The Eighth Commandment and the Apostle Peter

To learn more about what happened in the Garden of Gethsemane, click here

In the Eighth Commandment, we are told not to "bear false witness" against our neighbors.   That means we shouldn't lie.  It also means we shouldn't tell only half of the truth. It might be true that Dan punched Sam, for example, but the whole truth is that Dan punched Sam only after Sam punched Dan first.  The whole truth is different from just half of it!  Telling only half of the story is 'bearing false witness.' Gossip is also bearing false witness. Not correcting someone when they say something you know isn't true is also breaking the eighth commandment. The eighth commandment, as you can see, is a pretty important one!  It is one that you must think about in almost every conversation that you have.  When Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, all of the disciples were afraid that they might be arrested, too.  Peter followed the soldiers and Jesus to the house of the high priest, but then people began to ask him if he knew Jesus and was a part of his crowd.  Peter said no.  He was asked three times, and all three times he denied knowing Jesus.  Peter was bearing false witness.  He was afraid that by saying yes he would get into trouble.  Instead of standing up for Jesus and defending him, Peter lied. Before he was arrested, Jesus told Peter that he would do that three times before the rooster crowed the next morning, and Peter replied that he could never deny Jesus.  When he heard the rooster crow, Peter remembered what Jesus said.  Peter was so ashamed of himself that he went away and cried!

Obeying the Eighth Commandment can be pretty tricky!   Does it mean you have to tell your Grandma that you really don't like the Christmas present she gave you when she asks?   Should you say things that are true even though you know it will hurt someone's feelings?  Many young people are deeply hurt by bullying -- and bullying is bearing false witness, isn't it? These are questions that you must think about carefully and talk about with your parents, teachers, and classmates.  

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