Truthfulness at all Times

Exodus 20:16; 23:1, 7; Matthew 5:33-37; John 8:42-45

GOLDEN TEXT: “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor; for we are members one of another.”—Ephesians 4:25

IN introducing the lesson for today, our Lord referred to the tradition of the ancients, which evidently had great control over the people of that time. No fault is to be found with having respect for the opinions and teachings of those who have gone before us in life’s pathway, but one of the important lessons for every Christian to learn is that just because a matter is ancient, that it has been long believed, is no proof of its correctness. All teaching is to be weighed and tested by the one standard, the divine revelation—“If they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no light in them.”—Isaiah 8:20

The traditional teaching to which our Lord referred was not wholly erroneous, just as the traditions of the Dark Ages contain elements of truth. This was true in respect to the matter our Lord was discussing: the Law had something to say respecting the taking of God’s name in vain, and tradition had modified the Law and limited it to false swearing. Our Lord called attention to the error, pointing out that the Third Commandment had a broader and deeper meaning than the tradition implied, that it meant that God’s name should never be used in any irreverent manner.

Our Lord extended the thought, teaching His followers that they should not continue the custom of their day, of proving their assertions by appeals to God, to heaven etc. This lesson is also for the Lord’s followers today: others may feel it necessary to emphasize their statement by oaths and expletives, but the followers of Jesus are to so live, act and speak, that their words pass for par anywhere they are known. To this end they must be absolutely truthful, so that whosoever may hear them may know that their yea is yea, and their nay is nay.

Oaths and solemn assurances in the ordinary conversation of life imply that the truth of the speaker is questioned—that his yea is not always yea, and that his nay is not always nay. The tendency is to make him less careful in the ordinary statements of his conversation which are not thus solemnized; and the effect is also to make him less reverent toward the Lord or the other holy things he may call upon as witnesses, as evidences of his truthfulness. As the word of such people becomes common and liable to be broken, so their oaths also would soon become common and liable to be broken—such matters go from bad to worse usually. On the contrary, where the word is held sacred the avenues of sin and error and falsehood are measurably stopped.

Nothing in this injunction can properly be understood to apply to the taking of an oath in a court of law. Such oaths, commanded by the law of the State, are necessary, because all have not the high standard of truth desired. But even in the courts of many States it is permitted that an affirmation may be made instead of an oath if any so prefer. To one of the Lord’s people an affirmation must mean exactly the same as an oath—he would not affirm what he would not be willing to swear to. He recognizes that, as a follower of the Lord and one of His representatives, his yea or his nay must be as truthfully kept as his oath would be.

Whatsoever is more than yea or nay cometh from evil—the Revised Version says, “of the evil one.” Indirectly all our evil tendencies come from the evil one, for it was by his lie in Eden that the fall from perfection and the divine image took place and brought us all into our present evil, imperfect condition, exposing us to error through our own weaknesses and imperfections and those of our neighbors. While our Lord’s injunction is good for all who have ears to hear it, it is especially appropriate to the “little flock” who have undertaken to hearken to all of His commands, to obey even though it may mean suffering in following the way of righteousness. Truly all such should be models of truthfulness and uprightness, and thus be burning and shining lights, glorifying our Father in heaven in their homes and in the communities where they live.

Our Lord’s words quoted in the passage from John, chapter eight, were addressed to the Pharisees who had accused Him of dishonesty, saying, (verse 13) “Thou bearest record of Thyself; Thy record is not true.” Those who are “in the truth” and the truth in them, have an affinity for others who hold to the same standards. Jesus points out in verses 42-45 that His accusers were under the control of the great adversary, Satan, by partaking of his spirit. In that sense they were of their father the devil, and the lusts of their father they will do. And it was because they had this spirit of misrepresentation, dishonesty, that they were unable to recognize the truth in Jesus’ teachings. They were not of the truth; they had not practiced speaking and living the truth, and so were not prepared to accept God’s message to them. As Jesus said, “And because I tell you the truth, ye believe Me not”; and again a little later to Pilate, “Every one that is of the truth heareth My voice.”—John 8:45; 18:37

QUESTIONS:

Does the fact that an idea is very old necessarily mean that it is true?

What is the proper test of truth?

What might be implied by the taking of an oath?

Why did Jesus say that the Pharisees were of their father the devil?

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