16 "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor."
- Exodus 20:16, The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan
Publishing House) 1984.
"The Eighth Commandment"
What does this mean?
We should fear and love God that we do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, or give him a bad name, but defend him, speak well of him, and take his words and actions in the kindest possible way.
Dear Friends in Christ,
The story is told of a king in ancient times who asked a wise man to bring him the best and worst parts of a slaughtered ox. The wise man brought him the tongue. As a dining delicacy in that culture and age, it was the best part. At the same time it was the worst part because of all the noise it made.
The lesson of this little story is that the tongue can be good or bad, constructive or destructive.
THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT
talks about the tongue; how it is used destructively as well as how it is used constructively. Today, as we continue our series on the Ten Commandments, we will contemplate what God in His Word has to tell us on the subject of the tongue...
Let’s begin once again by recalling the Eighth Commandment and Luther’s explanation of it as found in the Small Catechism. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. What does this mean? We should fear and love God that we do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him or give him a bad name, but defend him, speak well of him, and take his words and actions in the kindest possible way.
Before we launch into the pages of Scripture, a couple of questions... First of all, what specifically is God protecting in this commandment? Answer: Our and our neighbor’s good name. Second question: Why is this so important? Answer: Because once a person’s reputation or good name is lost or called into question, it can determine how others think of them. And once something has been done to a person’s name or spread about his or her reputation, it is often difficult – really, impossible – to undo what’s been done...
Let me give you an illustration. Again, the story is told of a man who had spread false information and rumors about another man, none of which were based in fact and all of which did quite a bit of damage to his reputation. After a while the man who spread the rumors realized the harm he had done and how wrong he was. So he went to his pastor and asked him what he should do. The pastor told him he must first repent of his sin before God and then ask the forgiveness of the man he had spoken against...
The man said that he had done that, but that he wanted to do more to make restitution for the damage he had done. The pastor told him he should go outside into an open space on the next windy day, take his feather pillow, tear it open and let the wind scatter the feathers about. The man agreed to do this. But then what? The pastor said, then, after a half hour or so, gather up all the feathers and put them back into the pillow...
The point was made. Just as this was an impossible task, so it is equally impossible to completely take back words or rumors or lies once they’ve been spoken. Rumors take on wings of their own and once they leave a person’s mouth there is no telling where they will end up – just like feathers on a windy day.
One of the clearest sections of Scripture to address the power of the tongue is found in James chapter 3. I’d like to read verses 3-12 to you, after which we’ll make a couple of comments...
3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
What do we learn from this section? A number of things, none of which are too flattering when we apply them to ourselves.
First, for sinful human beings, the tongue is extremely hard to control. Since we are sinful human beings, we understand the struggle.
Secondly, James speaks of the great power for destruction the tongue has, especially when it is wielded against other people.
Finally, James reminds us of the inconsistency with which we can use our tongues. "Out of the same mouth comes praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be." But it is. And if we are honest, each of us will confess that the same mouth with which we are praising God today with hymns and prayers and creeds is also most capable of spewing forth mean, petty, vindictive and purposely hurtful words outside these walls.
Two specifically destructive traits of the tongue which Scripture addresses elsewhere are gossip and slander. I think we all know what gossip is. It’s been called America’s favorite indoor sport. Gossip is simply talking about the perceived faults or particular circumstances of other people – most often without knowledge of all the facts and usually spoken in hushed and serious tones...
Does our Heavenly Father have anything to say on this subject, or is gossip one of those little peccadilloes that the Lord passes over because of graver sins like murder or stealing? We might be surprised how much He has to say – which indicates He wants His children to seriously consider how they talk and what they talk about. Let me share with you a number of passages from the divinely inspired collection of practical wisdom, the Book of Proverbs:
A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret (11:13). Do you know someone who can’t keep a secret? Do you know someone whom, if you really want a message circulated, you need only to tell them not to tell anybody? Could someone say that of us?
A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends (16:28). Similarly, He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends (17:9). Telling stories about someone else – even unflattering truths – can harm relationships, sometimes doing irreparable damage.
A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much (20:19). The key counsel put in today’s words: Avoid bigmouths! A related lesson: If we find that people don’t want to confide in us, maybe it’s time for a little self-analysis. Concerned that too much information would reach the enemy, some of you may remember the World War 2 warning: "Loose lips sink ships." Loose lips sink friend-ships as well.
Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down (26:20). In other words, gossiping keeps things stirred up that should have died long ago.
Gossip has a sister. Her name is slander. If the definition of gossip is spreading unsubstantiated rumors or even unflattering or best-left-unsaid truths about our neighbor, slander can be defined as elevating oneself at the expense of another. Or, tearing someone down in order to build ourselves up. Slander manifests itself in different ways. Falling under its broad umbrella would be incessant fault-finding, consistent and unfair criticism, or simply hateful speech of any kind intended to make a person look bad in the eyes of others.
What gossip and slander have most in common is this: Both can be nicely accomplished with our tongues...
A few minutes ago we heard some rather convicting words about the tongue from the Book of James. Earlier in his Book James made this general assessment: "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless." If we have an ounce of honesty in us, these words make us very uncomfortable. When it comes to the Eighth Commandment, James confronts us with a stern preaching of the Law and convicts every one of us, shows us our sins, and, consequently, how desperately we need a Savior...
Thank God we have one. There has been only one perfect tongue in all of history. It belonged to Jesus Christ. The Apostle Peter writes: "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." He kept this commandment and all others perfectly for us, and then died on the cross as the substitute payment for our sins against it. Every idle, angry, slanderous, gossipy word we have ever uttered and by which we have intentionally or unintentionally hurt others was nailed to the cross and buried forever in His tomb.
And now, out of love and profound gratitude for this forgiveness, we are liberated and motivated to use our tongues to His glory and honor. What is the proper use of the tongue in relation to other people (our "neighbors")? Martin Luther’s explanation can help us...
We are to defend our neighbor. Especially when they are not present to defend themselves. Jonathan’s defense of David in our first lesson for today provides a good example of this.
We are to speak well of our neighbor. Many of us grew up hearing from our elders that if we can’t say something good about a person, don’t say anything at all. That piece of advice probably captures as well as anything the spirit of "speaking well" of our neighbor.
Finally, we are to take other’s words and actions in the best possible way (or, as many of us learned, "put the best construction on everything"). In other words, give people the benefit of the doubt by suppressing our natural inclination to jump to conclusions and think the worst.
This is how the Child of God, out of love for Christ, desires to be. And this is how the Child of God increasingly will become as we spend time in His Word through which the Holy Spirit strengthens, equips and empowers us to live the Christian life...
Consequently, may this review of the Eighth Commandment lead us to take three distinct actions in our lives. First, where we have used our tongues improperly and sinfully, we must repent. Secondly, let us rejoice in the forgiveness that is ours in Christ. And finally let us resolve to use our tongues in a responsible and God-pleasing manner, so that the world may see Christ in us. Amen.
"Bear no false witness nor defame
Your neighbor and destroy his name,
But view him in the kindest way;
Speak truth in all that you say. Have mercy, Lord!"
(Christian Worship 285 verse 9)