The Eighth Commandment: Statutes and Precepts (18)
Exodus 23.4, 5
4 “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again. 5 If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying under its burden, and you would refrain from helping it, you shall surely help him with it.”
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 or to aid in restoring 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.
T. M. Moore
The Law of God is the soil which, fertilized by the rest of God’s Word and watered by His Spirit, brings forth the fruit of Christian life. If you’d like to understand this process better, and how to make best use of the Law in your walk with and work for the Lord, order the book, The Ground for Christian Ethics, from our online store.
Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
