Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

TexLaProgressive

(12,598 posts)
19. You might find this interesting
Thu Sep 4, 2025, 01:44 PM
Thursday

Snip:

So let's consider the meaning of the original Hebrew word. What does it mean to lift or carry the name of the Lord? We lift the name of the Lord by praising Him and pointing others to His glory. This is lifting in the sense of elevating. And we carry the name of the Lord by bringing His name with us wherever we go. In other words, by identifying ourselves with Him. Sort of like an army hoisting a giant banner bearing God’s name, YHWH (יְהוָ֔ה ). It communicates to the world that He is our God and we are His people. Therefore, this commandment is perhaps better translated into English as, “You shall not bear the name of the Lord your God in vain.”

What, then, does it mean to bear God’s name in vain? The Hebrew word translated into English as “in vain” comes from שָׁוְא (shawv), which means emptiness or vanity. Thus, we are not to claim faith in God in an attempt to feed our vanity or in a way that leads to emptiness. This idea is captured in the words of Isaiah 29:13, as quoted by Jesus:

This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.

Matthew 15:8-9nip:
So let’s consider the meaning of the original Hebrew word. What does it mean to lift or carry the name of the Lord? We lift the name of the Lord by praising Him and pointing others to His glory. This is lifting in the sense of elevating. And we carry the name of the Lord by bringing His name with us wherever we go. In other words, by identifying ourselves with Him. Sort of like an army hoisting a giant banner bearing God’s name, YHWH (יְהוָ֔ה ). It communicates to the world that He is our God and we are His people. Therefore, this commandment is perhaps better translated into English as, “You shall not bear the name of the Lord your God in vain.”

What, then, does it mean to bear God’s name in vain? The Hebrew word translated into English as “in vain” comes from שָׁוְא (shawv), which means emptiness or vanity. Thus, we are not to claim faith in God in an attempt to feed our vanity or in a way that leads to emptiness. This idea is captured in the words of Isaiah 29:13, as quoted by Jesus:

This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.

Matthew 15:8-9
https://rlsolberg.com/taking-gods-name-in-vain/

Recommendations

3 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

"lords name in vain" rampartd Thursday #1
I get that. JohnnyRingo Thursday #4
Vanity doesn't come into it Easterncedar Thursday #14
Exactly. TomSlick Thursday #20
You might find this interesting TexLaProgressive Thursday #19
I see how that interpretation instructs how to use the Lord's name JohnnyRingo Friday #34
Long ago I read a series about the Dabney family TexLaProgressive Friday #36
I'm pretty sure swearing a "so help me god" oath ancianita Thursday #12
vowing "til death do us part " coul be stretched to false witness as well rampartd Thursday #16
Nope. Sin is intentional. Oaths like "Till death do us part" came later. ancianita Thursday #17
I like your thinking. Loryn Thursday #2
Amen Johnny, gab13by13 Thursday #3
Off topic, but here is a joke related to the comic you posted. John1956PA Thursday #5
Good one! ancianita Thursday #23
hahahaha JohnnyRingo Friday #29
I am not an expert state of stupid Thursday #6
Every time you say "I am". Blue Full Moon Thursday #7
I think it's ok to cuss Marthe48 Thursday #8
Meh. You do you. Happy Hoosier Yesterday #42
Man is the only animal to have found the ONE TRUE GOD ...............several of them. Mark Twain Ping Tung Thursday #9
According to Hebrew scripture Mossfern Friday #31
I think you proved Twain's point. There are millions of One True Gods available to pick. Ping Tung Friday #37
The Abrahamic and other religions are mostly Mossfern Friday #39
Yay! We agree! Why not? Indeed. Ping Tung Friday #40
That means I've always gotten that commandment wrong. Xavier Breath Thursday #10
Beeleeve BoRaGard Thursday #11
Is that where that came from? JohnnyRingo Friday #32
I think it is partly about those who pray for personal gain instead of for help to people in need of basics. . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Thursday #13
Absolutely Be The Light Thursday #15
Also professing faith for monetary or political reasons. surfered Thursday #18
Going back to the earliest version I stand a chance of translating, it's "in vanum" in the Latin Vulgate version muriel_volestrangler Thursday #21
Thanks, Muriel! summer_in_TX Friday #28
I'm the veteran of a profoundly religious upbringing who's morphed into an atheist. NNadir Thursday #22
I think the first one is weird. chouchou Thursday #24
Thanks Johnny Tatou Thursday #25
Welcome to DU LetMyPeopleVote Friday #38
The problem with your analysis edhopper Thursday #26
Oh. OK. JohnnyRingo Friday #33
Anybody that gets upset edhopper Friday #35
Catholic teaching on this would be much more dire DenaliDemocrat Thursday #27
Christ replaced the 10 commandments with 2 ... marble falls Friday #30
Ah, but for some Mossfern Friday #41
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»I've always had a beef wi...»Reply #19