and paying the consequences for having done so. The verses say: "And Achan answered Joshua, 'Truly I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this is what I did: when I saw among the spoil (of war) a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.'"
The background to Achan's confession is the fact that the army of Israel had lost a battle with an enemy which they easily should have defeated. The reason they lost the battle was Achan's covetous actions. In this case, one man's sin brought defeat to all of the army. The lesson for us is that we must be on guard against covetousness. It will destroy us and others, if we are not careful to resist its subtle entrance into our lives.
Psalm 10:3 says: "Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? In arrogance the wicked hotly pursues the poor; let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised. For the wicked boasts of the desire of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the LORD." It is interesting to see how this verse is translated in the King James Version, the New King James Version, the New American Standard, updated edition, and even in the margin of the 1611 KJV. From the ESV we learn that greediness, i. e. covetousness, leads some persons to curse and renounce the LORD. One reason for this is that one cannot follow greed and the LORD at the same time. Another reason is that greed clouds the good morals of a person and prompts them to do what they normally would not do. It will cause some persons to curse and renounce the LORD, steal, tell lies, or even murder someone.
Psalm 119:36 and 37 is a prayer to God. It says: "Incline my heart to your testimonies and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways." We learn form this prayer that we should pray about our struggle with greed, i. e. covetousness. It is a means of obtaining victory over its intrusion into our thinking.
Proverbs 21:25 and 26 says: "The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back." Many covetous persons are hard workers. Their greed motivates them to work hard to get what they want. Not so the sluggard. He craves things, but expects to get them at the expense of someone else. Not so the righteous person. He has a good work ethic, and is also generous to those in need.
Some New Testament statements about this command.
Some New Testament statements about this command.
There are other Old Testament references to what is prohibited in the tenth command. But let us now turn our attention to some New Testament statements about the subject, though earlier in this article we did consider what Mark 7, 1 Corinthians 5 and 6, and Ephesians 5 say about it.
Romans 7:7 says: "What then shall we say? That the law (of God) is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, 'You shall not covet.' " One thing that makes this statement significant is that the apostle Paul wrote it. He was a man of very good character. It would have been hard to find any fault in him before he became a Christian. But all was not well on the inside with Paul. He, like the rest of us, had a corrupt heart. And though he tried hard to do so, he could not completely keep this corruption from revealing itself.
Perhaps Paul could have sympathized with the rich man we read about in Mark 10:17 - 22. He asked Jesus: "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" The Lord told him that he needed to keep certain commands, to which the man replied that he had done so from his youth. The Lord then told him, "You lack one thing: go sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." What was the man's response? We are told: "Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions." Both he and Paul were, outwardly, good men. But they had an enemy within: covetousness, and it was exposed by the Word of God.
Perhaps Paul could have sympathized with the rich man we read about in Mark 10:17 - 22. He asked Jesus: "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" The Lord told him that he needed to keep certain commands, to which the man replied that he had done so from his youth. The Lord then told him, "You lack one thing: go sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." What was the man's response? We are told: "Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions." Both he and Paul were, outwardly, good men. But they had an enemy within: covetousness, and it was exposed by the Word of God.
1 Timothy 3:1 - 7 gives the requirements for "anyone who aspires to the office of overseer." The list includes both positive and negative characteristics. At the end of verse three it says "not a lover of money." The King James Version says: "not covetous." This must refer to a man having outward evidence of covetousness. If he does, he is not qualified to hold the office of overseer.
1 Timothy 6:6 - 10 applies to our subject because it speaks directly about the importance of being content with what we have, and it clearly warns against coveting what we don't have. The verses say: "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment (clothing) let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (King James Version)
One thing we can learn from these verses is that one way to protect ourselves against covetousness is to learn to be content with what we have. There are many happy poor people, and many unhappy rich people. What often makes the difference between the two is the perspective they have on wealth. Once we learn that wealth does not guarantee happiness, we will have a better perspective of it.
One thing we can learn from these verses is that one way to protect ourselves against covetousness is to learn to be content with what we have. There are many happy poor people, and many unhappy rich people. What often makes the difference between the two is the perspective they have on wealth. Once we learn that wealth does not guarantee happiness, we will have a better perspective of it.
Hebrews 13:5 will be our last verse to consider in relationship to the tenth command. It says: "Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' " From this short statement we can learn some important truths: 1) It is our responsibility to keep our lives free from the love of money. We cannot be passive about the matter, expecting God or others to do for us what we must do for ourselves. 2) One way to keep our lives free from the love of money or material possessions is to practice generosity. We should give to those in need, using common sense as we do so. 3) We should remember that our greatest "possession" is not money or material things, but the Lord himself. We can lose all our belongings and money, but the Lord will never leave us or forsake us. His constant presence with us is of greater value than all the world's wealth!
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