Deuteronomy 5:19Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

- You shall not maintain unequal measures in your household, a larger and a smaller; rather, you should have honest measures that are correct so that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance. For all who commit injustices are abominable before the Lord your God (Deuteronomy 25:14-16). - Woe to those who construct their homes through unrighteous means and establish their upper rooms through iniquity, who exploit their neighbors without compensating them for their labor (Jeremiah 22:13). c) laziness: My son, do not live in a beggar's life; it is better to die than to seek alms. He who covets the table of another does not truly live, for he humiliates himself by consuming another’s sustenance (Sirach 40:29-30). d) irreverence: every grain offering from the priest shall be incinerated, not consumed (Leviticus 6:23). e) extortion: do not wrong your neighbor or steal from him. The wages of a hired worker shall not remain with you until the morning (Leviticus 19:13). - Do not oppress the hired worker, the poor, or the beggar, whether from your brethren or the strangers dwelling in your land (Deuteronomy 24:14). f) exploitation: should you lend to a poor person, do not charge him interest or impose undue hardship (Exodus 22:25). - My heart was outraged, and I sternly addressed the nobles and rulers, saying, ‘You are exacting from your brethren. I also summoned a great assembly against them’ (Nehemiah 5:7). - He who does not lend with interest and does not accept bribes against the innocent shall not be shaken forever (Psalm 14:5). - Truly, you have taken pledges from your brethren without compensation, and stripped the half-clad of their garments (Job 22:6). - An orphan's donkey is taken from an orphan, and a widow's ox is seized as collateral (Job 24:3). g) bribery: you shall not accept bribes, for bribes blind even the discerning and pervert the cause of the righteous (Exodus 23:8).

Virtues encouraged by the Eighth Commandment of God's Law include: a) compassion for the impoverished: when you possess much, give alms from your abundance; and when you have little, do not shy away from giving, for with small acts you shall build a considerable treasure for times of need (Tobit 4:8-9). - Judge mercifully, just as your Father is merciful (Luke 6:36). - Do not forget to do good and share; such sacrifices are pleasing to God (Hebrews 13:16). - I have shown you in all things the necessity of supporting the weak through diligent work, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, who said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’ (Acts 20:35). - If a brother or sister is without clothes and daily nourishment, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but does not provide for their needs, what good is that? (James 2:15-16). - Give according to what is in one's heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7). - He who gives to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will repay according to His generosity (Proverbs 19:17). - Share your bread with the hungry, and invite the homeless into your home; when you see someone without clothes, clothe them, and do not hide from your fellow man (Isaiah 58:7). - He who has abundant resources in this world yet closes his heart to a brother in need, how can God’s love dwell in him? Children, let us not love merely with words or speech, but with actions and truth (1 John 3:17-18). b) generosity: give to everyone who asks of you (Luke 6:30). c) righteousness: those who dwell on earth will learn righteousness (Isaiah 26:9; cf. 2 Chronicles 13:6-10). d) perfect liberality: if you desire to be perfect, sell your possessions and give to the poor; you will have treasure in heaven (Matthew 19:21).

Explanation of the eighth commandment of God’s Law: The eighth commandment strictly prohibits stealing or any method of unlawfully claiming another’s belongings, meaning it forbids causing harm to your neighbor’s property. Let us delve into the various ways one may sin against this Godly commandment. Sins include: 1) Acting violently or brazenly by robbing others of their money or belongings. This sin, known as robbery, is heavily punished both by earthly justice and divine judgment. 2) Stealing in a covert manner, typically with great caution, often under the cover of night. Let it be known that the unrepentant thieves will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 3) Wrongfully seizing others’ belongings through deceitful methods, tricks, or underhanded practices. This includes offering counterfeit coins instead of genuine ones, passing off inferior goods as quality items, misrepresenting measurements, failing to announce found items, and concealing borrowed possessions to evade debts or obligations. Dishonest merchants, aiming for marginal gain, resort to fraud, selling low-quality items as premium products, all while believing the deceitful proverb, ‘If you don’t deceive, you won’t sell.’ Such individuals are selling not just their goods but their souls, as St. Tikhon of Voronezh noted, by trading eternal hell for fleeting profit. 4) Those who trespass church property by stealing offerings or liturgical items commit grave sacrilege. The lives of saints demonstrate the severe punishment from God for such acts. One example recounts how two individuals attempted to steal the jewels from the relics of St. Barbara and were struck down by near-fatal consequences for their crime. 5) Bribery occurs, for instance, when a superior receives gifts from subordinates or when judges receive bribes from defendants, often to pervert justice. “Woe to those,” the scripture warns, “who for bribes justify the wicked and deny the righteous what is due” (Isaiah 5:23). In another scriptural account, God commands, “You shall not accept bribes; bribery blinds the wise and perverts the cause of the righteous” (Exodus 23:8). 6) Laziness, when individuals who receive wages serve without diligence or slothfully neglect their duties thus causing harm to their employers, as those who fail to support themselves and instead rely on charity. Idleness is the root of many evils, and scripture emphasizes that one must labor, for it is through work that one earns their keep (Genesis 3:17). Proverbs advises the slothful, “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise” (Proverbs 6:6). 7) Lastly, charging excessive interest on loans or necessities creates further financial hardships for the needy, leading to untenable debt. The affluent often exploit the vulnerable by inflating prices during crises, thereby harming the poor further. It is crucial to understand that earthly riches are entrusted to the wealthy to be shared with those in need; such exploitation of the impoverished contravenes the eighth commandment.

Means to address transgressions against the Eighth Commandment: Despite the severity of offenses committed against this divine law, there exists a path to redemption. The foremost step is genuine repentance before church leaders (Isaiah 1:16-18; Jeremiah 18:8). The Holy Scriptures assert, “Unless you repent, you will all perish” (Luke 13:3). The second course of action is returning any stolen property to its rightful owner. The Gospel recounts a story where Jesus, while passing through Jericho, called upon Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector who wished to see Him. Due to his short stature, he climbed a fig tree to get a better view. Upon seeing him, Jesus said, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly; for today I must stay at your house!” Overjoyed by this favor, Zacchaeus proclaimed he would give half of his possessions to the poor and repay anyone he had wronged fourfold. The Lord assured him, “Today salvation has come to this house” (Luke 19:5). Zacchaeus realized his previous wrongs and committed to amending his ways, thus winning divine grace. True repentance requires not only the return of stolen goods but also reparations to the victim, exemplifying a sincere commitment to turn from sin.

Christians must strive to protect their neighbor’s property and refrain from taking what is not theirs. If one discovers lost items, they should endeavor to return them to their rightful owner, as demonstrated by a monk who, despite his debts, found a gold coin and spent three days seeking its owner before returning it. Should a neighbor lack the means to support themselves, it is an act of Christian love to assist them, as our Lord affirms that every good deed towards the poor is accounted unto Him (Matthew 25:34-46). Furthermore, generosity in lending can be an expression of selflessness, reflecting the command to give freely to those who ask (Luke 6:30).

In contrast to the violations of the eighth commandment, the corresponding virtues include faithfulness and integrity, where one honors their word and remains conscientious in fulfilling their responsibilities, driven by the desire to maintain a truthful life dedicated to God. The righteous conduct of Christian judges involves executing fair judgment without bias, modeling authenticity as though rendering to God Himself. The highest virtue promoted by the eighth commandment is unreserved charity, not mandated but encouraged for those who seek to achieve exemplary piety. Jesus invited the rich young ruler to sell his possessions and aid the poor in order to gain treasures in heaven (Matthew 19:21). Many ascetics, striving for holiness, have emulated this principle, highlighting the call to rid oneself of the burdens of wealth and embrace a life wholly devoted to service. Although not all Christians can follow this path, the few who are blessed may live as intercessors and pure sacrifices before God.