Exodus 20:16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. I. In HEART a man may fail — 1. By suspecting others unjustly, this is called evil surmising (1 Timothy 6:4), which is when men are suspected of some evil without ground, as Potiphar suspected Joseph. 2. By rash judging, and unjust concluding concerning a man's state, as Job's friends did; or his actions, as Eli did of Hannah, saying, that she was drunk, because of the moving of her lips. 3. By hasty judging, too often passing sentence in our mind from some seeming evidence of that which is only in the heart, and not in the outward practice; this is but to judge before the time, and hastily (Matthew 7:1). 4. There is light judging, laying the weight of conclusions upon arguments that will not bear it, as Job's friends did, and as the barbarians suspected Paul, when they saw the viper on his hand, to be a murderer (Acts 25:4). 5. The breach of this command in the heart may be when suspicion of our neighbour's failing is kept up, and means not used to be satisfied about it, contrary to that (Matthew 18:15). If thy brother offend thee, etc., and when we seek not to be satisfied, but rest on presumptions, when they seem probable. II. In GESTURE. this command may be broken, by nodding, winking, or such like (and even sometimes by silence), when these import in our accustomed way some tacit sinistrous insinuation, especially when either they are purposed for that end, or when others are known to mistake because of them, and we suffer them to continue under this mistake. III. By WRITING this command may be broken, as Ezra 5:6.; Nehemiah 6:5, where calumniating rebels are written, and sent by their enemies against the Jews and Nehemiah; in which respect many fail in these days. IV. But WORDS are most properly the seat wherein this sin is subjected, whether they be only or merely words, or also put in writing, because in these our conformity or disconformity to truth doth most appear. (James Durham.) Parallel Verses KJV: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.WEB: "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. |
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