The Second Commandment
Pastor Roth reads from and discusses Luther's Large Catechism.
Small Catechism
The Second Commandment
You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God.
What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we
do not curse, swear, use satanic arts, lie, or deceive by His name, but call
upon it in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks.
Large Catechism
49] Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord, thy God, in
vain.
50] As the First Commandment has instructed the heart and
taught [the basis of] faith, so this commandment leads us forth and directs the
mouth and tongue to God. For the first objects that spring from the heart and
manifest themselves are words. Now, as I have taught above how to answer the
question, what it is to have a god, so you must learn to comprehend simply the
meaning of this and all the commandments, and to apply it to yourself.
51] If, then, it be asked: How do you understand the Second
Commandment, or what is meant by taking in vain, or misusing God's name? answer
briefly thus: It is misusing God's name when we call upon the Lord God, no
matter in what way, for purposes of falsehood or wrong of any kind. Therefore
this commandment enjoins this much, that God's name must not be appealed to
falsely, or taken upon the lips, while the heart knows well enough, or should
know, differently; as among those who take oaths in court, where one side lies
against the other. 52] For God's name cannot be misused worse than for the
support of falsehood and deceit. Let this remain the exact German and simplest
meaning of this commandment.
53] From this every one can readily infer when and in how
many ways God's name is misused, although it is impossible to enumerate all its
misuses. Yet, to tell it in a few words, all misuse of the divine name occurs,
first, in worldly business and in matters which concern money, possessions,
honor, whether it be publicly in court, in the market, or wherever else men
make false oaths in God's name, or pledge their souls in any matter. And this
is especially prevalent in marriage affairs, where two go and secretly betroth
themselves to one another, and afterward abjure [their plighted troth].
54] But, the greatest abuse occurs in spiritual matters, which
pertain to the conscience, when false preachers rise up and offer their lying
vanities as God's Word.
55] Behold, all this is decking one's self out with God's
name, or making a pretty show, or claiming to be right, whether it occur in
gross, worldly business or in sublime, subtile matters of faith and doctrine.
And among liars belong also blasphemers, not alone the very gross, well known
to every one, who disgrace God's name without fear (these are not for us, but
for the hangman to discipline); but also those who publicly traduce the truth
and God's Word and consign it to the devil. Of this there is no need now to
speak further.
56] Here, then, let us learn and take to heart the great
importance of this commandment, that with all diligence we may guard against
and dread every misuse of the holy name, as the greatest sin that can be
outwardly committed. For to lie and deceive is in itself a great sin, but is
greatly aggravated when we attempt to justify it, and seek to confirm it by
invoking the name of God and using it as a cloak for shame, so that from a
single lie a double lie, nay, manifold lies, result.
57] For this reason, too, God has added a solemn threat to
this commandment, to wit: For the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh
His name in vain. That is: It shall not be condoned to any one nor pass
unpunished. For as little as He will leave it unavenged if any one turn his
heart from Him, as little will He suffer His name to be employed for dressing
up a lie. 58] Now, alas! it is a common calamity in all the world that there
are as few who are not using the name of God for purposes of lying and all
wickedness as there are those who with their heart trust alone in God.
59] For by nature we all have within us this beautiful
virtue, to wit, that whoever has committed a wrong would like to cover up and
adorn his disgrace, so that no one may see it or know it; and no one is so bold
as to boast to all the world of the wickedness he has perpetrated; all wish to
act by stealth and without any one being aware of what they do. Then, if any
one be arraigned, the name of God is dragged into the affair and must make the
villainy look like godliness, and the shame like honor. This is the common
course of the world, which, like a great deluge, has flooded all lands. 60]
Hence we have also as our reward what we seek and deserve: pestilences, wars,
famines, conflagrations, floods, wayward wives, children, servants, and all
sorts of defilement. Whence else should so much misery come? It is still a
great mercy that the earth bears and supports us.
61] Therefore, above all things, our young people should
have this commandment earnestly enforced upon them, and they should be trained
to hold this and the First Commandment in high regard; and whenever they
transgress, we must at once be after them with the rod, and hold the
commandment before them, and constantly inculcate it, so as to bring them up
not only with punishment, but also in the reverence and fear of God.
62] Thus you now understand what it is to take God's name in
vain, that is (to recapitulate briefly), either simply for purposes of
falsehood, and to allege God's name for something that is not so, or to curse,
swear, conjure, and, in short, to practise whatever wickedness one may.
63] Besides this you must also know how to use the name [of
God] aright. For when saying: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord, thy
God, in vain, He gives us to understand at the same time that it is to be used
properly. For it has been revealed and given to us for the very purpose that it
may be of constant use and profit. 64] Hence it is a natural inference, since
using the holy name for falsehood or wickedness is here forbidden, that we are,
on the other hand, commanded to employ it for truth and for all good, as when
one swears truly where there is need and it is demanded. So also when there is
right teaching, and when the name is invoked in trouble or praised and thanked
in prosperity, etc.; all of which is comprehended summarily and commanded in
the passage Ps. 50:15: Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee,
and thou shalt glorify Me. For all this is bringing it into the service of
truth, and using it in a blessed way, and thus His name is hallowed, as we pray
in the Lord's Prayer.
65] Thus you have the sum of the entire commandment
explained. And with this understanding the question with which many teachers
have troubled themselves has been easily solved, to wit, why swearing is prohibited
in the GospelMatt 5:24ff, James 5:12; Matt 5:33-37;26:29; Acts 21:20-26, and
yet Christ, St. Paul, and other saints often swore. 66] The explanation is
briefly this: We are not to swear in support of evil, that is, of falsehood,
and where there is no need or use; but for the support of good and the
advantage of our neighbor we should swear. For it is a truly good work, by
which God is praised, truth and right are established, falsehood is refuted,
peace is made among men, obedience is rendered, and quarrels are settled. For
in this way God Himself interposes and separates between right and wrong, good
and evil. 67] If one part swears falsely, he has his sentence that he shall not
escape punishment, and though it be deferred a long time, he shall not succeed;
so that all that he may gain thereby will slip out of his hands, and he will
never enjoy it; 68] as I have seen in the case of many who perjured themselves
in their marriage-vows, that they have never had a happy hour or a healthful
day, and thus perished miserably in body, soul, and possessions.
69] Therefore I advise and exhort as before that by means of
warning and threatening, restraint and punishment, the children be trained
betimes to shun falsehood, and especially to avoid the use of God's name in its
support. For where they are allowed to do as they please, no good will result,
as is even now evident that the world is worse than it has ever been, and that
there is no government, no obedience, no fidelity, no faith, but only daring,
unbridled men, whom no teaching or reproof helps; all of which is God's wrath
and punishment for such wanton contempt of this commandment.
70] On the other hand, they should be constantly urged and
incited to honor God's name, and to have it always upon their lips in
everything that may happen to them or come to their notice. For that is the
true honor of His name, to look to it and implore it for all consolation, so
that (as we have heard above) first the heart by faith gives God the honor due
Him, and afterwards the lips by confession.
71] This is also a blessed and useful habit and very
effectual against the devil, who is ever about us, and lies in wait to bring us
into sin and shame, calamity and trouble, but who is very loath to hear God's
name, and cannot remain long where it is uttered and called upon from the
heart. And, indeed, many a terrible and shocking calamity would befall us if,
by our calling upon His name, God did not preserve us. 72] I have myself tried
it, and learned by experience that often sudden great calamity was immediately
averted and removed during such invocation. To vex the devil, I say, we should
always have this holy name in our mouth, so that he may not be able to injure
us as he wishes.
73] For this end it is also of service that we form the
habit of daily commending ourselves to God, with soul and body, wife, children,
servants, and all that we have, against every need that may occur; whence also
the blessing and thanksgiving at meals, and other prayers, morning and evening,
have originated and remain in use. 74] Likewise the practice of children to
cross themselves when anything monstrous or terrible is seen or heard, and to
exclaim: "Lord God, protect us!" "Help, dear Lord Jesus!"
etc. Thus, too, if any one meets with unexpected good fortune, however trivial,
that he say: "God be praised and thanked; this God has bestowed on
me!" etc., as formerly the children were accustomed to fast and pray to
St. Nicholas and other saints. This would be more pleasing and acceptable to
God than all monasticism and Carthusian sanctity.
75] Behold, thus we might train our youth, in a childlike
way and playfully in the fear and honor of God, so that the First and Second
Commandments might be well observed and in constant practise, Then some good
might take root, spring up and bear fruit, and men grow up whom 76] an entire
land might relish and enjoy. Moreover, this would be the true way to bring up
children well as long as they can become trained with kindness and delight. For
what must be enforced with rods and blows only will not develop into a good
breed, and at best they will remain godly under such treatment no longer than
while the rod is upon their back.
77] But this [manner of training] so spreads its roots in
the heart that they fear God more than rods and clubs. This I say with such
simplicity for the sake of the young, that it may penetrate their minds. For
since we are preaching to children, we must also prattle with them. Thus we
have prevented the abuse and have taught the right use of the divine name,
which should consist not only in words, but also in practise and life, so that
we may know that God is well pleased with this, and will as richly reward it as
He will terribly punish the abuse.
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