[Greek] ψεύδομαι (pseudomai), [Latin] mendacium, [Latin] mentire, [German] lügen: to lie, to misinform, to be false; Mt.5:11, Acts 5:3-4, Rom.9:1, 2Cor.11:31, Gal.1:20, Col.3:9, 1Tim.2:7, Heb.6:18, Jas.3:14, 1Jn.6
Background information:
Greek Hellenism: This term, used in various ways, means to be false, to deceive, to deceive about something, to be deceived, to deceive oneself, to speak falsely, to play, to lie, and to feign. Sophists can uses deceptive (clever) arguments to justify their positions. Sophistry often blurs the line between objective and subjective reality.
Sophocles’ Antigone 389: “There is nothing that a man rightly swears he will not do. For a second thought belies one’s first intent.”
Xenophon’s Memorabilia 4.2.19: “Consider deception practiced on friends to their detriment. Which is the more unjust deception, the intentional or unintentional?”
Hesiod’s Works and Days 283: “But whoever deliberately lies in his witness and forswears himself, that man’s generation is left obscure forever.”
Plato’s Laws 5.730c: “But untrustworthy is the man who loves the voluntary lie; and senseless is the man who loves the involuntary lie. As time goes on, he is found out.”
Hesiod’s Theogony 27: “We know how to speak many false things as though they were true, but we know, when we will utter true things.”
Old Testament: This term means to lie, to deceive, to bear false witness, to be unfaithful, to spread false prophecy, to worship idols, and to be apostate,
Walking with God: The imagery of walking is quite often associated with a code of conduct and adherence to rules (laws). This essentially means walking on the right path (with God).
New Testament: This term means to be false, to make false statements, and to lie.
Mt. 5:11: “Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of Me.” (Jesus declares God’s favor upon disciples whose faithfulness brings suffering. Believers may face public scorn, mockery, false accusations, hostility, slander, ridicule, violence, persecution, and martyrdom. Union with Christ gives persecution meaning, honor, vindication, and glory.)
Acts 5:3: “Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart so that you lied to the Holy Spirit and retained part of the price of the land?” (Satan “inspired” Ananias heart with deceit and hypocrisy. Ananais’ sin was ultimately directed against God. Hidden sin may escape human notice, but it remains fully known to God.)
Col.3:9: “Stop lying to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices.”
Renunciation of vices:
- Union with Christ requires decisively breaking with the sins of the former earthly life.
- Jesus commands radical action against sin: to put aside the old way of life and to seek the things above.
- Sexual sins, corrupt desires, and greed provoke divine judgment because they reject God’s design for human life and worship.
- Sons of disobedience are people whose lives are marked by resistance to God’s authority and persistence in sin.
- As falsehood belongs to the former life ruled by sin, truthful speech preserves the unity and trust of Christ’s body.
- Conversion brings a decisive break from this former life.
Jas.3:14: “But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth.” (Bitter jealously, resentment, and envy stand opposed to meekness and wisdom. Believers are called to the humility of Christ, who sought the Father’s will. No amount of jealousy, self-seeking, manipulation, and rivalry can be credited to Godly wisdom.)
1 Jn.1:6: “If we say, ‘We have fellowship with Him,’ while we continue to walk in darkness, we lie and do not act in truth.” (Fellowships with God is shared life with Christ. Darkness describes a life of sin, unbelief, and moral rebellion. This scripture confronts the danger of an outward profession without an inward obedience. This is a life living in a falsity.)
Etymology: The Latin noun mendacium means lie, untruth, and falsehood. Mendacity is the tendency or disposition to lie (habitual lying). Demented means out of one’s mind. Dementia is a mental incapacity. The German verb lügen means to lie. The German noun lüge means lie or untruth. A luge is small ice sled seen in the Winter Olympics, where the sled is ridden by the riders lying down on their backs. Yet the German word for sled is schlitten. Lüge (sled) and lugen: It is interesting to note that these words seem to be indirectly linked. The connection lies in the lying down. (I am not lying). ☺
Conclusion:
Mendacity, mendacious, demented, dementia, pseudo-[fill in the blank]
Sophistry: These Sophists were the early political “wise-guys”. Sophistry becomes the precursor to relativism, blurring the lines between objective and subjective reality. (“I can believe whatever what I want to believe.”) This lead to the relativity of belief systems and creation of new rights.
Walking with the Lord: One’s “walk” with God is essentially one’s relationship with Him.