You Shall Not Covet
The tenth commandment reaches past outward acts to the desires of the heart, forbidding the craving for what belongs to another - house, spouse, servant, or possessions. By addressing inward longing rather than external deed, it exposes the root of many other sins and reveals that the whole Law is ultimately a matter of the heart. Paul said this command showed him his own sin.
Key Passages
The Tenth Commandment
Exodus 20:17
'Thou shalt not covet' - the command that reaches past actions to the desires of the heart.
17hou shalt not covet thy neighbourโs house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbourโs wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbourโs.
Did You Know?
This is the only commandment that deals purely with the heart, not outward acts.
Paul said this was the command that revealed his own sinfulness.
Covetousness is the root of many other sins - theft, adultery, and more.
The New Testament equates covetousness with idolatry.