May a Christian take or make an oath? Matt 5:33-37

Oath

• Definition: – “A solemn promise or affirmation, often invoking a

divine witness, regarding a person’s future action or behavior.”

– “A sworn declaration that one will tell the truth.”

– “An oath for confirmation is the end of all dispute” (Heb 6:16).

Oaths

• Presidential: – “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will

faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, & will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect & defend the Constitution of the United States.”

Oaths

• Witness: – “Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you

are about to give is the truth, the whole truth, & nothing but the truth, so help you God?”

Oaths

• Girl Scout:

– “On my honor, I will try: to serve God & my country, to help people at all times, & to live by the Girl Scout Law.”

• Girl Scout Law: “I will do my best to be honest & fair, friendly & helpful, considerate & caring, courageous & strong, & responsible for what I say & do, & to respect myself & others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, & be a sister to every Girl Scout.”

Text

• Matthew 5:33-37

– Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.' 34 But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' & your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

Oaths

1. Law of Moses?

– Exo 20:7 – You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

– Lev 19:12 – And you shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.

Oaths

1. Law of Moses?

– Deut 23:21 – When you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not delay to pay it; for the LORD your God will surely require it of you, & it would be sin to you.

Oaths

1. Law of Moses?

– Psalms & Prophets – Truthfulness is stressed (Psa 15:1-2; 24:3-4; Jer 5:1-2; Hos 4:1-2).

Oaths

2. Law of Moses: Jewish Interpretation?

– 1 Tim 1:8-10 – But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, 9 knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless & insubordinate, for the ungodly & for sinners, for the unholy & profane, for murderers of fathers & murder-ers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, & if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,

Oaths

2. Law of Moses: Jewish Interpretation?

– Matt 23:16-22 – They considered some oaths to be binding & others not to be (Jesus previously addressed that in Matthew 5:33-37).

Oaths

3. Law of Moses: Jesus Interpretation?

– Exo 22:10-13 – An oath was taken when property (livestock) was exchanged & subsequently lost by injury, death or driven away.

– Num 5:16-22 – The priest was to put under oath a woman suspected of adultery.

• Jesus supported the Law (Matt 5:17)

Oaths

3. Law of Moses: Jesus Interpretation?

– Gen 24:2-3 – Abraham took an oath from Eliezer.

– Gen 50:25 – Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel (Heb 11:22)

• Jesus would condone the Patriarch’s oaths revealed in the Law of Moses (Heb 11:13-16, 22)

Oaths

3. Law of Moses: Jesus Interpretation?

– Matthew 5:33-37 – Jesus was not contradicting the Law concerning oaths, He was exposing the hypocrisy of those who made perverted oaths.

Oaths

4. Matthew 5:33-37: How do we apply it?– We are not to make distinctions in our words for

personal benefit or to take advantage of someone (Psalm 15:1-5 – esp. 2, 4).

– We are not to make oaths (promise, swear) just for appearance sake.• To make stronger impression.

• To use common vernacular.

• To cover up telling a partial truth.

Oaths

4. Matthew 5:33-37: How do we apply it?

– Heb 6:17 – Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath,

Oaths

4. Matthew 5:33-37: How do we apply it?

– Matt 26:63-64 – But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered & said to Him, “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!” 64 Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, & coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Oaths

4. Matthew 5:33-37: How do we apply it?

– 2 Cor 1:23 – Moreover I call God as witness against my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth.

– Gal 1:20 – (Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.)

Oaths

4. Matthew 5:33-37: How do we apply it?

– Rev 10:5-6 – The angel whom I saw standing on the sea & on the land raised up his hand to heaven 6 & swore by Him who lives forever & ever, who created heaven & the things that are in it, the earth & the things that are in it, & the sea & the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer,

Oaths

4. Matthew 5:33-37: How do we apply it?

– Apparently, the prohibition against swearing oaths has two exclusions (Matt 5:33-37; Jas 5:12):

1. Oaths made in judicial circumstances (Jesus).

2. Oaths of solemn religious importance (Paul).

Conclusion

• The Lord’s teaching in Matthew 5:33-37 was given to remind us that our righteousness must exceed that of scribes & Pharisees (Matt 5:20).

• We are to speak with such honesty that people will always believe what we say.