Take the Name
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Take the Name
Take the Name
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Exodus 20:7
What does it mean to “take God’s name” — in vain or not?
Interestingly, in the “Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible” the author skips this commandment altogether.
4, 5. Thou shalt not make … any graven image … thou shalt not bow down thyself to them—that is, “make in order to bow.” Under the auspices of Moses himself, figures of cherubim, brazen serpents, oxen, and many other things in the earth beneath, were made and never condemned. The mere making was no sin—it was the making with the intent to give idolatrous worship.
8. Remember the sabbath day—implying
The JPS Torah Commentary: Exodus Chapter 20: The Decalogue (20:1–17)
This command deals with the abuse of the divine name.
swear Hebrew n-s-ʾ, literally “to take up,” is here an ellipsis for “to take upon the lips,” that is, “to utter” the divine name.
Does the text say that? Does it talk about lips at all?
They just ignore it as a commandment completely.
It’s as if it needs no explanation — the text is either crystal clear or there’s nothing new to add.
everyone already knows what THAT means
In “From Bondage to Liberty: the gospel according to Moses”, the author says the 3rd commandment is about “revering his name”. Referring to God’s revelation of His divine name (YHVH) in chapter 4, he states:
From Bondage to Liberty: The Gospel according to Moses Third Commandment: Revering His Name
One of the emphases of that chapter was the nexus between God’s name and his character.
From Bondage to Liberty: The Gospel according to Moses Third Commandment: Revering His Name
Therefore, it should not surprise us that God demanded that Israel respect, regard, and revere his holy name. What does it mean to misuse God’s name?
Goes on to discuss profanity, attaching to a false prophecy, making a false oath. Does the text say anything about these things?
In the JPS Torah Commentary on Exodus:
The JPS Torah Commentary: Exodus Chapter 20: The Decalogue (20:1–17)
This command deals with the abuse of the divine name.
swear Hebrew n-s-ʾ, literally “to take up,” is here an ellipsis for “to take upon the lips,” that is, “to utter” the divine name.
The authors point to and for support of this definition.
Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: Their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, Nor take up their names into my lips.
The same verb is used here, “take” — but the author here, David, specifically adds “into my lips.” Plus, it’s God talking, so. . .
So it’s not inherent in the word that it has something to do with the mouth in general, or speaking.
But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, Or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?
Same verb. “Take” — but again, the author adds “in thy mouth.”
Why should we think “take” in our text has to do with speaking?
Leads to a good question — what does the verb “take” here actually mean?
נָשָׂא S4984, 5375, 5379, 7721 TWOT1421 GK5951655 vb. lift, carry, take
vb. lift, carry, take
Lexham Hebrew Bible Chapter 20
תִשָּׂ֛א
נָשָׂא
נָשָׂא
219x “bare, lift” up, 115x bear, 58x take, 34x bare, 30x carry, 22x carry away, 22x borne
219x “bare, lift” up
even “forgive” 16 times.
Translated 219x “
115x bear, 58x take, 34x bare, 30x carry, 22x carry away, 22x borne
Does this sound like a verb that would be used about “speaking” or “talking”?
Hebrew Words
Hebrew Words
Tri-consonantal - indicate ideas
“MLK” - melek (king), melakah (queen), melak “reign”, “malak” to become king or queen
“DBR” - dabar (word), dibber (he spoke), dober (speaking)
And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
speak is from the DBR root — not the -SA
And the Lord said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.
Exodus
Said and say are from the “AMR” root (speak, answer, command, tell, call, promise), not the -SA root “to take, bare, carry, etc”
Did God mean “Don’t Speak My Name Incorrectly?”
God talks a lot about how NOT to use His name.
When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.
And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord.
The word “profane” here means specifically to defile, pierce, wound or profane
There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
“diviners” invoked the gods
And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord.
swearing & profaning covered.
And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death.
blaspheming covered
Does the Bible say we should not misuse the name of God?
Does the Bible say we should not misuse the name of God?
Of course it does.
2 Main Metaphors used in Scripture to talk about God’s relationship with His people.
Marriage
Adoption
Marriage
And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Ephesians 5:31
And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
Adoption
John 1:11-
He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
What happens with adoption? (and in our culture marriage?)
Kids named after their fathers — wives named after their husbands
Story about kids & our name.
Kids and our name — respect for the history imparted.
Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul:
And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
Acts 11:
What
Often asserted to mean “little Christs,” the -ian suffix in Greek could be a possessive — “belonging to Christ.”
The verb, “chrematizo” is in the active, not passive voice — which could render it “the disciples took the name ‘Christians’ first in Antioch.”
And God spake all these words, saying,
I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exodus 20:1-8
Exodus 20:1-
And God spake all these words, saying,
I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Thou shalt not kill.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Thou shalt not steal.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.