In the classic skit “Who’s on First?” Abbot and Costello create a humorous situation between a peanut vendor and a baseball manager. The players on the team have confusing names, such as the first baseman, whose name is “Who.” Thus, when Costello asks the question, “Who’s on first?” the manager answers: “Yes.” The answer is obviously confusing and frustrating for Costello and leads to the following exchange:
Costello: I mean the fellow’s name.
Abbott: Who.
Costello: The guy on first.
Abbott: Who.
Costello: The first baseman.
Abbott: Who.
Costello: The guy playing…
Abbott: Who is on first!
Costello: I’m asking YOU who’s on first
(See transcript here: https://www.baseball-almanac.com/humor4.shtml).
The point of the exchange is that words and names are important and if you don’t fully understand the context of it then it can lead to some pretty confusing situations. The third command of the Ten Commandments is about the importance of understanding a name and using it correctly. By doing so, we avoid a situation that, as followers of Jesus, we should never find ourselves in!.
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