Matthew 5:33-37

Additional Reading Matthew 23:13-28

Do not swear at all

Introduction

We have now reached the fourth antithesis. Jesus is dealing with the whole question of oaths and the important subject of being straight and telling the truth. What we say and do not say reveals much about our heart and our character. And since, as Christians, we are watched all the time, our speech either advances or retards the work of the Gospel.

So we are going to look into the Old Testament background and teaching there. Then see how the Scribes and the Pharisees perverted and twisted it. Then the Lord’s teaching on the subject, including the question whether the Christian should take oath in the law court.

The Old Testament background

You have heard that it was said to people long ago ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord’ (Matthew 5:33). These exact words are not in the Old Testament, but are a summary of several similar things in the Old Testament. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God (Exodus 20:7). Fear the Lord your God and take your oaths in his name (Deut. 6:13). If you make a vow to the Lord your God, do not be slow to pay it (Deut. 23:21). Therefore Jesus gives a summary of these statements, in saying that it was taught of old not to break oaths but to keep them.

Behind all this, lay man’s proneness to lie. Could not rely on people’s word. So the use of oaths and vows was to be a check on lying. Also, oaths which could be used lightly, were restricted to serious matters. All of life was under God’s eyes. So the Old Testament taught that there was a place to swear an oath and mean it, especially concerning important and serious matters, matters of great gravity.

The situation in the time of Jesus

Jews in theory upheld all this. Telling the truth was an important ethical leading e.g. School of Shammai so stressed this that they said they should never tell a bride on her wedding day that she looked charming if in fact she looked awful. But that was the theory. Reality was different. Telling the truth was not so common. Also oath taking had become common, and was being used to cover up lies. The Jews devised a system of casuistry. Some oaths were binding but others did not mean much and could be used to cover up lies. They took an oath at the Temple which was not important and not binding (Matthew 23:16). But swearing by the gold of the Temple was binding. An oath by the altar in the Temple did not matter, but an oath by the gift on the altar was binding.

So Jesus poured scorn on this playing games with words, and the triviality and dishonesty of the whole proceeding. How strongly Jesus denounced them – You hypocrites! Blind guides! You blind fools! (Matthew 23:13, 16, 17) Jesus could be strong and speak out in face of wrongdoing. He did not laugh and say nothing in case people were upset.

Then there were other practices in the first century, which were not in the Bible. If you used the name of ‘God’ in your oath, you had to keep it. But if you left out his name, and spoke of heaven, earth, or Jerusalem, or your head – then it was not important. You could say all that and lie at the same time. Jesus said you can never keep God out of any statement. Heaven is his throne, earth is his footstool, and Jerusalem was his city. Man’s head, like all his life, belong to God. Whether we use the word ‘God’ or not, he is always there. He hears all we say, therefore we must always speak the truth. All oaths and promises should be sacred because they are made in his unseen presence.

Oaths were also used as a means of dishonest trading. During haggling in the market place, the buyer would say ‘On my head, I’m not paying all that for this’. The seller would say ‘By the altar, you will not have it for less’. The buyer: ‘By the earth, it is not worth half what you are asking. The seller: ‘By heaven, I had to pay this much to get it’. So in a typical Eastern haggle the buyer and seller, to beat one another, one in getting price up, and the other in getting the price down, lied to get own ends, and lies were accompanied by oaths. Therefore oath-taking was degraded to be means of reinforcing untruth and lying. C.f. Peter used oaths and curses to deny he knew Jesus.

So in Jesus’ day solemn oaths were empty, insincere, meaningless, and an aid to cheating.

Teaching of Jesus

But I tell you (Matthew 5:34). Here is the voice of divine authority, not mere man or even prophet. Unique claim being made. Jesus speaks with the authority of the Godhead. Do not swear at all; either by heaven… or by earth… or Jerusalem… and do not swear by your head…. Simply let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ be ‘no’ (Matthew 5:34-37). Your ‘yes’ should mean ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ should mean ‘no’. Anything else comes from the evil one.

Evidently Jesus is referring to ordinary every day conversation. This is evident from the context of whole Bible. It is important to note this, because some people e.g. Quakers, refuse to take oath in witness box. George Fox, their leader, said no more than ‘verily’. Consider, in dealing with this and in interpreting Jesus’ words, the special occasions where God-fearing men took and used and submitted to oaths. E.g. Abraham took an oath from his servant, and Jacob from Joseph, Jonathon from David. But especially note that the Lord Jesus himself was put on oath. The High Priest said to Jesus ‘I charge you under oath by the Living God: Tell us if you are the Christ’ (Matthew 26:63). Jesus accepted that, put on oath, and replied to the High Priest.

Paul took an oath I call God as my witness (2 Cor. 1:23). I speak the truth in Christ (Romans 9:1). Indeed God took an oath. When God made his promise to Abraham… he did swear by himself (Hebrews 6:13). He swore by himself to his own people who had doubts about his word. Therefore there is a place for oaths on special occasions.

So the fourth antithesis does not rule out oaths for all occasions. They are right on certain special occasions and add solemnity and authority to a promise or statement.

Jesus was not concerned with law courts and modern legal procedure. In this lying world, very often ‘yes’ and ‘no’ cannot be trusted. Oaths help to strengthen ‘yes’ and ‘no’, and confirm promises. Being made to take an oath impresses on the speaker the solemnity of his words. So oath in court is necessary and helpful, because of the world of liars and lies. The Sermon on the Mount does not rule this out (any more than it rules out the police force and military service in principle).

Jesus is concerned with personal relationships, and so he is speaking of ordinary conversations and every day business of life. No need for oath in conversation and argument. A simple ‘yes’ and ‘no’ is all that is needed. Clearly if God’s name is not to be used in ordinary conversation even when serious, it must not be used in swearing and cursing and in empty blasphemous way which is so common.

So telling the truth is one of the marks of the children of God. The Devil, who is father of lies, and those under his influence, will and do lie when convenient and possible. The Living God is the God of truth, and his children must be true in words and speech. Keep promises. Be people of our word. Word is his band and his commitment to truth. Oaths unnecessary except on special occasions e.g. when required by external authority. If we are always truthful, there would be no need to take an oath. It merely suggests that sometimes we may be lying.

Clement of Alexandria, one of the early fathers, said Christians must lead such a life and demonstrate such a character that no one will ever dream of demanding an oath from them.

Conclusion

The essence of the teaching of Jesus here is the importance of speech. Do not lie to one another. Avoid empty frivolous speech, exaggeration and suggested lies and empty promises. No need for oaths to reinforce statements. But accede to state’s request because all have to be treated alike in this lying world. We do live in a world which abounds with untruthfulness. Someone once said “The first casualty in warfare is truth”. We only have to think about the dishonest claims in business life, lies and dishonesty leading to divorce courts, empty promises of politicians, clever distinction between big and little sins., violation of international treaties, withholding of information when trials take place, men speaking of ethical foreign policy but unfaithful to their own wives, distorted newspaper reporting. In the midst of all this, Jesus says to us we are to behave and speak always remembering we are in God’s presence. Absolutely truthful.

We walk in fellowship through this world with the God the truth, the Son who is The Truth, and the Spirit of Truth. It was said of Christ He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth (1 Peter 2:22). A man ought to examine himself (1 Cor. 11:28).