The third commandment also extends beyond these obvious violations to ones that would be less apparent to us today (but which would have been clear to the Old Testament Jews). God’s name can also be taken in vain in the use of vows and oaths. Because of the propensity of human beings to break promises and violate each other’s trust, promise-making was elevated to a higher degree of seriousness in ancient Israel, where the promise was sanctified by an oath or a vow. A promise was not just a casual statement of intent but a solemn declaration.
