The Eighth Commandment

Besides the sacredness of person, of spouse and property, there is yet another treasure one cannot dispense with-his honor and reputation. Public shame and contempt is unendurable. God would guard the honor and character of our neighbor as he guards his other possessions, so that every one may be respected by his wife, children, servants and neighbors. The first and most evident import of the command, "Thou shalt not bear false witness," is with reference to legal injustice—in the instance of a poor and innocent one being wronged by false evidence for the purpose of punishment in person, possession or good name.

This application of the commandment seems to be of little concern to us now, but in the Jewish courts it was highly prized and in common use. For they were a well-governed people; even now, where a like government exists, this sin obtains. The cause is this: Where judges, mayors, princes or others sit in judgment, people always follow the way of the world, and are unwilling to offend anyone; hence for policy's sake they give insincere testimony in the interests of money, favor and friendship. Consequently, the cause of a poor man suffers defeat, and suffering is his portion. It is the universal misfortune of the world that judges are seldom godly. But the chief requisite for the office should be godliness. A judge should be also wise and moderate, a brave and fearless man. Likewise should a witness be fearless, but more that that, godly. He who would, in all cases, administer justice with equity must often offend close friends, relatives and neighbors, and the rich and influential, who can vitally aid or injure him. Therefore, he must close eyes and ears to everything but the evidence, and upon that make decision.

The first requirement of this commandment, then, is that each shall assist his neighbor in maintaining his rights. He must not permit the violation of those rights; rather must he further their security as God approves, be he judge or witness, let consequences be as they may. Here is presented the end to which jurists should strive to attain—perfect justice in every case. Right is to be always right, not perverted, concealed or silenced for the sake of gain, honor or power. This is one meaning of the commandment, and the most evident—one which pertains to a court of justice.

But this commandment has a deeper meaning when applied to spiritual judgment and government. In this sense also everyone bears false witness against his neighbor. Godly preachers and Christian people are judged by the world as heretics and apostates, even as movers of sedition and desperate villains. And the Word of God is shamefully and malignantly persecuted and blasphemed. It is subjected to falsehood, perversion and wrongful interpretation. But let that go. The blind world's way is to denounce and persecute the truth and God's children, regarding her action as no sin.

The third teaching concerns everyone. All use of the tongue to the injury or offense of our neighbor is forbidden. For false witness is clearly a sin of the tongue. That which is done with the tongue to the injury of our fellowmen, God therefore forbids. It may be accomplished by the erroneous doctrines and blasphemies of false teachers; by injustice of corrupt judges and witnesses; or by falsehood and evil words of others than those in authority. Particularly is included that despicable vice, slanderous gossip, with which Satan corrupts us. Of it much might be said. It is a common vice of human nature, that one would rather hear evil than good of his neighbor. Evil as we are ourselves, we cannot tolerate that it be spoken of us; we want the universal commendation of the world. Yet we are unwilling that only good shall be said of others.

Wherefore, to avoid sin of the tongue, we must heed the fact that public judgment and reproof of one's neighbor is forbidden, even when one has seen the sin, unless he has authority to judge and reproove. There is a vast difference between judging sin and having knowledge of it. Knowledge of sin does not entail the right to judge it. Though I see and hear my neighbor's sin, I am not commanded to report it. If I recklessly pass sentence upon him, I commit a greater sin than he. Concerning that sin which you recognize, you must maintain silence and secrecy until rightful authority to judge and punish has been conferred upon you.

Slanderers are they who, not content with knowledge of sin, presume to judge; and, becoming aware of a trivial offense of another, spread the intelligence everywhere, having such satisfaction in his wrong-doing as have swine in their wallowing and rooting in the mire. Such action is assuming the prerogatives of the office and judgment of God, and condemning and sentencing with severity. For the utmost verdict of any judge is to declare one a thief, a murderer, a traitor. Therefore, he who presumptuously accuses his neighbor of such guilt, appropriates the authority of emperor and government. Instead of the sword, he uses his venomous tongue to his neighbor's disgrace and injury.

Therefore God desires to keep us from speaking evil of another, guilty though he be, and that to our certain knowledge. Much more forcible is the command where we have only a report of his guilt. But you ask, "May I not say what I know to be true?" I reply, "Why do you not tell it to lawful authority?" "Because I have not testimony to prove it and therefore I run the risk of being punished for false accusation." So that is the trouble! If you dare not, then, prefer charges before the appointed authorities and be responsible, keep silence. Let your knowledge be your own. If you spread a report which you are unable to prove, you must appear to be a liar. More than that, you act wickedly, for you have no right to injure the reputation of one who has not been condemned by public authority.

Every report, then, that cannot be legally proven, is false witness. That which is not publicly substantiated, no one shall publish as truth. In brief, that which is secret should be allowed to remain so or be privately reproved. When you are approached by an idle tongue that betrays and slanders another, put that one to blush by censuring him to his face. Thus you will silence many a one who would bring upon a poor individual disgrace from which he could scarce clear himself. It is easier to corrupt a good reputation than to restore it.

In short, then, we are not in any wise to speak evil of our neighbor. Exception is made in the case of civil authority, pastors and parents; the commandment must not be understood as permitting evil to go unreproved. So the fifth commandment forbids us to do bodily injury to any, but excepts the executioner. By virtue of his office, he does naught to his neighbor but bodily harm; yet without sin, because his office is instituted by God, who, in the first commandment, reserves to himself the right of punishment. No one has a right, of himself, to condemn another; but they who, having authority by virtue of office, fail to fulfil their duty, sin, as does he who presumes upon authority. It is necessary that evil be charged, that investigation and testimony be employed. The need is similar to that in the case of a physician, who must sometimes be compelled to make an exceptional and private examination of his patient. So civil authorities, parents, close relatives and friends are under mutual obligation to reprove sin when it is necessary and productive of good.

Now, the right way in this matter would be to follow the Gospel instruction, where Christ says: "And if thy brother sin against thee, go, show him his fault between thee and him alone." Mt 18, 15. Here you have an exceptionally good lesson in ruling the tongue. You must carefully heed it, avoiding all misapplication of it. Order your conduct by it, that you do not too readily defame and slander your neighbor apart from his presence; rather, quietly admonish him in private, that you may reform him. And proceed likewise when one brings to you a report of another's offense; tell him to attend to punishment himself if he has seen the wrong-doing, otherwise to keep silence.

You may learn this lesson from the daily management of the household. When the master of the house sees a servant in error, he speaks to him in person. Were he foolishly to leave the servant at home, and go out into the streets to make complaint to the neighbors, he would undoubtedly be answered: Fool! what is it to us? Why do you not speak to the servant himself? And that would be the brotherly way to do, for so the evil would be stopped and your neighbor's honor maintained. As Christ himself says in the same connection: "If he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother." Mt 18, 15. Then you will have done a truly great deed. Do you think it a small thing to win your brother? Let all the monks and holy orders amass their works and see if they can boast any merit equal to that of having "gained a brother."

Christ teaches further: "But if he hear thee not, take with thee one or two more, that at the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may be established." Mt 18, 16. So we are always to deal with the individual himself, and not secretly to speak ill of him to others. And if this proceeding does not avail, we are to bring the matter before the public, either before a civil or an ecclesiastical tribunal. Then we do not stand alone. We have with us witnesses by whom we can convict the transgressor. Upon their testimony the judge can rest and pronounce sentence of punishment. This course will be lawful proceeding, and the transgressor will be restrained or reformed. But if we go about gossiping of others everywhere, stirring up their baseness, none will be made better. When such gossipers are called upon to witness, they will deny that they said anything. It would be serving them right, therefore, if they were to be severely punished for their evil-speaking; and thereby others would be warned. If one were acting with the purpose to better his neighbor, or to promote the truth, he would not proceed stealthily, shunning the light of day.

All this is in respect to secret evil-doing. But where the evil is so public that the judge and the whole world observes it, you can, without sin, avoid and leave the wrong-doer to his fate; he has disgraced himself and you may openly testify against him. For when a thing is clearly evident, there can be no slander, injustice or false witness; for instance, we censure the pope for his doctrines, which are publicly proclaimed in books and denounced before all the world. For where the sin is public, so should the discipline be public, to teach others to guard against it for themselves.

The sum and substance of this commandment, then, is: None shall do injury with the tongue to his neighbor, be he friend or foe; he shall not speak evil of him, true or false, unless by command or to effect his reformation. We are to use our tongues to speak only good of everyone, to cover the sins and infirmities of our neighbor, to overlook them and to adorn him with due honor. And our chief cause for so doing should be to fulfil Christ's Gospel command, in which are comprehended all commandments concerning our neighbor: "All things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them." Mt 7, 12.

The same truth is taught us by nature, in our own bodies. Saint Paul says: "Nay, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary; and those parts of the body which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness." 1 Cor 12, 22-23. We never cover our features. We need not to, for they are our most honorable members. Our most uncomely members, however, of which we are ashamed, we diligently conceal. Our hands and eyes—our whole body—assist in hiding them. So, in our conduct one toward another, we are to adorn what is dishonorable and uncomely in our neighbor's character and do our utmost to help and serve him and to promote his honor. On the other hand, we are to prevent everything that tends to his dishonor. It is a particularly fine and noble virtue to correctly explain and put the best construction upon all that we may hear of our neighbor—if it be not a public evil—and to defend him against the poison tongues of gossipers, who are occupied with discovering and raking up accusations against him, misconstruing and perverting things; especially is this the treatment now accorded the precious Word of God and God's ministers.

This commandment, then, comprehends many great and good works exceptionally pleasing to God and bringing abundant blessings, could the blind world and the false saints only recognize them. For there is nothing about a man nor in him that can do greater good or greater harm, in spiritual or in temporal matters, than this smallest and weakest of his members—the tongue.