Session 11

November 15, 2020

Unit 1: The Ten Commandments

As Good as Our Word

The words that come out of our mouths are a direct reflection of the integrity of our hearts.

The Word

Exodus 20:16; Zechariah 8:16-17; Matthew 5:33-37

Session Outcome

To develop a greater awareness and watchfulness over the truthfulness of our speech and our intentions.

Discover:

See Illustrated Bible Life for an understanding of how the legal system worked in ancient times, and verse-by-verse commentary on the Scripture passage.

Last Week:

We gained a wider, godly perspective on what it means to steal.

This Week:

We will gain a deeper understanding of the importance of truthfulness and integrity.

Listen:

This week’s Illustrated Bible Life podcast on FoundryLeader.com explores the justice system in ancient Israel.

Discover:

Ancient Israel’s court system is a fascinating subject. While our modern court system has its roots in the justice systems of ancient societies, and therefore, there are many similarities, there are also a number of differences. Find out more about how the justice system worked in this week’s Illustrated Bible Life article, “Justice for All.”

Engage the Word

Don’t Give False Testimony
Exodus 20:16

The ninth commandment seems concerned to forbid perjury in legal proceedings. Despite the same English translation in Deuteronomy 5:20, it uses a broader term, referring to evasive testimony. In the absence of modern corroborating evidence such as fingerprints and DNA, honest testimony was essential to safeguard the legal process. The penalty for false accusation was severe (Deuteronomy 19:16-21). Even refusing to testify at a trial violated the call to speak the truth (Leviticus 5:1).

In court, “false testimony” had the potential to convict the innocent or acquit the guilty, with serious, even deadly, consequences (Numbers 35:30; Deuteronomy 17:5; 19:15). This is the concern in Exodus 23:1-9, which explicitly refers to lawsuits (vv. 2, 3, 6; see Deuteronomy 17:8; 21:5).

The legal focus of the commandment does not suggest that lying was acceptable outside of court. Exodus 23:1 urges, “Do not spread false reports.” Leviticus 19:11 commands, “Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.” Psalms 50:20 and 101:5 speak against the related wrong of slander.

The prohibition of false testimony against “your neighbor” referred specifically to fellow Israelites. Looking for loopholes, some took that to grant implicit permission to speak dishonestly to those outside the covenant community. Jesus certainly closed that loophole.

Speak the Truth
Zechariah 8:16-17

Approximately 70 years after the tragic destruction of Jerusalem and the deporting of its leading citizens to Babylon, the Persian Empire allowed Judeans to return to their homeland. They rebuilt the city of Jerusalem (the “City of Peace”) to be “the Faithful City”—literally, “the City of Truth” (NASB, Zechariah 8:3). For the city to fulfill its reputation, the postexilic prophet Zechariah exhorted returned exiles: “These are the things you are to do” (v. 16).

First on the prophet’s list was the ninth commandment, stated positively: “Speak the truth to each other.” He associated “true . . . judgment” in courts (see Zechariah 7:9-10) with “sound judgment.” The Hebrew word translated “sound” is a form of the familiar term shalom (š?lôm), usually translated “peace”? (see Zechariah 8:19).

“Courts” in Hebrew is literally “gates.”? In ancient Israel, the city gate was the place where the elders met to settle legal disputes (Deuteronomy 21:19).

Truth-speaking is essential for establishing and preserving peace—the health and overall well-being of a stable society. The newly reestablished Jewish state needed to deal with one another in ways that reflected the character of their just and holy God—Yahweh (see Isaiah 59:14-15).

God loves the truth and despises the deception, injustice, and violence that undermine the basis of mutual trust. Not surprisingly, the apostle Paul claimed that the well-being of the church community required each member to “put off falsehood and speak truthfully” (Ephesians 4:25).

To fail to speak truthfully—honestly and accurately—was to “plot evil against each other.

Dishonesty threatens the survival of civic law and order. Taking and giving bribes open the door to anarchy and mob-rule. Corruption and lying destroy authentic personal relationships and damage a society’s confidence in law enforcement and the court system.

Higher Standard
Matthew 5:33-37

Jesus’ words, “‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made’” (v. 33), paraphrased, blended, and adapted Leviticus 19:12, Numbers 30:2, and Deuteronomy 23:21-23. Extensive rabbinic oral traditions related to oaths were assembled into written form some five centuries after Jesus’ era in the Mishnah (written work of the oral teachings of the great rabbis of early Judaism).

Jesus’ alternative—“But I tell you”—began with the words: “Do not swear an oath at all.” This had no reference to cursing or profanity (however, see Ephesians 4:29; 5:4). Here, He called into question the practice of some contemporary Jews, who considered binding only those promises accompanied by solemn or sacred vows, like today’s “So help me God!” or “Cross my heart, hope to die.” They considered direct appeals to God to vouch for the truth of their promises more binding than oaths appealing to substitute words, such as “heaven,” “earth,” “Jerusalem,” or one’s “head” (vv. 34-36; see Matthew 23:16-22).

Jesus challenged the subtle distinctions between these terms. A promise was a promise, regardless of the formulation of the oath. Legalistic casuistry aside, those looking for loopholes excusing dishonesty, missed the point.

Jesus was not interested in ranking euphemisms from most to least offensive or binding. He took issue with the entire notion that oaths were necessary at all. His followers were to be persons of such integrity that they required no further guarantees that they spoke the truth. They should say what they mean and mean what they say. He used striking hyperbole—deliberate exaggeration—to make His point clear and memorable.

Jesus did not intend to limit what believers could say to just two words—“‘Yes’ or ‘No’” (see James 5:12). That would certainly make sermons a lot shorter and greetings of friends much less informative and encouraging. His reminder urged His followers to think twice about what they said so as to avoid spreading malicious gossip, unsubstantiated rumors, slander, or braggadocio.

Jesus’ point was that His followers should be so transparently honest that their promises could be trusted without the formality of oaths. The title of today’s session puts it well: Christians are to be “as good as our word.” An old-fashioned saying described an honest, trustworthy, reliable person: “His word is his bond.” Or, “She’s a woman of her word.”

Did You Know?

By New Testament times, the Old Testament practice of taking oaths to strengthen one’s resolve to be honest became an excuse to avoid responsibility for one’s promises and to relativize the truth.

Think About It

“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body” (Ephesians 4:25).

Reflect

Pray for God’s Spirit to search your heart in relation to the ninth commandment.

George Lyons

Discussion Guide

Insight

The first sin involved the dishonest speech of the evil one, which elicited dishonest speech from Adam and Eve. Humankind continues to engage in dishonest speech out of fear, a perceived need to deflect or defend, or to cast disparaging light on another for our own gain. 

Connect to My Experience

A  video of a government official was edited in such a way as to suggest this person was having a medical emergency. The video was quickly debunked, but not before it had been shared thousands of times. The edited video became a contemporary form of false testimony.

When have you seen such forms of false testimony at work?  What were the consequences?

Why are we often so quick to participate in, or at least tolerate, such forms of false testimony

What benefit is to be gained?

How is your “truth detector” skills when it comes to media, coworkers, family members, and so on? In other words, how do we know when others are telling the truth?

Transition:

Truthfulness is becoming rare in our society. Yet, God demands honest speech from God’s people. Such speech is to be embodied in every part of our lives, public and private.

Connect to the Word

Invite someone to read Exodus 20:16, then discuss the following,

While the context of this commandment seems to imply a context of legal proceedings, the principle of the command is to be broadly applied. For society to function as it should, its people must be honest and forthright, not deceptive and withholding. 

What are the consequences for a society when individuals fail to take responsibility for the truthfulness of their speech?

In what ways have you seen the consequences of “untruthfulness” played out in our society?

Where do you see “dishonestly” most prevalent in our world?

The commandment specifically forbids false testimony against your neighbor, a designation often interpreted as applying only to fellow Israelites. Some sought legal loopholes to avoid applying this commandment in their interactions with non-Israelites.

Do we ever practice truthfulness with those we know and love even sometimes at risk to ourselves, but choose passive silence or even blatant dishonesty with those we don’t know or care for?  If so, how?

How does this inconsistency go against the heart of this command?

Why is honesty to be practiced in all areas of our lives with all the people in our lives?

Invite someone to read Zechariah 8:16-17, then discuss the following,

What are specific things we are to do in these verses?

Of all the commandments God could have reminded them of at this return from exile, special emphasis is given to the command to living lives of truthfulness and justice. 

Why might this commandment be so central in reestablishing their corporate life together?

To be the people of God is to be conformed to the heart of God. In light of this passage, what might it look for us to align ourselves with the heart of God?

God’s good intentions for us most often come to fruition in and among us through our obedience.How might the call to truthfulness and integrity create space for the restorative work God wants to do among the people of God?

Why do we often fear the commands of the Lord, and speaking the truth faithfully in particular?

Invite someone to read Matthew 5:33-37, then discuss the following,

The people of God should be so marked by truthfulness of speech and consistency of life that there is no room for doubt or need for oaths.

In a culture that seems to need a disclaimer or caveat for every word spoken, in what ways can the church embody an alternative? 

Is the church so well-known for truthfulness, integrity, and justice that the church is assumed to be as good as her word?  Why or why not?

How can the church practice costly truth-telling and actively reject half-truths, self-serving “spinning” of information, and uninformed propagation of questionable facts? (God’s Word must be our foundation of truth.)

Jesus unabashedly associates excessive oaths and swearing by anything as coming from the “evil one.”

How might our conformity with the “world’s way” of communicating with oaths and guarantees that inadvertently partner us with the work of the enemy?

Connect to My Life and the World

The commands concerning truthful speech are as relevant today as the day they were given. God still desires that God’s people reflect the divine character of truth and justice. 

What are some of the ways dishonesty works its way into our speech in subtle ways, through omission, spinning information, or half-truths?

How might these habits, practiced over time, impact our relationship with God? How might these habits impact others?

Choosing silence instead of speaking up in certain situations often feels like an inconsequential decision. What situation could someone possibly be hurt by our silence?

From the past, when has silence of those who perceive themselves to be righteous had a damaging, even fatal, impact on others? What can we learn from this example?

One common source of subtle dishonesty is in how we present ourselves to others, in person, or through social media..

How might we practice honest speech in how we present ourselves to others?

How could this counter-cultural practice create opportunities, not only for witness, but also for authentic community?

Like Jesus’ listeners, we might be tempted to strengthen our voice by appealing to promises, oaths, or other sources of authority. 

What would it look like to be a people known as being “as good as our word”?

How might this transform our witness in the world?

Close in prayer, asking God for renewed opportunities to speak the truth “in love” this week.

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