Exodus 22:1-15 - Property, Theft, and Restitution
Notes
Transcript
Handout
1 “If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall repay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. 2 If a thief is found breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him, 3 but if the sun has risen on him, there shall be bloodguilt for him. He shall surely pay. If he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. 4 If the stolen beast is found alive in his possession, whether it is an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he shall pay double. 5 “If a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed over, or lets his beast loose and it feeds in another man’s field, he shall make restitution from the best in his own field and in his own vineyard. 6 “If fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, he who started the fire shall make full restitution. 7 “If a man gives to his neighbor money or goods to keep safe, and it is stolen from the man’s house, then, if the thief is found, he shall pay double. 8 If the thief is not found, the owner of the house shall come near to God to show whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor’s property. 9 For every breach of trust, whether it is for an ox, for a donkey, for a sheep, for a cloak, or for any kind of lost thing, of which one says, ‘This is it,’ the case of both parties shall come before God. The one whom God condemns shall pay double to his neighbor. 10 “If a man gives to his neighbor a donkey or an ox or a sheep or any beast to keep safe, and it dies or is injured or is driven away, without anyone seeing it, 11 an oath by the Lord shall be between them both to see whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor’s property. The owner shall accept the oath, and he shall not make restitution. 12 But if it is stolen from him, he shall make restitution to its owner. 13 If it is torn by beasts, let him bring it as evidence. He shall not make restitution for what has been torn. 14 “If a man borrows anything of his neighbor, and it is injured or dies, the owner not being with it, he shall make full restitution. 15 If the owner was with it, he shall not make restitution; if it was hired, it came for its hiring fee.
Introduction
Introduction
How we treat the property of others
Loss of property
Justice
ripped off
Civil laws based on the moral law
These laws are applications of the eighth commandment - Ex 20:15 “You shall not steal.”
Not intended to cover every possibility, but examples of the application of the moral law.
What wasn’t clear would come before God through the appointed elders or judges (9)
Not a capital crime
Stealing - Exodus 22:1-4
Stealing - Exodus 22:1-4
Animals were the primary source of wealth.
Applies to all property.
God has given people the right to own property.
Theft requires compensation
Based on what was stolen and what was done with it.
The ox was the primary work animal for the individuals livelihood and took a long time to train.
If it could not be recovered the thief had to pay 5x for the ox and 4x for a sheep. (1)
If it was recoverable the thief paid double (4)
Breaking and entering (2-3)
The homeowner had the right to defend himself and his property.
If the intruder was murdered the homeowner was not guilty.
During the daytime, he was not to be killed.
Negligence - Exodus 22:5-6
Negligence - Exodus 22:5-6
Hard to keep the animals on your own property.
If they consumed someone else’s produce restitution and to be made.
The best of one’s own produce
The advantage was to the neighbor or the one who was wronged.
Fire spreads to a neighbor’s field.
Unintentional, but a loss still occurred.
God expects us to take responsibility for our actions, even when they are accidental.
Borrowing and Lending - Exodus 22:7-15
Borrowing and Lending - Exodus 22:7-15
Property given to someone for safekeeping.
No banks or storage facilities.
The owner assumes the risk.
If the property is stolen the thief was to pay double as we saw before (7)
If no thief was discovered the case went before the elders or judges. (Elohim, can mean God or judges)
If the neighbor stole it, he was guilty as a thief.
If he was innocent, than no restitution was required.
If the animal died or disappeared the neighbor could make an oath before God and the owner was to accept his word.
If it was stolen, he must make restitution. (12)
He did nothing to prevent the theft.
If it was torn by animals and the neighbor could produce the body, no restitution was required.
Borrowing (14-15)
Borrower assumed the risk.
If anything happened to the property, even an accident, the borrower had to make restitution.
7 The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
Not double, but full restitution.
Two exceptions:
The owner is present - no restitution.
It was rented - the fee assumes possible damage.
Application
Application
These laws are given for the care and protection of individuals - for our benefit.
They graciously teach people how to live in community.
They were to respect what belonged to another.
They were not to covet what belonged to another - 10th commandment
Exodus 20:17 “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.””
Stealing would make you more poor - pay back double.
The victim was satisfied as he received double for his time and trouble.
Restored relationships by addressing the sin.
Protected individuals from death - Ex 22:3 “He shall surely pay. If he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.”
No differentiation based on social status.
We need to rectify situations and seek reconciliation:
Ryken, “Whenever we do something that damages someone else’s property—whether we meant to do it or not—we need to rectify the damage. It is not enough to say, “Sorry! It was an accident” and then expect other people to pay for what we’ve done. An apology is a good start, but justice demands that we make things right.
Softball picnic.
The New Testament example of Zacchaeus
Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector in Jericho
Thief - Luke 19:7 “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.””
Wealthy - Luke 19:2 “And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich.”
Luke 19:10 “the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.””
Zacchaeus received Jesus but needed to repent of his sin.
Making things right with those he cheated.
Luke 19:8 “And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.””
Confessed theft - Lev. 6:4-5 “if he has sinned and has realized his guilt and will restore what he took by robbery or what he got by oppression or the deposit that was committed to him or the lost thing that he found 5 or anything about which he has sworn falsely, he shall restore it in full and shall add a fifth to it, and give it to him to whom it belongs on the day he realizes his guilt.”
He did more than the law required.
And gave half of his possessions to the poor.
Motivated by a heart change.
Property is to be used for the glory of God.
It is wrong to take another’s property.
God gives and He takes away.
Stealing is a lack of trust in the Lord’s provision for you.
It is an expression of ungratefulness for what He has provided.
Or to misuse or abuse it.
Take good care of anything we borrow - treat it with greater care than our own things.
Be a giver
6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Desire greater treasure
The pearl of great price and the treasure hidden in the field:
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Materialism and consumerism.
Desire more than material things.
Desire greater treasure than your neighbor’s possessions.
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
God’s oath:
16 For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. 17 So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. 19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
Closing Hymn: 56 When All Your Mercies, O My God
Benediction: Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.