The ninth commandment pertains to the reputation and the good name of our neighbor. “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches” (Prov 22:1). Having a good name enables one to be of benefit to his neighbor both in society and in the church. Not having a good name, however, incapacitates a person and it even renders him incapable of having pleasant interaction with men. A pagan said, “Even if you would lose everything, take special care of your good name, for once you have lost it, you amount to nothing.” Man loves his good name, and the law requiring love also teaches us to love the name of our neighbor, promote it, and abstain from injuring it. The contents of this commandment are as follows: “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour” (Exod 20:16).
Our neighbors are not only our bosom friends and neighbors, but all children of Adam. They are all men who could be in need of our help and friendship (or we of theirs), as the Lord Jesus teaches in the parable of the man who fell into the hands of murderers. He was neither helped by a passing priest nor by a Levite, but by a stranger and a Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37).
Witness is a declaration, and thus an announcement, concerning the good or evil conduct of our neighbor. To bear false witness is to make a declaration contrary to the truth of the matter and contrary to that of which we are aware—which is even more abominable if it occurs to the detriment of our neighbor. To this also belongs bearing witness with an evil motive, in an evil manner, and with an evil objective.
The Sins Prohibited
We organize the sins against this commandment under the following headings: 1) bearing false witness; 2) the twisting of someone’s words; 3) backbiting; 4) slander; and 5) the deceitful use of words.
First, we can bear false witness either within the courtroom or outside of it. This occurs in the courtroom when:
(1) A judge, due to inability to see through the matter, being remiss in making a sufficient effort to be thoroughly acquainted with the case, fear of man, wanting to do someone a favor, or in anticipation of a bribe, issues an unrighteous sentence, injures justice, or executes it erroneously. “And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment. Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts” (2 Chron 19:6-7); “He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord” (Prov 17:15). This was David’s sin when he rashly, on the basis of Ziba’s accusation, judged Mephibosheth (2 Sam 16:4). Job conducted himself differently, for he says of himself: “The cause which I knew not I searched out” (Job 29:16).
(2) The prosecutor brings someone into court about a matter which he either knows not to be right, or is in doubt about, and who, together with a clever lawyer, seeks to guide this case through, as the Jews thought they could do with Tertullus against Paul (Acts 24:1). Against Paul they produced many and serious accusations which they could not prove (Acts 25:7).
(3) The defendant denies that of which he knows himself to be guilty, seeking to rectify this by plea-bargaining, being richer than his opposing party. Thus, Cain, having been summoned, denied that he knew where his brother was whom he had killed (Gen 4:9).
(4) Lawyers, solicitors, and notaries know, or are able to know, that certain matters are evil and untrue, but give it a different twist in order to keep them pending for filthy lucre’s sake. “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness” (Isa 5:20).
(5) Witnesses, not being well-acquainted with a matter, deliberately bear false witness, or cause the case to lean toward the party whom they favor most. They are guilty if they act hypocritically by using ambiguous words, or by either recounting or holding back circumstances, thus obscuring the truth. Such were Jezebel’s witnesses against Naboth (1 Kings 21:13). Hear what Solomon says concerning such: “These six things doth the Lord hate: A false witness that speaketh lies” (Prov 6:16,19); “A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape” (Prov 19:5).
In common conversation, that is, outside the courtroom, false witness is borne in various manners.
Secondly, there is the sin of twisting someone’s words. This occurs when one indeed recounts someone’s words, but by omitting or adding something changes their meaning (cf. Matt 26:61). One can also recount the very words themselves, but give them an entirely different meaning than the speaker had in mind. This was the device of the devil (Matt 4:6). Or else one can recount the very same words and matters, but change the circumstances of time, locality, and related matters, recounting it with a changed voice and gestures whereby the hearer will interpret the matter differently than had been expressed by the initial speaker. Observe this in Prov 4:24: “Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.”