The Ninth and Tenth Commandments
Exodus 20:17
17 “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 belongs to your neighbor.”
From Luther's Small Catechism:
The Ninth Commandment: You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.
What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not scheme to get our
neighbour’s inheritance or house, or get it in a way which only appears right, but help and be
of service to him in keeping it.
The Tenth Commandment: You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not entice or force away our neighbour’s wife, workers, or animals, or turn them against him, but urge them to stay and do their duty.
November 2011 | ||||