1 Maccabees 7:18-25: a reflection

This passage records the harm done by those who break faith and bear false witness: an oath is broken, treachery is worked, and false accusations are brought, doing great damage among the people. There is neither truth nor justice in them, the people say, for they have broken the covenant and the oath which they swore. And the account goes on to tell of the great damage done, and of false accusations brought against the faithful. Broken faith, treachery, and false accusation did real and grievous harm, spreading fear and injustice. This is a sobering picture of the destructiveness of broken faith and false accusation. Broken faith and false accusation do real and grievous harm. Treachery and false witness spread fear and injustice. The breaking of oaths and bearing of false witness are destructive. Guard your own faithfulness and truthfulness against such harm.

Notice the harm these did, and what it warns against. They broke the covenant and oath they had sworn, working treachery; and they brought false accusations against the faithful. The result was fear, injustice, and great damage among the people. The account shows how destructive it is when people break faith, betray their word, and bear false witness against others; such actions do real and grievous harm, spreading fear and injustice, wounding the innocent, tearing at the fabric of trust that holds a community together. This is a sobering warning, and it points us, by contrast, to the importance of our own faithfulness and truthfulness. We are called to keep our word, to be faithful to the commitments and oaths we make, not to break faith or work treachery; and we are called to truthfulness, not to bear false witness against others, not to spread false accusations that do such harm. Broken faith and false witness are among the most destructive of sins, tearing at trust and wounding the innocent. We do well to guard our own faithfulness and truthfulness, keeping our word and speaking truth, rather than doing the harm that broken faith and false accusation do. Keep faith and speak truth; do not break your word or bear false witness. Broken faith and false accusation tear at trust and wound the innocent. Guard your faithfulness and truthfulness against such destructiveness. Be faithful to your word and truthful in your witness.

That is worth taking to heart, for broken faith and false accusation do real and grievous harm, and we do well to guard our own faithfulness and truthfulness against such destructiveness. We can break our word, work treachery, or bear false witness against others, doing real harm; but this account shows the great damage such broken faith and false accusation did, spreading fear and injustice. Broken faith and false witness are destructive. Keep your word faithfully and speak truth about others; do not break faith or bear false witness, which do such harm. Guard your own faithfulness and truthfulness, keeping your word and speaking truth about others rather than breaking faith or bearing false witness, which do real and grievous harm, as this passage records how those who broke the covenant and oath they had sworn, worked treachery, and brought false accusations against the faithful did great damage among the people, spreading fear and injustice; for the breaking of oaths, the betrayal of one's word, and the bearing of false witness against others are among the most destructive of sins, wounding the innocent and tearing at the fabric of trust that holds a community together, and this sobering picture points us by contrast to the importance of our own faithfulness and truthfulness, since we are called to keep our word and be faithful to our commitments, not to break faith or work treachery, and to be truthful, not to bear false witness or spread false accusations that do such harm, so that we do well to guard our faithfulness and truthfulness against the destructiveness of broken faith and false accusation.