John Calvin Commentary Exodus 20:7

"Thou shalt not take the name of Jehovah thy God in vain; for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain." — Exodus 20:7 (ASV)

Thou shalt not take the name. There is a manifest synecdoche in this Commandment; for in order that God may secure for His name its due reverence, He forbids its being taken in vain, especially in oaths. From this we infer, on the other hand, an affirmative commandment: that every oath should be a testimony of true piety, by which the majesty of God Himself should obtain its proper glory.

Moreover, it is clear that His name is to be reverently honored not only when we swear by God, but whenever mention of it is made. Thus, in these words He maintains His holiness not only in His word but also in His works, against all profane contempt of it.

We shall soon see that to swear by God’s name is a type or part of religious worship, and this is also evident from the words of Isaiah 45:23. For when he predicts that all nations shall devote themselves to pure religion, he speaks thus: “As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall swear by me.”³⁰⁸ Now, if the bowing of the knees is a token of adoration, this swearing which is connected with it is equivalent to an acknowledgment that He is God.

Since, then, reason dictates that the species is put for the genus, we must see what is to be understood by God’s name, and by the adverb לשוא, leshav. It is silly and childish to restrict this to the name Jehovah,³⁰⁹ as if God’s majesty were confined to letters or syllables. Instead, while His essence is invisible, His name is set before us as an image, insofar as God manifests Himself to us and is distinctly made known to us by His own attributes, just as men are each by his own name.

On this ground, Christ teaches that God’s name is comprehended in the heavens, the earth, the temple, and the altar (Matthew 5:34), because His glory is conspicuous in them.

Consequently, God’s name is profaned whenever anything detracts from His supreme wisdom, infinite power, justice, truth, clemency, and rectitude. If a shorter definition is preferred, let us say that His name is what Paul calls τὸ γνωστόν, “that which may be known” of Him (Romans 1:19).

God’s name, then, is taken in vain not only when anyone abuses it by perjury, but also when it is lightly and disrespectfully cited in proof of frivolous and trifling matters: I speak with respect to oaths.

In this, however, human ingratitude is profound: though God grants them His name, as if at their entreaty, to put an end to their disputes and to be a pledge of their truth, it still flies promiscuously from their mouths, not without manifest disrespect.

God will again condemn perjury in the Fifth Commandment of the Second Table, namely, insofar as it offends against and violates charity by injuring our neighbors. The aim and object of this Commandment is different, that is, that the honor due to God may be unsullied, that we should only speak of Him religiously, and that proper veneration of Him should be maintained among us.

The word לשוא, leshau, might indeed be translated “for falsehood,” and in this sense we shall see it used elsewhere. However, since it often is equivalent to חנם, chinam, which means gratuitously, or in vain, this interpretation seems to be most appropriate.

This interpretation also contains fuller and richer instruction: namely, that people should not drag His name into light matters, as in sport or derision of Him, which cannot be done without insulting and profaning it.

And thus the holiness of God’s name, which preserves us in His fear and in true piety, is contrasted with the particle לשוא, leshau. But since nothing is more difficult than to restrain human licentiousness in this respect, and since the slipperiness of the tongue is pleaded to excuse or at least diminish the sin, its punishment is here declared: if God’s name is rashly exposed to reproach or contempt, He will avenge it.

Therefore, the more hardened people are in their licentiousness, the less will be their impunity; depraved habit is so far from diminishing the guilt.

³⁰⁸ The quotation more nearly accords with the Apostle’s citation in Romans 14:11, than with the original passage in Isaiah. See Owen’s , than with the original passage in Isaiah. See Owen’s note in in C.’s Romans, (C. Society’s Edition, p. 503.).’s Romans, (C. Society’s Edition, p. 503.)

³⁰⁹ “Au mot Hebrieu, qui nous translatons l’Eternel;” to the Hebrew word, which we translate to the Hebrew word, which we translate the Eternal. —— Fr.