THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST THY NEIGHBOR

HOW SACRED IS TRUTH? 

Scholars suggest this is not a direct prohibition in general, but dealing with a specific type of lying. Perjury was a crime as far back as Hammurabi, long before Moses and the Mosaic Law and was part of the Israelite Law as well. The ninth commandment does not mean this is the only kind of untruthfulness. Rather, it is the beginning of concrete instruction and takes note of the importance of the Word--of truth. Neither lie one to another, Lev. 19:11.

To lie is to destroy all basis for communication, to make a mockery of human relations, to reduce all dealings to the jungle level. A false witness can destroy the reputation, the happiness, the freedom, the life of another. Perjury is simply lying at its worst. Jesus also quoted the Ninth Commandment in his answer to the rich young ruler's quest for eternal life (LUKE 18:20). John the Revelator saw that all liars were to be cast into the lake of fire forever (Rev. 21:8). 

The "Word" is of enough importance that Jesus based his ministry on the truth that He himself (the Logos of John 1) is The Word, The Word of Truth is not the word about Jesus, the Word of Truth is Jesus Himself. This has huge implications in a day of propaganda, of "managed news," of clever double-talk and fine print, of the "white lie" and the constant  deceit of polite society. There is a real need for reaffirmation and emphasis of the Ninth Commandment (THE WESLEYAN BIBLE COMMENTARY), p234 

If Jesus is The Word, that Word begins with God Himself, so Jesus declared multiple times--the First Commandment being to love God, supremely--in the superlative. One cannot love God supremely without loving his neighbor as himself, as Jesus declared on the mountain, and else where. To fail to love one's neighbor as one's self is to fall short in our love of God, or so John wrote.  

So, I conclude as I began--HOW SACRED IS TRUTH?  

It is a question we must answer for ourselves--every one  of us and it may well determine our eternal destiny. From Warner's World, I am walkingwithwarner.blogspot.com

THE STORY OF ALBRECHT DURER'S PRAYING HANDS

   

   Albrecht Durer  was born in Nuremberg, Germany in 1471, one of eighteen children, the son of a goldsmith. When Albrecht drew his now famous "Praying Hands" he had no idea that hundreds of years years later, his artistry would be a classic in history and he would be world famous. His story began with two impoverished boys that had to earn their living and study at the same time. It became harder and harder for the two young artists to study and earn enough money for food at the same time.

The two young friends finally found life so difficult, they knew they must find a solution to their problem. They finally determined that one would work and make the living for both. The other would spend all his time in becoming an artist. Once his paintings began to sell, there would be funding for the other to return to his art studies and he too would become an artist.

The older of the two insisted he be the one to earn the living. He already had a restaurant job along with great faith his friend would become a fine artist. The older  one consequently went to work fulltime. He washed dishes. He scrubbed floors. He tackled any task that came his way. He cheerfully worked long hours, happy for his friend who was studying while he anticipated the day he would return to his studies.

The younger man worked equally hard, acquiring more and more artistic skills. Finally, he sold a carving for enough money to pay for their lodging, food, and personal needs for a long time. Now his friend could quit working and again study art, but he quickly discovered the years of hard manual labor had stiffened the muscles in his once limber and sensitive hands. The work enlarged his joints and twisted his fingers. Try as he would, his cracked and gnarled hands could no longer hold the artist's brush properly. His hands were now awkward and clumsy and he lacked the sensitiveness to make the delicate and graceful strokes of a skilled artist. He would never be able to become the painter he had aspired to become all of his life. 

Seeing this, made the younger artist friend extremely sad. Those rough, gnarled, and insensitive hands had made his artistic dreams a reality--for Albrecht Durer to fulfill his dream and become world famous.. Albrecht could always enable the two of them to live comfortably but he wished for some further way to show the gratitude he felt to his friend.

Then one day, Albrecht returned to their room and found his friend praying. He saw those work-worn hands folded in simple, reverent devotion and a wonderful thought entered his mind. He would draw those hands in prayer. He saw the ugliness of the broken finger nails and swollen joints as a wonderful symbol of sacrifice and self-service. He would draw his friend's hands so that people would love and appreciate all hands that have worked and toiled for others.

Thus, Albrecht Durer sketched the now famous "Praying Hands." Albrecht's appreciative artistry has now lived more than four-hundred years during which time Albrecht's skill has inspired people all over the world to find love and beauty in simple, coarse hands like those that made it possible for him to become one of history's greatest religious artists. 

From walkingwithwarner.blogspot.com ... 

be sure you appreciate that hard manual labor done by others who make it possible for you to be whoever or whatever it is that you are.