Therefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.
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Ambrosiaster
AD 400
Since we have been “created in truth and righteousness” and reborn in baptism, in order to remain in it we are instructed to put away lying altogether. Hold fast to the truth. Do not cheat your brother in any way. Being members of one body, support one another’s causes in turn.
It is written, “The mouth that lies destroys the soul.” … Therefore the apostle puts truth telling in the first place when he commands us to put off the “old nature,” under which name all sins are understood, saying “therefore, putting off lying speak the truth.”
Let no one mistake this. The apostle is not giving us room to tell a lie to those who are not yet members of Christ with us. The point of the saying is that each of us should consider everyone as we wish him to become, even if he has not become so…. We ought to deal with a person in such a way that he will cease to be an outsider. Regard him as your neighbor already, rather than as an outsider. It may be that, because of the fact that he is not yet a partaker of our faith and sacraments, certain truths must be concealed from him. But that is no reason for telling him falsehoods.
Ye masters, treat your servants well, forbearing threatening: knowing that both their and your Lord is in heaven; and there is no respect of persons with Him."
To be members one of another points to a great mystery. He is speaking of those who are very close to us in faith. For people are not generally “members one of another.” But the faithful indeed are members of the faithful. Christians are members of the body of Christ. We are members with the saints who embody purity of heart and consummate goodness…. Hence we are being instructed to speak intimately of the truth of this mystery with the neighbor—to speak of the fullness of God’s truth. .
Having spoken of the old man generally, he next draws him also in detail; for this kind of teaching is more easily learned when we learn by particulars. And what says he? Wherefore, putting away falsehood. What sort of falsehood? Idols does he mean? Surely not; not indeed but that they are falsehood also. However, he is not now speaking of them, because these persons had nothing to do with them; but he is speaking of that which passes between one man and another, meaning that which is deceitful and false. Speak ye truth, each one, says he, with his neighbor; then what is more touching to the conscience still, because we are members one of another. Let no man deceive his neighbor. As the Psalmist says here and there; With flattering lip and with a double heart do they speak. Psalm 12:2 For there is nothing, no, nothing so productive of enmity as deceit and guile.
Observe how everywhere he shames them by this similitude of the body. Let not the eye, says he, lie to the foot, nor the f...
Also belongs to Him, even because the apostle derived the mention of the captivity from the same prophets as suggested to him his precepts likewise: "Putting away lying "(says he, ) "speak every man truth with his neighbour; ".
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: but be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ hath forgiven you."
