You shall not steal (Exod 20:15)

Stealing in the ancient Near East was a capital offence, but in Israel it only required restitution (reimbursement and additional compensation – Exod 22:1, 7, 9), hence it was of a different order from murder or adultery. On a most basic level, stealing involves the taking of someone else’s property without permission, but more broadly, it encompasses taking advantage of others financially. The OT frequently refers to false weights and scales (Lev 19:35-36; Mic 6:11) in this respect. Traditional scales had two plates hanging from a fulcrum with the item placed on one plate and weights added to the other until the two sides were in balance. If the weights were falsified, a customer could be overcharged.

Conversely, not paying someone just wages would be another form of taking advantage. For many, sweatshops spring to mind, however, foreign workers in our own country may equally be exploited this way. Less extremely, some professions (e.g. nursing, teaching) are also underpaid. Likewise, Christian organisations can struggle to find a balance between fair wages and providing goods and services at low cost.

Not paying taxes on income or letting repairs be done without an invoice when we save the GST/VAT and the repairman saves the tax is another temptation for some. However, our taxes enable the state to provide services and goods for the public’s benefit and not paying our contributions puts a heavier load on others who will have to make up the deficit in higher taxes. Intellectual property rights and copyright law is also a modern challenge. Illegally downloading from the internet music or films for free, photocopying material above what is legally permitted loses revenue for the copyright holder. However, many do not feel guilty about such things because of their impersonal aspect. How would it feel though to have our ideas or creative work stolen or not valued properly?

Although we have wandered from the basic sense of stealing, these related and subtler forms share a lack of appreciation for someone’s work either by overcharging, underpaying or not paying at all for goods or services. Fretheim explains the theological implications like this,

Theft is an attack on the dignity of human beings and their work. God dignifies human beings by giving them work to do, from which they can expect to receive some of the fruits of their labor. This is central to God’s creational intentions for humankind (Gen. 2:15-16). Theft is a refusal to accept this, and hence the humanity of both the thief and the victim is diminished.[1]

The positive value behind the prohibition then is appreciation for work done and a generous giving, which in the context of this commandment is most obviously financial. In these days of the ravaging effects of COVID-19 on our economies, supporting businesses (restaurants, shops, accommodation providers, etc.) we value through our custom could make a positive difference. At the same time, kind words and genuine recognition for someone’s efforts may be an extension of the principle.

Being faithful to the spirit of this law admittedly involves a cost for us. It is more expensive to buy from shops with ethical principles, to have repairs done with an invoice or observe copyright laws. I must admit that I find these issues challenging because growing up in a poorer economy, people were generally looking for a bargain and how money could stretch further, so that many of the practices I mentioned earlier were seen by most in society as necessary to make a living. It is harder to do the right thing when one’s budget is tight.

The question that probes our attitude in all this is, how much do we value others? Enough to pay more? Enough even to become poor in order to enrich others? I am challenged by Jesus’ attitude who has done just that for our sake (2 Cor 8:9). Once again, the command highlights God’s generous nature, who values us so highly that He gave His only begotten Son for our redemption.

[1] Terence E. Fretheim, Exodus, Interpretation (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 1991), 235-36.

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