I. The history of the world is stained and darkened by the crimes to which nations have been driven by the spirit of covetousness. Covetousness is forbidden not merely to prevent the miseries, and horrors, and crimes of aggressive war, but to train the spirit of nations to the recognition of God's own idea of their relations to each other. Nations should see underlying this commandment the Divine idea of the unity of the human race; they should learn to seek greatness by ministering to each other's peace, security, prosperity, and happiness. II. Individuals, as well as nations, may violate this law.
They may do it: (1) by ambition; (2) by discontent and envy; (3) by the desire to win from another man the love which is the pride and joy of his life. The very end for which Christ came was to redeem us from selfishness. The last of the Ten Commandments touches the characteristic precept of the new law, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
R. W. Dale, The Ten Commandments,p. 241.
References: Exodus 20:17. J. Oswald Dykes, The Law of the Ten Words,p. 189; S. Leathes, Foundations of Morality,p. 205; F. D. Maurice, The Commandments,p. 137; Preacher's Monthly,vol. ii., p. 220; J. Vaughan, Sermons to Children,4th series, p. 252.Exodus 20:18 (with Exodus 24:1-18). W. M. Taylor, Moses the Lawgiver,p. 198. Exodus 20:22. Parker, vol. ii., p. 320. 20:22 24. J. Monro Gibson, 7he Mosaic Era,p. 9. Exodus 20:24. Plain Sermons by Contributors to" Tracts for the Times," vol. ii., p. 89. Exodus 20:25. H. Melvill, Penny Pulpit,No. 2158; Spurgeon, Morning by Morning,p. 196. 20 G. Gilfillan, Alpha and Omega,vol. ii., p. 93.Exodus 21:5; Exodus 21:6. Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. xx., No. 117. Exodus 21:17. Parker, Fountain,Feb. 7th, 1878. 21-23. Parker, vol. ii., pp. 161, 168, 177.