第四节 诫命二：不可妄称雅威你上帝的名
297# 第二条诫命：不可妄称雅威你上帝的名；因为妄称祂名的人，雅威必不以他为无罪。在自然义，也就是字义中，“妄称雅威上帝的名”，是指祂的名本身，以及在各种言谈中滥用此名，尤其是在虚假言语或谎言中，在无故起誓中，以及为开脱自己而起誓——其目的出于邪恶意图，这就是咒诅；又在妖术和巫咒中滥用此名。
然而，在加冕礼、授予祭司职分的就职礼，以及效忠宣誓的入会礼中，指着上帝和祂的圣洁、圣言和福音起誓，并不是妄称上帝的名；除非起誓者后来将自己的承诺视为虚妄而废弃。至于上帝的名，因其本身即为圣，故在教会的圣事中应当经常使用，如在祷告、诗篇和一切敬拜中，也在讲道和论述教会事物的著作中使用。原因是，上帝在宗教的一切事物中；当人按正当方式呼求祂时，祂便藉自己的名而临在，并垂听。在这些事中，上帝的名便被尊为圣。
雅威上帝之名本身为圣，这一点可由此名看出：犹太人在其最初时期以后，便不敢，也至今不敢说“雅威”；并且，由于他们的缘故，福音书作者和使徒也不愿如此称呼，所以他们用“主”来代替“雅威”。这一点可由旧约中转引到新约的多处经文看出，在这些地方，“雅威”被称为“主”（太22:37；路10:27；与申6:5对照，及其他处）。
“耶稣”之名同样为圣，这是众所周知的；因为使徒说，天上的、地上的都要因这名屈膝，并且也应当屈膝；此外，地狱中没有一个魔鬼能称呼这名。上帝的名有许多，皆不可妄称；如雅威、雅威上帝、雅威沙巴斯、以色列的圣者、耶稣和基督、圣灵。
297# 在属世意义，即字义上，“妄称耶和华神的名”不仅是指妄称这个名字，还指在各种谈话中滥用它，尤其在说假话或谎言中，在没有必要或毫无用处的宣誓，或为了摆脱邪恶意图指责的宣誓（即纯粹是咒语的誓言）中，在巫术和念咒中。然而，在加冕礼、神职人员就职典礼，或就任受托职务中，以神及其神圣、以圣言或福音而宣誓，不是妄称神的名，除非宣誓的人后来打破了他的约定，或认为他的承诺是不可能的，或是毫无意义的而加以弃绝。神的名是神圣本身，故必然经常用于教会的圣事，如祷告、赞美和一切敬拜，以及关于教会主题的讲道和著述。这是因为神在宗教的一切事物中；当祂被正式或庄严地求告时，祂就通过祂的名字而同在，并垂听。神的名以这些方式而神圣化。耶和华神的名字本身就是神圣的，这一点从这个名字明显看出来，因为犹太人从很早的时候就不敢，并且现在也不敢直呼耶和华的名字；因他们的缘故，福音书的作者和使徒们都不想用这个名，而是用主这个名来代替，这从转成新约的旧约的各种经文明显看出来，在这些经文中，经上用主这个名来代替耶和华（如马太福音22:37; 路加福音10:27; 对比申命记6:5，以及其它经文）。耶稣这个名字同样是神圣的，这一点从使徒的话清楚可知，即：
叫一切在天上的和地上的，因耶稣的名无不屈膝。（腓立比书2:10）
此外，地狱里的魔鬼不能说出这个名字。神有许多名字都是不可妄称的，如耶和华、耶和华神、万军之耶和华、以色列的圣者、耶稣和基督、以及圣灵。
297. The Second Commandment
You Are Not to Take the Name of Jehovah Your God
in Vain, Because Jehovah Will Not Hold Guiltless
Someone Who Takes His Name in Vain
In its earthly meaning, which is the literal meaning, taking the name of Jehovah God in vain includes abusing his name in various types of talking, especially in lies and deceptions, in swearing and oath-taking for no reason or to avoid blame; and using his name with evil intent, which is cursing, or in sorcery and magic spells.
To swear by God or by his holiness, by the Word or by the Gospel during coronations, inaugurations into the priesthood, and confirmations of faith is not taking God's name in vain, unless the people who take the oath later reject their promises as impossible or pointless.
Furthermore, because it is holiness itself, the name of God is used constantly in the sacred activities of the church, such as in prayers, hymns, and all aspects of worship, as well as in sermons and books on church-related topics. The reason is that God is in every aspect of religion. When he is ritually called forth by his name, he is present and hears. In these activities the name of God is kept holy.
The name of Jehovah God is intrinsically holy, as you can see by the fact that after their earliest times the Jews did not dare, nor do they now dare, to say the name Jehovah. Out of respect for the Jews, the Gospel writers and apostles did not want to say the name either. Instead of "Jehovah" they said "the Lord," as you can see from passages from the Old Testament that are quoted in the New Testament but use "the Lord" instead of "Jehovah," such as Matthew 22:37 and Luke 10:27 that quote Deuteronomy 6:5, and so on.
The name of Jesus is also holy, as people generally know because the apostle said that at that name knees bend and should bend in heaven and on earth [Philippians 2:10]. For another thing, no devil in hell can pronounce the name Jesus.
There are many names for God that are not to be taken in vain: Jehovah, Jehovah God, Jehovah Sabaoth, the Holy One of Israel, Jesus, Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
297. THE SECOND COMMANDMENT
You are not to take the name of Jehovah your God in vain, for Jehovah will not hold anyone guiltless, who takes His name in vain.
Taking the name of Jehovah God in vain means in the natural or literal sense the misuse of the name itself in all sorts of conversation, especially false statements or lies, and in swearing without good cause, or in order to avoid being blamed, in evil intentions, which are curses, and in witchcraft and spells. On the other hand, swearing by God and His holiness, the Word and the Gospel, at coronations, ordination into the priesthood, or inauguration into offices of trust, is not taking the name of God in vain, unless the one who takes the oath subsequently rejects his promises as worthless. The name of God, being holiness itself, is to be constantly employed in the sacred business of the church, as in prayers, hymns and all forms of worship, as well as in sermons and writings on religious subjects. This is because God is present in everything to do with religion, and when He is duly invoked, His presence is summoned by His name, and He listens. In these ways the name of God is hallowed.
[2] The sanctity of the name of Jehovah God can be established from the name of Jehovah, which the Jews after their earliest period did not, and still do not, dare to utter; and on their account no more were the Evangelists and Apostles willing to use it. Therefore in place of Jehovah they said 'the Lord'. This is evident from a number of passages of the Old Testament quoted in the New, where 'the Lord' is substituted for Jehovah; e.g, Matthew 22:37; Luke 10:27 compared with Deuteronomy 6:5, and elsewhere. It is well known that the name of Jesus is likewise holy, from the Apostle's saying that at that name every knee does and should bow in the heavens and on earth; and moreover that it cannot be uttered by any devil in hell. There are many names of God which are not to be taken in vain, such as Jehovah, Jehovah God, Jehovah Zebaoth, the Holy One of Israel, Jesus and Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
297. THE SECOND COMMANDMENT.
THOU SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF JEHOVAH THY GOD IN VAIN; FOR JEHOVAH WILL NOT HOLD HIM GUILTLESS THAT HATH TAKEN HIS NAME IN VAIN.
In the natural sense, which is the sense of the letter, to take the name of Jehovah God in vain means the name itself, and its abuse in various kinds of conversation, especially in false speaking or lying, and in useless oaths or oaths to exculpate one's self in evil intentions (that is, oaths with imprecations), also when employed in juggleries and incantations. But to swear by God and His holiness, by the Word or the Gospel, at coronations, inaugurations into the priesthood, and inductions into offices of trust, is not to take the name of God in vain, unless he who takes the oath afterwards discards his promises as vain. But the name of God, because it is holiness itself, must be used continually in the holy things pertaining to the church, as in prayers, psalms, and all worship, also in preaching, and in writing on ecclesiastical subjects. This is so because God is in all things of religion, and when He is solemnly invoked He is present through His name and hears. In such ways is the name of God hallowed. That the name of Jehovah God is in itself holy is evident from that name, in that the Jews since their earliest age have not dared and do not dare to utter the name Jehovah; and for their sake the writers of the Gospels and the apostles were unwilling to use it, and used the name Lord instead, as is evident from various passages transferred from the Old Testament into the New, where the name Lord is used instead of Jehovah (as in Matthew 22:37; Luke 10:27, compared withDeuteronomy 6:5 and other passages). That the name of Jesus is in like manner holy is known from the saying of the Apostle that at this name every knee is bowed or should be bowed in heaven and on earth; and furthermore from this, that no devil in hell can utter that name. There are many names of God that must not be taken in vain, as Jehovah, Jehovah God, and Jehovah of Hosts; the Holy One of Israel, Jesus and Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
297. THE SECOND COMMANDMENT
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.
In the natural sense, which is the sense of the Letter, this commandment means not only taking the name itself in vain, but also mis-using it in various forms of conversation, especially in falsehoods or lies, in taking oaths unnecessarily or to free oneself from blame of having evil intentions-oaths which are mere imprecations-and in sorceries and incantations. To swear, however, by God and His holiness, by the Word and the Gospel, at coronations, inaugurations into the priesthood, and on appointments to positions of trust, is not to take the name of God in vain, unless he who swears, afterwards breaks his engagements. Moreover, the name of God, being itself holy, must be used constantly in the holy offices of the Church, as in prayers, hymns, and in every act of worship; and also in preaching, and in writing on ecclesiastical subjects. For God is in everything that pertains to religion; and when He is solemnly invoked He is present by means of His name, and hears; in these things the name of God is hallowed.
That the name of Jehovah God is in itself holy the very name makes evident, for the Jews, from their earliest days, have not dared to say "Jehovah;" and for their sake neither the Evangelists nor the Apostles would mention it. Instead of Jehovah they said Lord, as may be seen from various passages of the Old Testament transcribed into the New, where instead of Jehovah the name Lord is used,
as in Matthew 22:37, and Luke 10:27, when compared with Deuteronomy 6:5: and in other places.
That the name Jesus is also holy is well known from the declaration of the Apostle that at that name knees shall bow in heaven and on earth; and further because that name cannot be uttered by any devil in hell. There are many names of God which must not be taken in vain, as Jehovah, Jehovah God, Jehovah Zebaoth, the Holy One of Israel, Jesus and Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
297. SECUNDUM PRAECEPTUM.
Non sumes Nomen Jehovae Dei tui in vanum, quia non insontem 1 habebit Jehovah, qui sumserit Nomen Ipsius in vanum.
297Per sumere Nomen Jehovae Dei in vanum, in SENSU NATURALI, qui est Sensus literae, intelligitur ipsum Nomen, et Ejus abusus in variis colloquiis, imprimis in falsiloquiis seu mendaciis, inque juramentis absque causa 2 et propter finem exculpationis, 3 in intentionibus malis, quae sunt exsecrationes, inque praestigiis et incantationibus. At vero jurare per Deum et Ejus Sanctitatem, Verbum et Evangelium, in Coronationibus, in Inaugurationibus in Sacerdotium, in Initiationibus fidelitatis, non est sumere Nomen Dei in vanum, nisi Jurator sponsiones suas ut vanas postea rejicit. Nomen autem Dei, quia est ipsum Sanctum, jugiter usurpandum est in rebus Sanctis quae Ecclesiae sunt, ut in Orationibus, Psalmis, et in omni Cultu, et quoque in Praedicationibus, et in Scriptis de rebus Ecclesiasticis; causa est, quia Deus est in omnibus Religionis, et cum rite invocatur, per Nomen suum praesens est, et audit; in his Nomen Dei sanctificatur.
[2] Quod Nomen Jehovae Dei in se sanctum sit, constat ex Nomine illo, quod Judaei post primum tempus eorum non ausi sint, nec audeant, Jehovam dicere, et quod propter illos nec Evangelistae et Apostoli voluerint, quare loco Jehovae dixerunt Dominum, ut constat ex variis locis ex Veteri 4 Testamento translatis in Novum, ubi pro JEHOVAH nominatur DOMINUS, ut Matthaeus 22:35, 5 Luca 10:27, collatis cum Deuteronomius 6:5, et alibi. Quod Nomen Jesus similiter Sanctum sit, notum est ex Apostolo dicente, quod ad Nomen illud flectantur et flectenda sint genua in Coelis et in Terris; et insuper quod a nullo diabolo in Inferno possit nominari. Nomina Dei sunt plura, quae non in vanum sumenda sunt, sicut Jehovah, Jehovah Deus, Jehovah Zebaoth, Sanctus Israelis, Jesus et Christus, Spiritus Sanctus.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: infontem.
2. Prima editio: causa.
3. Prima editio: exculpationis.
4. Prima editio: Vereri.
5. Sic Schmidt, sed 22:37 apud Novum Testamentum Graecum et Biblia Anglica.