"You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people." - Exo 22:28 (NKJV)
As we have said before, the Law acts as a zoom lens or microscope, offering up further detail on the 10 Commandments, and the heart and mind of our God. This weeks text also has echoes of the commandment to honor your parents...the Law imposes punishment on those that curse their parents - not just rulers of the people.
Point #1 :
We have here the words translated "revile", and "curse", whereas the Third Commandment uses the word "vain". Vain, we saw, had the sense of avoiding the abuse and desolation of the Name by using it falsely or emptily.
The word translated "revile" is the word קָלַל [qalal /kaw·lal/]. The AV translates as "curse" 39 times, "swifter" five times, "light thing" five times, "vile" four times, "lighter" four times, "despise" three times, "abated" twice, "ease" twice, "light" twice, "lighten" twice, "slightly" twice, and translated miscellaneously 12 times. 1 to be slight, be swift, be trifling, be of little account, be light. 1a (Qal). 1a1 to be slight, be abated (of water). 1a2 to be swift. 1a3 to be trifling, be of little account. 1b (Niphal). 1b1 to be swift, show oneself swift. 1b2 to appear trifling, be too trifling, be insignificant. 1b3 to be lightly esteemed. 1c (Piel). 1c1 to make despicable. 1c2 to curse. 1d (Pual) to be cursed. 1e (Hiphil). 1e1 to make light, lighten. 1e2 to treat with contempt, bring contempt or dishonour. 1f (Pilpel). 1f1 to shake. 1f2 to whet. 1g (Hithpalpel) to shake oneself, be moved to and fro.
I think you will agree that the overall sense of the word translated as "revile" is to lightly esteem or treat as insignificant (through the act of cursing or treating with contempt), God Himself!
The word translated "curse" is the word אָרַר ['arar /aw·rar/]; The AV translates as "curse" 62 times, and "bitterly" once. 1 to curse. 1a (Qal). 1a1 to curse. 1a2 cursed be he (participle used pr in curses). 1b (Niphal) to be cursed, cursed. 1c (Piel) to curse, lay under a curse, put a curse on. 1d (Hophal) to be made a curse, be cursed.
The word translated God is the word "Elohim" - as in Gen 1:1, and the word "Ruler" is the word "Nasiy" - 132 occurrences; AV translates as "prince" 96 times, "captain" 12 times, "chief" 10 times, "ruler" six times, "vapours" three times, "governor" once, "chief + 5387" once, "clouds" once, "part" once, and "prince + 5387" once. 1 one lifted up, chief, prince, captain, leader. 2 rising mist, vapour.
Point #2:
Based on what we learned from Point #1, we see here a contempt for a Person or Office, not just a Name! In addition, we see here a very clear and striking parallel between contemptuous treatment of our God, and His chosen representative of authority over His people.
The Apostle Paul referred to this specific Law in Acts 23:5, when he was on trial by the Jews. The High Priest Ananias commanded him to be struck on the mouth, and Paul lost his temper and yelled back at him. When he was told Ananias was a ruler of the people (and reminded of the Law), Paul said that he didn't know Ananias' status, and actually quoted this text. (Interestingly, Paul, the Apostle of Grace, still chose to obey God's Law by saying "It is written", and did not claim that he was no longer under it!)
We see God's representatives speaking for Him and thus being worthy of respect, sometimes even though they are not directly obeying Him or behaving appropriately! Here's another example...
The Gospel of John talks about the Jews convening a council discussing what should be done about Jesus, because they were afraid of the repercussions on Israel that might ensue.. " And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death." - John 11:49-53
These rulers, in their concern for themselves and the people, even mistakenly, were the agents of our salvation through their actions.
We see a lot of name-calling in today's media about people in power (Irrespective of political stripe). Undoubtedly, their behaviour makes us feel as though they deserve it... but instead of cursing and yelling, bringing about a change in leadership through lawful and legal means would seem to be a more rational mode of operation. All the abuse in the world is not going to change a person's mind, rather, it is going to make him/her even more antagonistic.
Christians are asked to submit to lawfully appointed rulers and governors, because ultimately, God is in charge. It does not mean that we are to obey them when they command us to do something the Word forbids, or when they forbid us to do something the Word commands.
With those exceptions, we are to treat them as extensions of Gods authority, and not treat them lightly, as indeed we are not to treat lightly the Person of God Himself. He cares deeply about those that represent Him- parents or rulers. We revile them at our peril and they misrepresent Him at theirs!