Sins Forbidden in the Tenth Commandment
The Tenth Commandment, "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's" (Exodus 20:17), forbids the inward desire for what belongs to another [5]. Unlike the preceding commandments, which often address outward actions, this commandment focuses on the internal state of the heart and mind [5].
Commentators understand this commandment to prohibit not just the outward act of desiring another's possessions, but the "inward and first motions of the mind" toward sin [5]. John Gill notes that without this commandment, these internal desires might not be recognized as sinful, and it is through the Spirit's conviction that individuals come to see them as such [5]. This aligns with the broader biblical understanding that sin encompasses not only actions but also intentions and thoughts [5].
The concept of covetousness is deeply rooted in the human condition, as all human beings are considered to be born with a sinful nature [2]. While the wicked indulge this nature, the godly are called to fight against it [2]. Sin, in its various forms, is described as a "love of self, dishonor to God, ingratitude to a benefactor, disobedience to the best of Masters—a preference of the creature to the Creator" [3]. The Tenth Commandment highlights that even the desire for something forbidden constitutes sin, demonstrating that God's law extends to the heart's inclinations [5].
The Bible consistently warns against various forms of sin, including those that stem from covetousness. For instance, Proverbs warns against being enticed by sinners [1]. The prophet Hosea charged the Israelites with sins of commission, many of which are prohibited in the Ten Commandments, including those related to coveting [6]. Paul, in Romans, emphasizes the universal sinfulness of humanity, stating that both Gentiles and Jews are "under sin's power" and cannot find favor with God through their own actions [4]. This universal sinfulness includes the internal desires addressed by the Tenth Commandment.
Sources
- Proverbs “My son, if sinners entice you, don’t consent. -- Proverbs 1:10”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 58:3: 58:3 All human beings are born sinners (see 51:5); however, whereas the wicked indulge their sinful nature, the godly fight against it (Rom 7:19-23; Jas 4:1-10).”
- Genesis (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Genesis 3:13: beguiled--cajoled by flattering lies. This sin of the first pair was heinous and aggravated--it was not simply eating an apple, but a love of self, dishonor to God, ingratitude to a benefactor, disobedience to the best of Masters--a preference of the creature to the Creator.”
- Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 1:18: 1:18–3:20 Paul delays exploring the theme of righteousness through faith (see 3:21) until after he first teaches about universal sinfulness. Gentiles (1:18-32) and Jews (2:1–3:8) are equally under sin’s power and cannot find favor with God by any action of their own (3:9-20). 1:18 God’s anger is not a spontaneous emotional outburst, but the holy God’s necessary response to sin. The Old Testament often depicts God’s anger (Exod 32:10-12; Num 11:1; Jer 21:3-7) and predicts a decisive outpouring of God’s wrath on human sin at the end of history. While Paul usually de”
- Exodus (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Exodus 20:15: Thou shall not covet thy neighbour's house,.... This is the tenth and last commandment, and is an explanation of several of the past; showing that the law of God not only forbids external acts of sin, but the inward and first motions of the mind to it, which are not known, and would not be thought to be sinful, were it not for this law; nor are they known by this law until the Spirit of God by it convinces men of them, in whose light they see them to be sinful; even not only the schemes and contrivances of sin in the mind, the imaginations of it, thoughts dwelling up”
- Hosea (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Hosea 4:2: 4:2 The prophet also charged the Israelites for their sins of commission. The crimes listed here are all prohibited in the Ten Commandments (Exod 20:3-17; Deut 5:7-21), the fundamental list of covenant responsibilities. Because the Israelites did not know the Lord, they did not practice even the most basic standards of covenant life.”