The Ninth
Commandment: Part Two
Posted 5/26/20208
The Ninth Commandment is simple: “Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness Against Thy
Neighbor.”
The HC gives the meaning this way:
Q112: What does the ninth Commandment require?
A112: That I bear false witness against no one,[1] twist no one's words,[2] be
no backbiter or slanderer,[3] join in condemning no one unheard and rashly; [4]
but that on pain of God's heavy wrath I avoid all lying and deceit [5] as the
very works of the devil;[6] and that in matters of judgment and justice and in
all other affairs I love, speak honestly and confess the truth; [7] also,
insofar as I can, defend and promote my neighbor's good name.[8]
3. Be no backbiter or slanderer: "And even as they did
not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate
mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all
unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of
envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of
God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to
parents," (Ro 1:28-30)
4. Join in condemning no one unheard or rashly: "Judge
not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be
judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."
(Mt 7:1-2) "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye
shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:" (Lu 6:37)
5. but that on pain of God's heavy wrath I avoid all lying and deceit:
"Ye are of your 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." (Joh 8:44 av)
6. as the very works of the devil; "Lying lips are
abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight." (Pr
12:22) "A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and
cometh to shame." (Pr 13:5)
7. and that in matters of judgment and justice and in all other affairs
I love, speak honestly and confess the truth; “Rejoiceth not in
iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;” (1Co 13:6); “Wherefore putting away
lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of
another.” (Eph 4:25)
8. also, insofar as I can, defend and promote my neighbor's good name.
“And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall
cover the multitude of sins.” (1Pe 4:8)
On this last verse Calvin writes:
“And above all things. He commends charity or love as the first thing, for it
is the bond of perfection. And he bids it to be fervent, or intense, or
vehement, which is the same thing; for whosoever is immoderately fervent in
self-love, loves others coldly. And he commends it on account of its fruit,
because it buries innumerable sins, than which nothing is more desirable. But
the sentence is taken from Solomon, whose words are found in Proverbs 10:12
“Hatred discovers reproaches, but love covers a multitude of sins.”
What Solomon
meant is sufficiently clear, for the two clauses contain things which are set
in contrast the one with the other. As then he says in the first clause that
hatred is the cause why men traduce and defame one another, and spread whatever
is reproachful and dishonorable; so it follows that a contrary effect is
ascribed to love, that is, that men who love one another, kindly and
courteously forgive one another; hence it comes that, willingly burying each
other’s vices, one seeks to preserve the honor of another.
Thus Peter
confirms his exhortation, that nothing is more necessary than to cherish mutual
love. For who is there that has not many faults? Therefore all stand in need of
forgiveness, and there is no one who does not wish to be forgiven. This
singular benefit love brings to us when it exists among us, so that innumerable
evils are covered in oblivion. On the other hand, where loose reins are given
to hatred, men by mutual biting and tearing must necessarily consume one
another, as Paul says (Galatians 5:15.)
“And it ought to be noticed that Solomon does not say that only a few sins are
covered, but a multitude of sins, according to what Christ declares, when he
bids us to forgive our brethren seventy times seven, Matthew 18:22.) But the
more sins love covers, the more evident appears its usefulness for the
wellbeing of mankind.
This is the
plain meaning of the words. It hence appears how absurd are the Papists, who
seek to elicit from this passage their own satisfactions, as though almsgiving
and other duties of charity were a sort of a compensation to God for blotting
out their sins. It is enough to point out by the way their gross ignorance, for
in a matter so clear it would be superfluous to add many words.” --Calvin on
1Peter 4:8
“The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over
a transgression.” (Pr 19:11)
_____
“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” (Joh
7:24)
“Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?” (Joh
7:51)
“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving
us an example, that ye should follow his steps:” (1Pe 2:21)
“Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened
not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:” (1Pe 2:23)
“Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how
ye ought to answer every man.” (Col 4:6)
“Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise
blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a
blessing.” (1Pe 3:9)
“8 The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.
9 He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways
shall be known.
10 He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.
11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the
mouth of the wicked. 12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all
sins.” (Pr 10:8-12)
“13 In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is
for the back of him that is void of understanding.
14 Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near
destruction.” (Pr 10:13-14)
“For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a
perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.” (Jas 3:2)
“34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out
of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 35 A good man out of the good
treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the
evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. 36 But I say unto you, That every
idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of
judgment. 37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou
shalt be condemned.” (Mt 12:34-37)
Please
click here for a discussion by Ursinus on the meaning of the 112th Question in
the Heidelberg Catechism.
