Third in the roster of the Ten Commandments stands the requirement (Ex. 20:7), "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain," followed by the warning that any disobedience to this specific rule will not be tolerated by the Lord Himself.
Under the law of Leviticus (24:16), blasphemy was considered a capital offense, and frequently in the Biblical records we find that false, or even perjured, testimony regarding the commission of this crime was accepted, and the supreme penalty was put into effect. This occurred in the case of Naboth (see I Kings 21:12-16) and of Stephen, the first Christian martyr (see Acts 6:13; 7:58, 59); and indeed the accusation of blasphemy was one of the false charges which contributed directly to the Master's crucifixion.
To the Hebrew people the word shem (name) had an especially deep significance, of far wider import than we customarily attach to its English equivalent, although we often speak of a man's good name in the sense of his character or reputation. The Hebrew word implies not only this but also the nature, essence, or honor of the individual.
The phrase twice rendered "in vain" in the third commandment also possesses broad implications, meaning basically "for emptiness," or, again, "for nothingness, vanity, falsehood, sin, wickedness, calamity"; while the verb translated "take" was widely used in the alternative senses of "to lift up, carry, bear, or accept." Thus it is surely evident that the bearing, or acceptance, of God's name and nature is both an honor and a challenge not to be taken lightly.
Might it not be, then, that any failure to express consistently the nature and character of God, as revealed in the Scriptures, could be justly viewed as a breach of the third commandment? Moreover, the claiming of the privileges of divine sonship, without accepting the responsibilities involved, might border closely on taking or accepting God's name lightly or in vain.
The name of the Lord seems to have been held in the most reverent regard by the people of Israel, who were told that if they as a nation would obey His commandments and follow in His ways, it would become evident to all men that they were "called by the name of the Lord" (Deut. 28:10). To the Hebrews it implied and afforded security and protection, for they could see it as a strong tower of defense (see Prov. 18:10) and again as a means by which they could walk securely (see Mic. 4:5). This transcendent name provided their passport, their identification, the authority by which and through which their progress was both established and maintained.
In the Scriptures the name of the Lord or, alternatively, of His Messiah appears to have been closely associated with the concept of healing. Thus, writing on God's behalf, the author of the book of Malachi could assure his readers, "Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings" (4:2)—not, of course, advising "fear" in the sense of "terror" but rather in that of revering and honoring the name of the Lord in all its broad and constructive meanings.
When healing the lame man at "the Beautiful gate of the temple," Peter had no hesitation in invoking "the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth" so effectively that the man who had been a cripple from birth leapt to his feet and walked (see Acts 3:1-8).
It may be noted that the Master himself, in giving to his followers what we know as the Lord's Prayer, clearly confirmed the thought of the third commandment, although in a positive form, by teaching specifically the hallowing of God's name.
