Zechariah 8:16-17 These are the things that you shall do; Speak you every man the truth to his neighbor… Concisely stated, the doctrine of the text is, think truth, love truth, speak truth, and do truth — live in its atmosphere, make it your ruling principle. Let the clear light which it sheds out throw a radiance on your course, so that your life be transparent as a summer day. The charm of truth is the charm of simplicity. He who knows the value of truth, and strives to exhibit it, bears the mark of God: he cannot be far from the kingdom of God. The text contains two affirmative and two negative precepts — speak the truth, execute judgment, and do not imagine evil in your hearts, do not love a false oath. I. PRESUMEDLY INNOCENT INROADS UPON THE DOMAINS OF TRUTH. 1. There is innuendo and insinuation. The wise look which says so much, and commits itself to little. 2. Common prattle and gossip, meddling, as it generally does, with the more intimate concerns of third persons, seldom respects the limits of truth. Nowhere is caution more needful than in ordinary conversation. 3. Promises are lightly and readily given, and often as lightly and readily broken. 4. Lack of firmness necessitates sacrifice of truth. One does not like to be singular, one does not like to be disagreeable. 5. In speaking of one's self or friends, the temptation, not always resisted, is to throw them out in the best light and make great persons of them, that it may be seen how grand, how clever we are, and how choice is the circle of our acquaintance. 6. The species of falsehood commonly called "fibs," "white lies," or in the slang diction of the college, "crams." 7. The unconscientious workman's dallying with his work is a sin against truthfulness. II. FLAGRANT BREACHES OF THE LAW OF TRUTH. Open and deliberate lies, intentional and heartless deception. In opposition to all falsehood, whether of the lighter or heavier sort, whether respectable or vulgar, whether in deed, word, or gesture, whether by omission or addition, the Word of God says, "Speak every man truth to his neighbour." III. HOW DOES SCRIPTURE ENFORCE THIS? By what revelations; by what further precepts? 1. The wrongfulness and fate of untruth are clearly explained. 2. What more would you have to recommend truth than that it is assimilation to the Divine character? He is a "God of truth, and without iniquity." "Just and right." If our thoughts, words, and deeds were regulated by the standard of truth this would be heaven upon earth. Be satisfied of a man's integrity, sure that he ever means to do the right, and would scorn to act meanly, and you may make that man your friend. To work the world out into a society of friends, to transform it into a brotherhood, is, in brief, the aim of Christ. That ideal is the reality of heaven. (A. Hawkins Jones.) Parallel Verses KJV: These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: |
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