Guilty of All
First Kings Twenty-One tells us that Naboth owned a vineyard that was greatly desired by Ahab. When Naboth declined to sell or trade the vineyard to him, Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, conspired to have Naboth stoned to death on a false charge of blasphemy. Subsequently, Ahab took possession of the vineyard. In so doing, the Tenth Commandment forbidding covetousness was violated, as was the Ninth Commandment against bearing false witness against one’s neighbor. Then, the Sixth Commandment forbidding murder was broken, and finally was violated the Eighth Commandment forbidding theft. These transgressions may provide a fresh approach to James’ observation that if a man offend in one point of the law, he is guilty of all.
Written by David Hayes Prophater