The Eighth Commandment

In recent years a new phrase and a new way of thinking has come into our lives.  This new philosophy is called “situation ethics.”  The simplest way of explaining “situation ethics” is to “allow the situation, the conditions, the environment and the circumstances to determine what we will do.”

To be sure, we must all make judgments according to the situation in which we find ourselves.  But we must have some ground rules, some home office from where we receive instructions.  Our rules and instructions happen to be the Bible.

One of the areas where “situation ethics” had a field day is referred to in the Eighth Commandment:

You shall not steal.

The Eighth Commandment

The Eighth Commandment tells us that we are under moral obligation to respect the property, privileges and rights of our fellow man.  This Commandment prohibits robbery, theft, sacrilege, bribery, extortion and injustice.

Soterios Philaretos, in his book, The Decalogue and the Gospels, says some interesting things about theft.

Theft is the taking away and misappropriation of property belonging to another person.  Consequently, it is an act of injustice that wrongs another person because it deprives him of something that helps him to keep up his life.  But when anyone takes away an element essential to the maintenance of the life of another person, what else is he taking away, though somewhat indirectly, than his life?  The taking away of another’s property may be done in three different ways, to wit:

1.  Openly and violently, and in that case, theft is called robbery and the one taking away property in such a manner is called a robber.

2.  Secretly and furtively (sly, shiftly), and then it is called plain theft, or larceny, and the one taking away property of another person in such manner is called a thief.

3.  Deceitfully and fraudulently, or by oblique means of deceit and fraud, for which crime the English language possesses a variety of terms too numerous to mention here.  But in saying, ‘You shall not steal,’ God means nothing else than ‘You shall not wrong anyone by taking anything that belongs to him.’

Hypothetical Situations

(Here are some hypothetical situations for you consider.  See how they develop.  See what kind of conclusions you reach from them.)

1.  ROBBERY
Suppose for a moment, you and I enter a home and rob it.  No one is home.  We enter through a basement window, go through the house and gather jewelry, money and valuables.  Just as we are ready to leave, we change our minds and return everything.  We leave the same way we entered.  Have we violated the Eighth Commandment?

2.  ROBBERY
Suppose for a moment, you and I decide to rob a house.  We find no one is at home.  We enter through a back door and look around the house.  We see jewelry, money and valuables.  All of a sudden, we hear a car turning the corner.  We realize the occupants of the car are returning to the home we are robbing.  Quickly, we put everything back, storm down the stairs, and retreat out the back door through which we entered.  The people of the house enter, and are none the wiser.  Have we violated the Eighth Commandment?

3.  CHEATING
We are having final exams; perhaps midterm.  Some of the questions are ones you did not anticipate; therefore, you are at a loss.  Suddenly, you realize one of your fellow students is giving the answers to another.  The conversation is soft enough for the teacher not to hear, but just loud enough for you to hear.  You did not solicit the help; you just happened to be there.  You write the correct answers and turn in your exam.  Have you violated the Eighth Commandment?

Conclusion

There is a very fine line between honesty and dishonesty.  There is a very fine line between sinning and being tempted to sin.  For example, in the first hypothetical situation, the fact that we changed our minds and returned everything makes null and void the sin.  We are tempted to sin.  The temptation was very great.  We almost fell prey to it.  However, something compelled us – perhaps conscience; perhaps the strong force of honesty and virtue – to change our minds.  Therefore, we did not violate the Eighth Commandment.

In the second case, we did sin.  The fact that we left before being caught, without any goods, does not make our sin any less grave.  We were tempted and we fell prey to the temptation.  We left the area or phase of temptation, and entered the act of sin.  Therefore, we violated the Eighth Commandment.

In the third instance, again the student violated the Eighth Commandment.  That which rightfully belonged to the student was his knowledge, his comprehension, his memory bank and his ability to return to the teacher that which he gained through classroom work, research and homework.

It is very difficult for us to discern right from wrong.  It is often difficult to separate honesty from dishonesty.  It is even more difficult to draw the line between virtue and sin.  Some things are crystal clear and the choice is simple.  But life does not always offer us simple, clear cut choices.  Life is often filled with decisions that confuse us and make our choice extremely difficult.  And yet, we must make these decisions.  And we must begin making the decisions form our teenage years.

“Situation ethics” is a wonderful tool; each of us can manipulate it and use it to our advantage.  The executive can use it against his subordinates.  The manager can use it against his employees.  The teacher can use it against his students.  The merchant can use it against his customers.  We can use it to abuse the rights of others.  But God said,

You shall not steal.
 

* adapted from Teenage Ten Commandments (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, 1989)
by Rev. Fr. George Nicozisin