A false witness that speaks lies, and he that sows discord among brethren.
All Commentaries on Proverbs 6:19 Go To Proverbs 6
Bede
AD 735
The six capital crimes enumerated here are nevertheless like minor faults when compared with the sowing of discord, since the deed that fractures the unity and fraternity which were achieved by the grace of the Holy Spirit is surely a greater sin. For anyone can raise his eyes boastfully, lie with the tongue, pollute himself with murder, plot to harm his neighbor, subject his members to other offenses, and give false testimony against another. But it must not be thought that what he names with his lying tongue is all the same, for he is able to tell a lie without doing so against a neighbor. For, in his book about lying, blessed Augustine teaches that there are eight kinds of lies. Each reprobate, I say, can bring evil upon himself or upon others yet without harming the peace of the church. But what Donatus and Arius and their followers do is more serious, who destroy the harmony of fraternal unity by sowing discord. –.
