---

This Commandment hath a prohibitory, and a mandatory part: the first is set down in plain words, the other is clearly implied.

1. The prohibitory part of the Commandment, or, what it forbids in general. It forbids anything which may tend to the disparagement or prejudice of our neighbour. More particularly, two things are forbidden in this Commandment.

(1) Slandering our neighbour. The scorpion carries his poison in his tail; the slanderer carries his poison in his tongue. Slandering is to report things of others unjustly; "they laid things to my charge which I knew not." Eminency is commonly blasted by slander. Holiness itself is no shield from slander. The lamb's innocency will not preserve it from the wolf. We must not only not raise a false report, but not take it up. He that raiseth a slander, carries the devil in his tongue: and he that receives it, carries the devil in his ear.

(2) The second thing forbidden in this Commandment is false witness. Here three sins are condemned:(a) Speaking that which is false; "lying lips are an abomination to the Lord." There is nothing more contrary to God than a lie. Imitate God who is the pattern of truth. Pythagoras being asked what made men like God answered, "When they speak truth." It is made the character of a man that shall go to heaven; "he speaketh the truth in his heart."(b) That which is condemned in the Commandment is witnessing that which is false; "thou shalt not bear false witness." There is a bearing of false witness for another, and a bearing false witness against another.

(c) That which is condemned in the Commandment is swearing that which is false. When men take a false oath, and by that, take away the life of another. The Scythians made a law, when a man did bind two sins together, a lie with an oath, he was to lose his head, because this sin did take away all truth and faith from among men. The devil hath taken great possession of such who dare swear to a lie.

2. The mandatory part of this Commandment: that is, "that we stand up for others and vindicate them, when they are injured by lying lips." A man may wrong another as well by silence as by slander when he knows him to be wrongfully accused, yet doth not speak in his behalf. If others cast false aspersions on any, we should wipe them off. When the primitive Christians were falsely accused for incest, and killing their children, made a famous apology in their vindication. This is to act the part both of a friend and of a Christian, to be an advocate for another, when he is wronged in his good name.

( T. Watson.)

---

---

KJV: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

WEB: "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.