Thoughts on the 8th Commandment

Over at the "Confessional Gadfly," Pr. Brown has some interesting thoughts on the 8th Commandment - actually some much needed thoughts as the Commandments are now being used as a shield and bulwark against any kind of critique for shady actions kept under the cloak of executive sessions.

It would appear that Pr. Brown has a point very much in line with Luther's Large Catechism:

Next, [the Eighth Commandment] extends very much further, if we are to apply it to spiritual jurisdiction or administration; here it is a common occurrence that every one bears false witness against his neighbor. For wherever there are godly preachers and Christians, they must bear the sentence before the world that they are called heretics, apostates, yea, seditious and desperately wicked miscreants. Besides the Word of God must suffer in the most shameful and malicious manner, being persecuted blasphemed, contradicted, perverted and falsely cited and interpreted. But let this pass; for it is the way of the blind world that she condemns and persecutes the truth and the children of God, and yet esteems it no sin. (Large Commandment I; quoted from http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/luther/catechism/cat-08.txt)

Let's also remember what our Lord Jesus said:

"Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:11-12)