JESUS' TEACHING ON SWEARING

Matthew 5:33-37 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: but I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

Jesus continues to correct the scribes’ and Pharisees’ false interpretation of God’s law. Here, what the Jews heard about swearing came to them by them of old time, and probably came from this commandment of God. And ye shall not swear by My name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord (Lev. 19:12). It was not that they could not swear (as in promising), but that if they did so, they were told to fulfill that promise. “Forswearing,” both then and now, is considered to be perjury. It means to renounce an oath or to knowingly swear falsely; to break a promise or refrain from fulfilling something promised. In the lesson text, the promise to perform a deed is made in God’s sight as if it were made to Him. Failing to keep one’s commitment is spiritual perjury in the sight of God.

No doubt Jewish religious leaders misinterpreted these commandments to mean that they were prohibited from swearing falsely and profaning the name of the Lord thy God. In this lesson text, Jesus does not forbid judicial oaths, but he does correct their interpretation of this law of God. Words following an oath, or promise, such as, “as God is my witness,” or “so help me God,” solicit God’s vengeance for deceitful testimony. The Jewish religious leaders thought they could avoid God’s wrath from broken promises by using other things to confirm and give credibility to their oaths. So they swore by heaven, …by earth, …by Jerusalem, (and) …by thy head. However, Jesus said that these are all of God’s creation, indicating that such swearing is the same as if they were swearing “by God” Himself. Such swearing by the Jewish people to one another appeared to be so trite and commonplace that they became vain promises. It appears that Jesus was not concerned with oath making as much as the deceitful way they were used. God, through His Son, Jesus Christ demands honesty and truthfulness in all things we say and do. When making a promise to another person or entity, whether it be a personal or business commitment, we are not commanded to swear by anything other that our integrity and signature. We are commanded to tell the truth at all times and perform any legitimate promises that we make. A promise to give false testimony, or perform an illegal or immoral act, is sinful in itself, without swearing to do so.

Oaths that must be kept and performed are not made only from one person to another. The Old Testament gives us this example of making oaths to God: That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the Lord thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth (Deut. 23:23). Also, If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth (Num. 30:2). Notice what the writer of Ecclesiastes tells us about sworn promises made to God: When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for He hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay (Eccl. 5:4-5). This scripture has a similar New Testament application also.

Again, Jesus’ teaching in the lesson text tells us that we are not to swear falsely, irreverently, or in a light, disdainful manner. He did not prohibit swearing under the oath before civil magistrates. As a matter of fact, this is what Jesus was required to do when He was brought before the high priest. He was told to testify by the living God. Under this oath, Jesus did not hesitate to give answer (See Matt. 26:63-64). The answers you give must always be truthful in order that your credibility will be established, and additional promises of truthfulness are unnecessary and meaningless. In doing so, your answers, whether it be “Yes” or “No,” could be believed and accepted as truth. So, by divine inspiration, James wrote: But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation (James 5:12).