The Pulpit Commentary — Leviticus — Section 330

The man who leaves something for others that he might have taken for himself, such aH the gleanings of his field, rises from the level of justice to that of generosity, and' is educated to understand the noble impulses of a liberal heart and the blessedness. described in the one saying of our Lord that is not recounted in the Gospels, "It ia- more blessed to give than to receive." Vers. 11, 13, 35, 36.-Stealing is forbidden by the law of man, and by the Law of God. It is forbidden by the law of man in order to prevent injury being done to a. citizen, and its sanction is fear of punishment. Remove the fear of punishment, and, the goods of another will no longer be respected. It is forbidden by the Law of God- because it is displeasing to God; because honesty and uprightness are in themselves right; because to defraud another is in itself wrong. Take away the fear of punish- ment, and there will remain as scrupulous a care not to trespass on the rights of another· as before. The law of honesty,_ as inculcated by God, has a dominating power and influence in all conditions of life. Cheating is to stealing as equivocation is to lying. Both are equally immoral. Cheat- ing and equivocating only differ morally from stealing and !yin~ by being more mean and cowardly. The law of man cannot prevent cheating. It can indeed send inspectors to- see that there are "just balances,just weights, afu,.~ epliah,and a just hin ;" but that is not enough to prevent cheating. 'l'he only thing that will do this is the fear of the Lord, and the consciousness that the unjust appropriation of anything, however small, is con-· trary to the will of God. Hence we may see the infinite importance for the well-being. of a country that the moral teaching of children in public schools be rested upon a religious basis. The precept is reproduced in the New Testament: "Let him that stole- steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth" (Eph. iv. 28). Lying is joined with stealing and cheating, not only because it may be used as a. means of cheating (eh. vi. 2), but because it is a fraud in iteelfand a sin against upright- 1Jess and honesty. '!'he essence of the sin consi~ts in deceivin~ our neighbours. "Men,. (JH, :I.IX, 1---37.] THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 295