Lord’s Day 43
Q112. What is the aim of the ninth commandment?
That I never give false testimony against anyone, twist no one's words, not gossip or slander, nor join in condemning anyone without a hearing or without a just cause. Rather, in court and everywhere else, I should avoid lying and deceit of every kind; these are devices the devil himself uses, and they would call down on me God's intense anger. I should love the truth, speak it candidly, and openly acknowledge it. And I should do what I can to guard and advance my neighbor's good name.
Scripture Proofs — King James Version
Psalm 15
“[A Psalm of David.] LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. sweareth to hurt, and changeth not. putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these shall never be moved.”
Proverbs 19:5, 9
“A false witness shall not be unpunished, and speaketh lies shall not escape. A false witness shall not be unpunished, and speaketh lies shall perish.”
Proverbs 21:28
“A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.”
Leviticus 19:11–12
“Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another. And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I the LORD.”
Proverbs 12:22
“Lying lips abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly his delight.”
Proverbs 13:5
“A righteous hateth lying: but a wicked is loathsome, and cometh to shame.”
John 8:44
“Ye are of father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
Revelation 21:8
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
1 Corinthians 13:6
“Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;”
Ephesians 4:25
“Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.”
1 Peter 3:8–9
“Finally, all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, pitiful, courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.”
1 Peter 4:8
“And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”
Commentary — Zacharias Ursinus (1616)
The design or end of this ninth commandment is the establishment and preservation of truth amongst men. It forbids, therefore the bearing of false witness, and all other things which are closely allied to it, the genus of which is lying. "Thou shalt not bear false witness of, or against thy neighbor." There is in this negative precept, an affirmative which is, "Thou shalt bear true witness of, or for thy neighbor"; that is if thou wilt be true, love to learn and speak the truth. The head, the fountain and genus, as it were, of the virtues which are here enjoined, "is truth", or rather veracity in our words, thoughts, judgments, contracts and in our doctrine. For by "truth", as it is here used, we are to understand the agreement or correspondence which our knowledge or words have with the thing of which we affirm something. We call that speech or declaration "true" which harmonises and agrees with the thing itself. So on the other hand, "falsehood", in the premises which we have laid down, is the fountain, the genus of all the vices which are here condemned.
The Virtues of the Ninth Commandment.
1. TRUTH or veracity is a firm purpose or choice in the will, by which we constantly embrace true thoughts and opinions, and profess and defend the same according to a sense of duty and the circumstances in which we are placed; keep contracts and promises, and avoid, both in our speech and deportment all deceitful dissemblings, for the glory of God and the safety of our neighbor. According to this end, the devil cannot be true, even though he may at times speak that which is true; for he alone is "true" who speaks and loves the truth, and has a desire to promote it for the glory of God and the safety of his fellow-men. Aristotle reasons in his Ethics briefly, but most learnedly concerning this virtue. He refers truth in contracts to justice, and calls him properly a "true man", who, when it profits him nothing, is, nevertheless, true in his speech and life, and is habitually such; from which it again appears that the devil and men are liars, and not true, although they may sometimes speak the truth.