Why is “You shall not give false testimony” in the Ten Commandments?

Answer

Part of the Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue, this ninth commandment prohibits the Israelites from bearing false witness or giving false testimony against one another (Exodus 20:16; Deuteronomy 5:20). To bear false witness against others is to lie about them, especially for personal gain. The Hebrew word translated as “neighbor” in this commandment can refer to an associate, a brother, a companion, a fellow, a friend, a husband, or a neighbor. In essence, the Israelites were commanded to be truthful in all matters, but particularly when speaking about another person. They were not to lie publicly, such as in a court of law by laying any false charge that could harm someone, nor were they to lie privately by whispering, talebearing, backbiting, slandering, or damaging someone’s character through innuendos, sly insinuations, and evil suggestions.

The reasons for God’s prohibition of lying and bearing false witness against one’s neighbor are threefold. First, God’s people are to reflect God’s character. The Lord is a truthful God who does not and cannot lie. Numbers 23:19 states, “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” Those called by God’s name and who represented Him in the heathen world were expected to accurately mirror His character. Lying to or about one another brought dishonor to His holy name, which He would not tolerate. Second, bearing false witness against another was harmful to the individual who was the target of the lie, causing damage to their credibility, reputation, trade, and business. Leviticus 19:18 emphasizes that the Israelites were to love their neighbors as themselves, a command reiterated by both Jesus and Paul (Matthew 22:39; Romans 13:9). Loving our neighbors means refraining from lying about them.

Third, false witness was considered so harmful to society that legal systems, both in ancient Israel and today, rely on trustworthy witnesses to provide truthful testimony. A reliable judicial system, based on honest witnesses, is crucial for maintaining law and order in societies. Without it, there is a risk of chaos and injustice, leading to the suffering of the innocent.

As previously mentioned, the New Testament also condemns false witness. Colossians 3:9–10 explains why lying is still prohibited. Believers in Christ are described as new creations «Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. », (2 Corinthians 5:17). Having been freed from our past selves and their deceitful ways, including lying and bearing false witness, Christians are called to mirror the character of Christ. Just as the Israelites were to reflect the nature of the Lord God, Christians are to exhibit the character of Christ to the world, demonstrating their identity as His followers.