(continued from last week)
V. You shall not murder. The opposite of murder is to lay down one's life. "I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep" (John 10:11).
VI. You shall not commit adultery. In perfect marital love and faithfulness He gives Himself up for His wife, the church. "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her" (Eph. 5:25).
VII. You shall not steal. The opposite of theft is to give freely. In perfect poetry He gives to a thief the free gift of eternal life. "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."
VIII. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. His neighbors are crucifying Him, and yet He speaks no ill of them but prays for them to His Father and explains their actions in the kindest possible way. "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
IX./X. You shall not covet. To covet means to desire for oneself the good things that belong to another. He does the opposite of this in two ways (since this commandment is given twice). He desires our bad things - our sins. He "thirsts" for them to be His own! And He desires us to have His good things as our own - "everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness."
