Deu 23:25 | KingComments | STEP | This law indicates that there will be an abundance of wine and grain in Canaan. The little bit taken and enjoyed by someone, will not be missed by the owner due to abundance. This is a law concerned with welfare, seeking to provide help and support for the needy. For example, poor travelers can be strengthened and refreshed by the implementation of this law. The disciples of the Lord Jesus make use of this ordinance ( ). They are not reprimanded by the Pharisees because they do it, but because they do it on the sabbath. According to their homemade laws isolated interpretation, this is forbidden, but not by God’s law. God wants His people to be a giving people. He wants them to learn not to stand on the right of possession, but to grant to others of their abundance. It is proof of hospitality. It teaches us to be sharing. What we give away is not lost at all but will increase gratitude. Notwithstanding that, care is taken to ensure that this sharing is not abused. When an inch is given, a mile should not be taken. The vineyard speaks of the joy in the heavenly land. The grain speaks of the Lord Jesus as the food of the land. Everyone has a personal joy stemming from fellowship with God, and receives personal strength by being occupied with the Lord Jesus. We may also enjoy blessing each other and building each other up, from what the Lord has graciously given to one and the other. This, however, must be done with due caution. We may enjoy and be edified by what others have written, but it should not just be glibly repeated when we pass it on to others. It must first be processed intelligently and put into practice. If we only flippantly repeat what others have discovered in the Word of God, we have been busy with the basket and sickle in another’s field. We may use what someone else has written, but we must do it in the right way. For example, when preparing for a ministry, we should not quickly go through a commentary and then pass on what we quickly read. It must first become a fruit of our own vineyard by processing it in our own heart with the Lord. Then it has become our property and we can pass on what we enjoyed ourselves and by which we are edified.

‏ Deuteronomy 23:25

Taking the Fruit of One’s Neighbor

This law indicates that there will be an abundance of wine and grain in Canaan. The little bit taken and enjoyed by someone, will not be missed by the owner due to abundance. This is a law concerned with welfare, seeking to provide help and support for the needy. For example, poor travelers can be strengthened and refreshed by the implementation of this law. The disciples of the Lord Jesus make use of this ordinance (Mt 12:1). They are not reprimanded by the Pharisees because they do it, but because they do it on the sabbath. According to their homemade laws isolated interpretation, this is forbidden, but not by God’s law.

God wants His people to be a giving people. He wants them to learn not to stand on the right of possession, but to grant to others of their abundance. It is proof of hospitality. It teaches us to be sharing. What we give away is not lost at all but will increase gratitude. Notwithstanding that, care is taken to ensure that this sharing is not abused. When an inch is given, a mile should not be taken.

The vineyard speaks of the joy in the heavenly land. The grain speaks of the Lord Jesus as the food of the land. Everyone has a personal joy stemming from fellowship with God, and receives personal strength by being occupied with the Lord Jesus.

We may also enjoy blessing each other and building each other up, from what the Lord has graciously given to one and the other. This, however, must be done with due caution. We may enjoy and be edified by what others have written, but it should not just be glibly repeated when we pass it on to others. It must first be processed intelligently and put into practice. If we only flippantly repeat what others have discovered in the Word of God, we have been busy with the basket and sickle in another’s field.

We may use what someone else has written, but we must do it in the right way. For example, when preparing for a ministry, we should not quickly go through a commentary and then pass on what we quickly read. It must first become a fruit of our own vineyard by processing it in our own heart with the Lord. Then it has become our property and we can pass on what we enjoyed ourselves and by which we are edified.