The Eighth Commandment by J. O. Corliss

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jan 13, 1909

The Eighth Commandment

By J. O. Corliss

[By mistake the article on "The Ninth Commandment" preceded this. It is out of order, but it makes no difference in the merits of the article, as each is independent of the other.—Editor.]

THE more closely one examines the moral law, the more clearly he sees its breadth of purpose to guard the prerogatives of Jehovah and the rights of all men. The sanctity of God's name as creator, the life of the creature man, and the purity of his family, are by it required to be sustained inviolate under extreme penalty. Next to these, one's earthly possessions are remembered, and the command issues:

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"THOU SHALT NOT STEAL." *

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The original word here rendered "steal" means to take by stealth, or secretly. The commandment does not limit the value of the thing so taken in order to bring it within the prohibited act, but simply says: Take nothing by stealth from another that is his by right. The thing desired may be a trifle, and of little or no intrinsic worth, but it belongs to another, and so is guarded by the commandment which forbids stealing.

Stealing and Robbery.

According to the Scriptures, there is a difference recognized between stealing and outright robbery. As already noticed, to steal is to take another's goods surreptitiously. But to commit robbery, in a general sense, is to seize or snatch goods openly from another. While the latter is by far the worst sin because violence is added to the theft, it will be noticed that the commandment guards even the milder form of wrong, where no personal injury is contemplated.

The Hebrew word for robbery is not, however, confined to taking possession forcibly of another's goods, but covers the idea of "snatching away" a thing from another, even tho it rightfully belongs to the snatcher. This is because such an act involves personal violence, which the moral law forbids on the ground that it would not be doing to another as one would have another do to him.

But going still further, some acts are considered robbery which do not involve personal encounter. The question has been seriously asked: "Will a man rob God?" Mal. 3: 8. It is not possible for one to have a personal encounter with Jehovah, and yet He says: "Ye have robbed Me . . . in tithes and offerings." In this case God is robbed by a man's withholding from Him that which he has in his possession belonging to God, selfishly retained, because it is within his power to do so. After this same manner a man, or an organization of men, may commit robbery by withholding from others their rights, because it is in their power to do so. It matters not by what human rule or custom the act is done, according to the Golden Rule, such is robbery.

It was this sort of robbery which was practised by the hypocritical Pharisees, of whom the Saviour said: "Ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers; therefore ye shall receive greater damnation." Matt. 23: 14. As is emphasized by this statement, praying at any length by those who take from, or withhold from, others their just dues, only makes the sin more heinous, and therefore adds to the condemnation merited.

Outside of Material Property.

Coming back to the milder form of sin contemplated by the commandment under consideration, let us briefly consider its intent further, in harmony with the foregoing analysis of robbery. As before learned, stealing consists in getting things by some secret or sly method. One may refrain from taking material property from another, and yet be guilty of stealing. There are possessions of more value than real property or bank stocks. We learn from high authority that "a good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold." Prov. 22: 1. To take away either of these by fraud is to steal that which may not easily be recovered, and for which the common law does not in all cases provide a remedy. Material property may be located in the possession of the thief, but the good name or loving favor of a neighbor taken from him can not thus be placed. The thief does not possess it, and therefore may not always be approached. It is this feature that makes reputation-stealing so aggravatingly odious.

It is not necessary to lie openly about one in order to take from him this most valued treasure. The "loving favor" enjoyed by him may be undermined by fawning suggestions that more benefits might accrue to interested ones than they have been receiving, if certain

plans were adopted. In all this not a name need be mentioned, or any reference made to the part another has acted in the matter. By such persistent wheedlings, however, the one who has enjoyed the confidence and sympathy of the public finds in time that his social or religious standing has been impaired, and he has lost that which he valued more than money and land.

An Evil Custom of All.

This is not entirely a supposititious suggestion. The same course has been pursued for ages, both in and out of the church. Altho swift justice does not always follow an act of this kind, yet the embezzler has usually reaped the due reward of his labors. The case of Absalom and his untimely fate reveals how God permits justice to overtake this cruel violation of the divine law. Being very desirous of obtaining that favor of the king's subjects to which, as the king's son, he felt entitled, he prepared himself to win the coveted treasure. Securing a bodyguard, he stationed himself, early each morning, by the gate of the city, and as each traveler came by, he inquired of him from what city he came, and why he came thither. He next proceeded to ingratiate himself into favor by telling the stranger that his cause was just, but that the king had deputed no one to attend to such cases. Then, as tho in sympathy with the suitor, he would say: "O that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!" Kissing then the hand of his auditor, he would let him go.

All this could not fail in time to have its effect. The king's subjects were gradually losing their kindly feeling for him, and the "loving favor" of his people was withdrawn, because "Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel." 2 Sam. 15: 1-6. But his booty was not long enjoyed. As soon as the king learned what had been done, and that Absalom had laid deep plans to take the kingdom as well, the royal soldiers pursued the reprobate to the woods, where he was hanged in the boughs of a heavily drooping oak.

How much better it would have been in this case to curb ambition, and live happily, than to steal the hearts of the king's subjects for so brief a period. It is just as reprehensible to steal another's good name and loving favor now as in the days of King David. "Thou shalt not steal." See thou do it not.