The eighth commandment

Exodus 23.4, 5

“If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him. If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him.”

Matthew 5.38-42; Romans 12.21

The Law of God included the rudiments for loving not only our neighbors but also our enemies. The property of our enemies is no less theirs, and no less a trust from the Lord, than our own property. Should we encounter it by some means, our responsibility is to return it.

It’s not difficult to see that this statute would help to discourage frivolous attempts to seize the property of one’s enemies, or even to launch a military campaign against an enemy for the purpose of mere plunder. The people of God are to show the same love for their enemies that God does in meeting their daily needs.

This series of In the Gates we present a detailed explanation of the Law of God, beginning with the Ten Commandments, and working through the statutes and rules that accompany each commandment. For a practical guide to the role of God’s Law in the practice of ethics, get The Ground for Christian Ethics by going to www.ailbe.org and click on our Book Store.