Text in Exodus 20:16
16"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Text in Deuteronomy 5:20
20'You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
--Most people think this prohibits lying, and they’re not wrong, but this is much more specific than that.
--This is listed after a series of commands prohibiting things for which the punishment was death (idolatry, blasphemy, Sabbath violation, dishonoring parents, murder, adultery, and kidnapping).
--Since no one has ever held that “mere” lying is a capital offense, it’s really more specific than that.
--This is about testimony in a court of law, and primarily about capital cases.
--If you’re going to have capital offenses (just spelled out), you have to also have a clear bright line rule telling people that lying (perjury) about such matters is itself as serious as committing these offenses.
16"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Text in Deuteronomy 5:20
20'You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
--Most people think this prohibits lying, and they’re not wrong, but this is much more specific than that.
--This is listed after a series of commands prohibiting things for which the punishment was death (idolatry, blasphemy, Sabbath violation, dishonoring parents, murder, adultery, and kidnapping).
--Since no one has ever held that “mere” lying is a capital offense, it’s really more specific than that.
--This is about testimony in a court of law, and primarily about capital cases.
--If you’re going to have capital offenses (just spelled out), you have to also have a clear bright line rule telling people that lying (perjury) about such matters is itself as serious as committing these offenses.
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