The Ten Commandments do not have a prohibition stating “You shall not hate your neighbor.”. Those who like to pride themselves as adherents of the Ten Commandments delight in this, because this means that when they feel inclined to hate their neighbors, this is okay.
Bearing false witness is not the same as lying. Lying down is definitely not a matter of bearing false witness. But then some people cannot lie straight in bed either, although they truly lie throughout the day.
Rather interestingly, in the Bible we learn that a Rabbi comes along, who, one night, is approached by Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.”Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:1-3 )Nicodemus said to him, “How can this be?”Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand this? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen; but you do not receive our testimony. (John 3:9-11)
The Psalms are considered Holy Writ. In this collection of Holy Writings we find that while there is a limit to perfection, one thing is broad indeed.
- I have seen a limit to all perfection, but thy commandment is exceedingly broad. (Psalm 119:96)
Not everybody recognizes existing unwritten protocols unless they are enforced so those who do not subscribe to them are compelled to comply with them.
- Any one who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. (1 John 3:15)
- You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44)
- Behold, the wicked man conceives evil, and is pregnant with mischief, and brings forth lies. (Psalm 7:14)
- O men, how long shall my honor suffer shame? How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies? (Psalm 4:2)
- Thou destroyest those who speak lies; the Lord abhors bloodthirsty and deceitful men. (Psalm 5:6)
The commandment about false witness does not specifically say anything about telling lies. Only evil people would tell lies. Those who bear false witness are evil people. Much depends on the protocols, I suppose.
- A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies. (Proverbs 14:5)
- A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who utters lies will not escape. (Proverbs 19:5)
- A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who utters lies will perish. (Proverbs 19:9)
When speaking about the Ten Commandments, there are many who like to keep them short, even overlook them, or merge the first with the second and then split the last one to form two, just in case what is obvious for the discerning seeker of truth, concerning the second commandment, became too conspicuous.
- You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. (Exodus 20:4-6)
Literalists always point to the fact that “you shall not murder “does not say “you shall not hate”. Likewise, neither does “you shall not bear false witness” say that “you shall not lie”. But they overlook that the first commandment addresses only those who were in the land of Egypt.
- And God spoke all these words, saying,“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. “You shall have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:1-3 )
Unless you were in Egypt, technically, these commandments do not apply to you. In which case you can lie, murder, steal, and do whatever to whomever, whenever and wherever you like. The problem is you will not like anybody doing this to you. Depending upon the protocols to which you subscribe and adhere, even if you were not in Egypt, the Ten Commandments will be recognized as binding upon you.
The Psalmist says that the commandments are very broad, suggesting that they are inclusive of more than the literally obvious.
The Rabbi whom Nicodemus recognized as being honored of God, upbraided him. The Rabbi, who was honored of God, said to Nicodemus that he was basically a clueless cretin, because he did not understand that unless he was born from above, he could not begin to see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus was supposed to understand the Old Testament and yet he did not understand the basic truth for the need to be born from above. Rather amazing really!
I suppose only those who are genuine of heart would take Psalm One seriously. Likewise, only those who really desire to know the truth about the Tanakh would take what the Psalmist says about the commandment seriously. For as there is no commandment against hating one’s neighbor within the Decalogue, there is also no commandment against telling lies. But this changes when one meditates the commandment for murder, or the commandment for bearing false witness, or even the commandment for covetousness.
No comments:
Post a Comment