“Suppose there is a righteous man who does what is just and right. He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife or have sexual relations with a woman during her period. He does not oppress anyone, but returns what he took in pledge for a loan. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked. He does not lend to them at interest or take a profit from them. He withholds his hand from doing wrong and judges fairly between two parties. He follows my decrees and faithfully keeps my laws. That man is righteous; he will surely live, declares the Sovereign Lord. (Ezekiel 18:5-9 TNIV)
<idle musing>
Did you see that? Ezekiel just defined robbery as not giving food to the hungry or clothing the naked! I'm tempted to take the next verse as a continuation: He does not lend to them at interest or take a profit from them. But, I think that might be stretching the syntax a bit. Nonetheless, how does capitalism fare in this evaluation? Not too well, does it? Food for thought... Just another
</idle musing>
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1 comment:
James, tis a stretch to say he "defines" robbery that way. This is just a list (and not an exhaustive one at that) of requirements for a righteous man. I think it would be better to understand these as acts of commission paralleled by acts of omission. A righteous man not only does not steal, but he also gives food to the hungry and clothes to the naked.
Greg
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