Bearing God's Name

by Carmen Joy Imes

  The Catholic church counts the commands differently:

  Because the Catholic tradition counts “no other gods” and “no images” as a single command, they read the command against images as a command against images of other gods. As a result, they permit lavish artistic representations of the one true God and great men and women of faith. Show me the inside of your sanctuary, and I’ll tell you how your church counts the commands.

  My solution to counting the commands is a combination of all three approaches described above. While most interpreters split Exodus 20:2-6 into two or three separate parts, I count these verses as a single command.

  I take the preamble (Exodus 20:2) as part of the first command, providing a rationale for limiting worship to Yahweh: I am the God who set you free, therefore you should worship me alone. Likewise, “no image” belongs together with “no other gods.” I see two reasons for this—one historical and one grammatical. The historical reason is that worship and images went hand in hand in the ancient world. It would be impossible to properly worship a deity without an image of that deity, just as it would be nonsensical to possess an image that you did not worship. The point of images is worship. The means of worship are images.

  The point of images is worship. The means of worship are images.

  The grammatical reason to read these commands together is found in verse 5: “You shall not bow down to them or worship them.” The recipients of worship are plural, but “image” in the previous line is singular. This prohibition must be continuing the thought of the preceding sentence, a prohibition of other gods (plural). A chiasm (or literary “sandwich” pattern) in Exodus 20:2-6 (or Deuteronomy 5:6-10) reinforces my claim that they should be read together.7

  A I am Yahweh your God (verse 2)

  B You must have no other gods (verse 3)—plural

  C You must not make an image (verse 4)—singular

  B′ You must not bow down to them or worship them (verse 5a)—plural

  A′ I, Yahweh your God (verse 5b)

  The prohibition of images underscores the seriousness of the command to worship only Yahweh. The commands make no effort to convince the Israelites that Yahweh is the only God. Instead, they call Israel to worship only Yahweh. In a sea of options, Yahweh is the only legitimate deity deserving of worship. Rather than monotheism (the existence of one God), the Ten Commandments teach henotheism (the worship of one God). This is not to say that there are other gods, but the Israelites and their neighbors regularly assumed that they existed by seeking divine favor in pagan shrines. The uniqueness of Yahweh is that he calls for exclusive worship.

  So that’s the first command: Worship no one but Yahweh. The second command is vitally important for us to understand. There may be a whole lot more at stake with the command not to “take the name of the LORD your God in vain” than you’ve been told.

  INVISIBLE TATTOO: THE SECOND COMMAND

  I grew up thinking that “taking the Lord’s name in vain” was using “Jesus” or “God” as a swear word. At our house, even “gosh” or “holy cow” cost me a fat twenty-five cents. Both were too irreverent. “Cows aren’t holy!” my dad would say. And he was right, of course. Substitute swear words thinly veil the real thing, and they exhibit the same toxic attitude. After Danny and I got married, I picked up on his habit of saying, “Oh, Lolly!” Here was a winner! It had no resemblance to any of God’s names and had the advantage of sounding quite cheerful. It functioned as the equivalent of “Silly me!” That word worked well until we joined a new Sunday school class at church and met a new friend named . . . you guessed it . . . Lolly. Now we thought we were taking her name in vain and had to come up with an alternative.

  Clearly, it’s not advisable to use God’s name as a swear word—dishonoring God in any way is a serious matter, indeed. But after further study, I’m now convinced that most of us have misunderstood the command concerning God’s name, what I call the Name Command. To explain what it really means, we’ll have to go back to the Hebrew and attempt a new translation:

  You must not bear (or carry) the name of Yahweh, your God, in vain, for Yahweh will not hold guiltless one who bears (or carries) his name in vain. (Exodus 20:7, author’s translation)

  Most translators have decided that this makes little sense. After all, names aren’t lifted or carried, they’re spoken. These interpreters conclude that something must be “assumed” in this statement—something that would have been obvious to the Israelites but is not so obvious to us. And most conclude that the missing something has to do with speaking God’s name, so that the command is prohibiting the spoken use of God’s name in some situation.

  Some suggest that we should assume the name is being lifted “on the lips” (i.e., spoken), others suppose that a hand is being lifted to the name (i.e., raising the right hand to swear an oath). They often point to other passages inside and outside of the Bible to make their case for one reading or the other. The problem is that virtually all of these interpreters overlook the closest and most relevant passage of all, one that illuminates this command without adding anything.

  The passage is Exodus 28. Buried in the instructions for building a tabernacle (more on that later) is the plan for what the high priest will wear. As the authorized officiant of the holy place, the high priest cannot dress however he wants. Unlike pastors in evangelical churches today who may wear either a suit and tie or jeans and sandals while preaching, the high priest has a specific costume to wear (more on that later, too). His most striking item of clothing is his elaborate apron, woven with gold threads and set with twelve precious stones, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes. And Moses is told that the high priest is to “bear (or carry) the names of the sons of Israel” as he moves in and out of the tabernacle (Exodus 28:29). Moses’ brother Aaron, who becomes Israel’s first high priest, literally “carries” these tribal names whenever he’s on duty.

  SEALS IN THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST

  In the ancient Near East, a common way of declaring ownership of something or of affirming its authenticity was to seal it with a signet ring. Clay tablets often bore the stamp seal of those authorizing their contents or agreeing to its stipulations. Jars of wine or olive oil were sealed shut by means of a blob of clay bearing the authorized seal of a producer, confirming the quality of the product. Seals have even been found bearing the name of a deity. These would have been used in the temple precincts to conduct official business on behalf of the temple.

  Some seals were purely pictorial, but others, especially in Israel, were engraved with words. The vast majority of Israelite seals with writing used the letter “L” (called lamed in Hebrew) plus a personal name to indicate the owner of the seal. In this context, the “L” is a preposition that means “belonging to.” The gemstones worn by the high priest are “each engraved like a seal” (Exodus 28:21), and the medallion on his forehead contains the language we would expect to see on a seal: “holy, belonging to Yahweh” (Exodus 28:36, author’s translation). These imply that he is the authorized representative of the tribes to Yahweh as well as the authorized representative of Yahweh to the tribes.

  Aaron also wears a name on his forehead—the name “Yahweh.” Tied to his turban is a gold medallion engraved with the words “Holy, belonging to Yahweh.” It’s just two words in Hebrew: qodesh layahweh. The “L” in front of the name Yahweh is the customary way of indicating ownership. If you want to make sure everyone knows that this is your book, you could write your name inside the front cover with an “L” in front of it, and that would be the normal Hebrew way to say it’s yours. With layahweh on his forehead, it’s clear that the high priest is set apart for service to Yahweh. He belongs exclusively to Yahweh. He serves no other.

  So what does this have to do with the Name Command? We’ve already noted that most interpreters assume it makes no sense for Israel to be carrying the name of Yahweh, so they look for other possibilities. But right here in close proximity to the Name Command is
the high priest, set apart to belong to Yahweh, carrying the names of the twelve tribes. The key to understanding the Name Command is right here!

  The twelve gemstones indicate that the high priest represents the entire nation before Yahweh. The medallion on his forehead indicates that he is Yahweh’s authorized representative to the nation. Now think back to the dramatic declaration of Exodus 19, when Israel first arrived at Mount Sinai. There God bestowed titles on his people like treasured possession, kingdom of priests, holy nation. As his treasured possession, Israel’s vocation—the thing they were born to do—is to represent their God to the rest of humanity. They function in priestly ways, mediating between Yahweh and everyone else. They are set apart for his service.

  We can see how this connects to the high priest. He is a visual model of the vocation of the entire nation. Just as the high priest represents Yahweh to them, so they represent Yahweh to the nations. By looking at Aaron, every Israelite is reminded of their calling as a nation. Just as he is set apart for service (“holy”), so are they (“a holy nation”). At Sinai, Yahweh claims this nation as his very own and releases them to live out their calling. That calling is to bear Yahweh’s name among the nations, that is, to represent him well.

  At Sinai, he warns the people not to bear his name in vain. Keeping this command, then, involves much more than not saying “Oh, Yahweh!” when someone cuts in front of you on the freeway, or a disgruntled “Jesus Christ!” when your team misses a touchdown pass. Keeping the command not to bear Yahweh’s name in vain changes everything about how we live.

  If that’s so, how does the Name Command fit in with the rest of the Ten Commandments? Compared to the rest of the commands, doesn’t this one seem a bit too broad to belong on God’s Top Ten?

  FORMULA FOR SUCCESS: THE FIRST TWO COMMANDS

  One of the key differences between the Ten Commandments and all the other instructions that Yahweh gives at Sinai is the mode of delivery. Moses is the mediator for all the other commands; God speaks to Moses on the mountain, and Moses delivers the message to the people. Not so with the Ten Commandments. When we carefully trace Moses’ movement up and down Mount Sinai, he has just descended the mountain to warn the people one more time not to climb up when God begins speaking. That puts him with the people, who hear the Ten Words directly from God.

  If I’m right about how to count the commands and what the first two are saying, then we begin with the two weightiest commands—the ones that set the stage for all the others. Stated positively, they say:

  1. Worship only Yahweh.

  2. Represent him well.

  Together they echo Yahweh’s declaration to the descendants of Jacob in Egypt repeated so often through the Old Testament, especially by the prophets: “I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God” (Exodus 6:7). Jeremiah and Ezekiel repeat this formulaic statement so frequently that it becomes shorthand for covenant renewal: I am yours; you are mine.8 Unlike the gods of other nations, Yahweh could not be represented by a carved image (20:4); instead he was to be represented by the people to whom he had revealed his name (20:7). Since he had claimed them as his own, their words and actions were to reflect his lordship. The first two commands and the covenant formula they express indicate how Israel should fulfill its vocation obligations successfully. They were to worship him exclusively in order to demonstrate his greatness. If they worshiped other gods, his glory would be diminished. They were to be all in, all his.

  These two commands bring the covenant relationship into alignment. Yahweh is the only God worthy of worship. Israel must see itself as belonging to him, representing him to the world. To bear his name in vain would be to enter into this covenant relationship with him but to live no differently than the surrounding pagans. Israel’s fate in the succeeding narratives always comes down to breaking these two commands, either failing to worship Yahweh alone or failing to represent him well.

  The job of every Israelite is to protect other people’s freedoms.

  The rest of the Ten Commandments flow from the covenant formula established by these first two commands, fleshing out what covenant faithfulness looks like in every conceivable area of life: work, family, conflict, marriage, property, and reputation. Daniel Block calls the Ten Commandments a “bill of rights.”9 However, unlike the Bill of Rights in the US Constitution, Block points out that these ten do not focus on a person’s own rights but the rights of one’s neighbor. The job of every Israelite is to protect other people’s freedoms. And it’s done by keeping the Ten Words. Let’s dive into a discussion of the remaining eight.

  BILL OF (OTHER PEOPLE’S) RIGHTS

  With the first two commands in place, the covenantal “formula for success,” we can explore the other eight commands.

  3. Remember the Sabbath Day. The Sabbath command is the one Christians are most likely to think is no longer relevant. But why wouldn’t we want it? The Sabbath command protects the entire household’s right to rest, ensuring a rhythm of sustainable living. No one (including animals!) in this new society is to slave away 24/7. Slavery is a thing of the past. Each Sabbath is an expression of trust in Yahweh’s provision, put into practice first in the wilderness with the collection of manna six days a week. It’s not just the master of the house who gets a day of rest, while everyone else waits on him. Rather, the entire household is free to participate in this rhythm of grace.

  Sabbath requires advance planning. Meals prepared ahead, house in order, chores done, homework complete. Sabbath is not simply ceasing from labor, but actually enjoying its results from the other six days. In Exodus 20, God’s creative work is the model for Israel’s Sabbath. Like a king who rests on his throne after enemies have been defeated and the realm is at peace, so Yahweh rests after he brings order to the universe. It’s not that he’s tired and needs a nap. Rather, he can sit back and enjoy the fruit of his success.

  4. Honor your father and your mother. We tend to think of this command as the one for children, but nothing signals a change of audience. Adults must honor their parents too. This is especially critical in a culture with multigenerational households, such as ancient Israel. A friend of mine is engaged in a daily adventure following this command. He and his wife and their four children live in a modest house with both of their mothers and one of their grandmothers. Though having four mothers from three generations in one household is a challenge, to say the least, this family is convinced that they must find ways to honor each one.10

  Protecting parents’ honor ensures that the Sinai covenant will be passed from generation to generation. The New Testament calls this “the first commandment with a promise” (Ephesians 6:2): “so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12). But what does this mean? That individuals will live to a ripe old age? Not necessarily. We can all think of godly, parent-honoring people who have died young. No, this command doesn’t promise old age. It promises that an entire nation will continue to enjoy living in the land as long as the covenant is kept. Discarding their parents’ faith would have disastrous consequences, making the people vulnerable to exile and perhaps death.

  The remaining commands all contribute to a community characterized by mutual trust. If every individual covenant member ensures the protection of his neighbor’s life, spouse, property, and reputation, then everyone will have space to live and flourish.

  5. You must not murder. This command protects the neighbor’s right to life and to a fair trial in the case of a dispute. Individual Israelites may not take matters into their own hands, disregarding those with God-given authority to settle disagreements. Tempers do not guard justice. Revenge has no place in the covenant community.

  6. You must not commit adultery. Each neighbor has a right to a marriage free from competition. For the covenant community to flourish, relationships between neighbors (and spouses!) must be built on mutual trust. Every man’s job is to protect his neighbor’s marriage and his neighbor’s wife, rather than preying on her.
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br />   Sexual intimacy is reserved for marriage because marriage is a reflection of the covenant with Yahweh. In both, two enter into an exclusive commitment: “I am yours; you are mine.” For marriage to work as God designed, both parties must give themselves wholly to each other and to no one else.

  7. You must not steal. Every Israelite has a right to personal property, free from the greed of the neighbor. As with marriage, the protection of a neighbor’s property is everyone’s business. “Neighborhood watch” is a very old idea, and it’s biblical. By taking what’s yours, I demonstrate a lack of gratitude and a lack of trust in God to provide for my needs.

  8. You must not give false testimony. In an age without DNA testing, fingerprinting, video surveillance, and lie detector tests, a person’s word held a great deal of weight. It was crucial to the maintenance of a just society that no one wrongly implicate a fellow Israelite. Each person’s reputation depended on truth. Slander would eat away at the community like acid. Even with all of our technological advances, false accusation still deals a harsh blow, sometimes with devastating consequences. Your word against my word—who is right?

  9-10. You must not covet your neighbor’s house, and you must not covet your neighbor’s wife or any other household member. The Ten Commandments close with two surprising commands that are totally unenforceable. How can anyone prove that someone craved their neighbor’s house or wife when lust is a heart condition? The internal nature of these commands hints at the function of the entire law. This is not legislation in a modern sense, but character formation. These instructions paint an ideal picture of a covenant-keeping Israelite, including both outward behavior and inward motivation.