Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It seems that the second precept of the decalogue is unfittingly expressed. For this precept, "Thou shalt not take the name of thy God in vain" is thus explained by a gloss on Ex. 20:7: "Thou shalt not deem the Son of God to be a creature," so that it forbids an error against faith. Again, a gloss on the words of Dt. 5:11, "Thou shalt not take the name of . . . thy God in vain, " adds, i.e. "by giving the name of God to wood or stone," as though they forbade a false confession of faith, which, like error, is an act of unbelief. Now unbelief precedes superstition, as faith precedes religion. Therefore this precept should have preceded the first, whereby superstition is forbidden.

Objection 2: Further, the name of God is taken for many purposes ---for instance, those of praise, of working miracles, and generally speaking in conjunction with all we say or do, according to Col. 3:17, "All whatsoever you do in word or in work . . . do ye in the name of the Lord." Therefore the precept forbidding the taking of God's name in vain seems to be more universal than the precept forbidding superstition, and thus should have preceded it.

Objection 3: Further, a gloss on Ex. 20:7 expounds the precept, "Thou shalt not take the name of . . . thy God in vain," namely, by swearing to nothing. Hence this precept would seem to forbid useless swearing, that is to say, swearing without judgment. But false swearing, which is without truth, and unjust swearing, which is without justice, are much more grievous. Therefore this precept should rather have forbidden them.

Objection 4: Further, blasphemy or any word or deed that is an insult to God is much more grievous than perjury. Therefore blasphemy and other like sins should rather have been forbidden by this precept.

Objection 5: Further, God's names are many. Therefore it should not have been said indefinitely: "Thou shalt not take the name of . . . thy God in vain."

On the contrary, stands the authority of Scripture.

I answer that, In one who is being instructed in virtue it is necessary to remove obstacles to true religion before establishing him in true religion. Now a thing is opposed to true religion in two ways. First, by excess, when, to wit, that which belongs to religion is given to others than to whom it is due, and this pertains to superstition. Secondly, by lack, as it were, of reverence, when, to wit, God is contemned, and this pertains to the vice of irreligion, as stated above (Question 97, in the preamble, and in the Article that follows). Now superstition hinders religion by preventing man from acknowledging God so as to worship Him: and when a man's mind is engrossed in some undue worship, he cannot at the same time give due worship to God, according to Is. 28:20, "The bed is straitened, so that one must fall out," i.e. either the true God or a false god must fall out from man's heart, "and a short covering cannot cover both." On the other hand, irreligion hinders religion by preventing man from honoring God after he has acknowledged Him. Now one must first of all acknowledge God with a view to worship, before honoring Him we have acknowledged.

For this reason the precept forbidding superstition is placed before the second precept, which forbids perjury that pertains to irreligion.

Reply to Objection 1: These expositions are mystical. The literal explanation is that which is given Dt. 5:11: "Thou shalt not take the name of . . . thy God in vain," namely, "by swearing on that which is not ."

Reply to Objection 2: This precept does not forbid all taking of the name of God, but properly the taking of God's name in confirmation of a man's word by way of an oath, because men are wont to take God's name more frequently in this way. Nevertheless we may understand that in consequence all inordinate taking of the Divine name is forbidden by this precept: and it is in this sense that we are to take the explanation quoted in the First Objection.

Reply to Objection 3: To swear to nothing means to swear to that which is not. This pertains to false swearing, which is chiefly called perjury, as stated above (Question 98, Article 1, ad 3). For when a man swears to that which is false, his swearing is vain in itself, since it is not supported by the truth. on the other hand, when a man swears without judgment, through levity, if he swear to the truth, there is no vanity on the part of the oath itself, but only on the part of the swearer.

Reply to Objection 4: Just as when we instruct a man in some science, we begin by putting before him certain general maxims, even so the Law, which forms man to virtue by instructing him in the precepts of the decalogue, which are the first of all precepts, gave expression, by prohibition or by command, to those things which are of most common occurrence in the course of human life. Hence the precepts of the decalogue include the prohibition of perjury, which is of more frequent occurrence than blasphemy, since man does not fall so often into the latter sin.

Reply to Objection 5: Reverence is due to the Divine names on the part of the thing signified, which is one, and not on the part of the signifying words, which are many. Hence it is expressed in the singular: "Thou shalt not take the name of . . . thy God in vain": since it matters not in which of God's names perjury is committed.

Articulus 3

Argumentum 1

Ad tertium sic proceditur. Videtur quod secundum praeceptum Decalogi non convenienter tradatur.

Hoc enim praeceptum, non assumes nomen dei tui in vanum, sic exponitur in Glossa Exod. XX, idest, non existimes creaturam esse filium dei, per quod prohibetur error contra fidem.

Et Deut. V exponitur, non assumes nomen dei tui in vanum, scilicet, nomen dei ligno et lapidi attribuendo, per quod prohibetur falsa confessio, quae est actus infidelitatis, sicut et error. Infidelitas autem est prior superstitione, sicut et fides religione. Ergo hoc praeceptum debuit praemitti primo, in quo prohibetur superstitio.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, nomen dei ad multa assumitur, sicut ad laudandum, ad miracula faciendum, et universaliter ad omnia quae dicuntur vel fiunt a nobis, secundum illud Coloss. III, omne quodcumque facitis in verbo vel opere, in nomine domini facite.

Ergo praeceptum quo prohibetur nomen dei assumi in vanum, videtur universalius esse quam praeceptum quo prohibetur superstitio. Et ita debuit ei praemitti.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, Exod. XX exponitur illud praeceptum, non assumes nomen dei tui in vanum, iurando scilicet pro nihilo.

Unde videtur per hoc prohiberi vana iuratio, quae scilicet est sine iudicio. Sed multo gravior est falsa iuratio, quae est sine veritate; et iniusta iuratio, quae est sine iustitia.

Ergo magis debuerunt illa prohiberi per hoc praeceptum.

Argumentum 4

Praeterea, multo gravius peccatum est blasphemia, vel quidquid fiat verbo vel facto in contumeliam dei, quam periurium. Ergo blasphemia et alia huiusmodi magis debuerunt per hoc praeceptum prohiberi.

Argumentum 5

Praeterea, multa sunt dei nomina. Ergo non debuit indeterminate dici, non assumes nomen dei tui in vanum.

Sed Contra

Sed in contrarium est Scripturae auctoritas.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod oportet prius impedimenta verae religionis excludere in eo qui instituitur ad virtutem, quam eum in vera religione fundare. Opponitur autem verae religioni aliquid dupliciter. Uno modo, per excessum, quando scilicet id quod est religionis alteri indebite exhibetur, quod pertinet ad superstitionem. Alio modo, quasi per defectum reverentiae, cum scilicet deus contemnitur, quod pertinet ad vitium irreligiositatis, ut supra habitum est.

Superstitio autem impedit religionem quantum ad hoc, ne suscipiatur deus ad colendum. Ille autem cuius animus implicatus est indebito cultui, non potest simul debitum dei cultum suscipere, secundum illud Isaiae XXVIII, angustatum est stratum, ut alter decidat, scilicet deus verus vel falsus a corde hominis, et pallium breve utrumque operire non potest.

Per irreligiositatem autem impeditur religio quantum ad hoc, ne deus, postquam susceptus est, honoretur. Prius autem est deum suscipere ad colendum quam eum susceptum honorare. Et ideo praemittitur praeceptum quo prohibetur superstitio secundo praecepto, quo prohibetur periurium, ad irreligiositatem pertinens.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod illae expositiones sunt mysticae.

Litteralis autem expositio est quae habetur Deut. V, non assumes nomen dei tui in vanum, scilicet iurando pro re quae non est.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod non prohibetur quaelibet assumptio divini nominis per hoc praeceptum, sed proprie illa qua sumitur divinum nomen ad confirmationem humani verbi per modum iuramenti, quia ista assumptio divini nominis est frequentior apud homines.

Potest tamen ex consequenti intelligi ut per hoc prohibeatur omnis inordinata divini nominis assumptio. Et secundum hoc procedunt illae expositiones de quibus supra dictum est.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod pro nihilo iurare dicitur ille qui iurat pro eo quod non est, quod pertinet ad falsam iurationem, quae principaliter periurium nominatur, ut supra dictum est.

Quando enim aliquis falsum iurat, tunc iuratio est vana secundum seipsam, quia non habet firmamentum veritatis. Quando autem aliquis iurat sine iudicio ex aliqua levitate, si verum iurat, non est ibi vanitas ex parte ipsius iuramenti, sed solum ex parte iurantis.

Ad 4

Ad quartum dicendum quod sicut ei qui instruitur in aliqua scientia primo proponuntur quaedam communia documenta, ita etiam lex, quae instituit hominem ad virtutem, in praeceptis Decalogi, quae sunt prima, ea proposuit, vel prohibendo vel mandando, quae communius in cursu humanae vitae solent accidere. Et ideo inter praecepta Decalogi prohibetur periurium, quod frequentius accidit quam blasphemia, in quam homo rarius prolabitur.

Ad 5

Ad quintum dicendum quod nominibus dei debetur reverentia ex parte rei significatae, quae est una, non autem ratione vocum significantium, quae sunt multae.

Et ideo singulariter dixit, non assumes nomen dei tui in vanum, quia non differt per quodcumque nomen dei periurium committatur.