![]() ![]() In Jesus’ day, rabbis concocted a system that defeated the purpose of oaths. No one should break vows unless keeping them requires sin. Disciples must keep their word, especially when others depend on them, even if circumstances change or oath keeping brings real loss. Jesus summarizes the teaching: “You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform” your oaths to the Lord (Matt. Laws about divorce, oaths, and property do not describe God’s perfect will they rein in the effects of sin. So, the law at least regulates and mitigates the effects of sin. By invoking God as witness, the Israelites called him to judge and avenge if they failed to perform a vow. He commanded, “You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord” (Lev. God taught the Israelites to guarantee their veracity by swearing, with God as witness, to tell the truth. Oaths, promises, and contracts all have the same goal: to induce people to keep their word, especially when it is tempting not to. Jesus focuses on the oath, the convention designed to restrain false assertions and promises. The tongue is guilty of false witness, lying, gossip, slander, boasting, flattery, cursing, and more. The concern of these verses is the ninth commandment and the truthfulness that humans find so difficult. Three New Testament scholars offer passage-by-passage commentary through the narratives of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, explaining difficult doctrines, shedding light on overlooked sections, and making applications to life and ministry today. In verses 33–37, Jesus’ teaching on oaths exposes another legal subterfuge that circumvents the law and impedes obedience. In verses 27–32, he explores the lust that motivates adultery and the legal abuse-heedless divorce-that promotes violations of the seventh commandment. In verses 21–26, Jesus looks beyond murder to the anger and disdain driving it. Throughout Matthew 5:21–48, Jesus states God’s commandments, then presses beyond the commands themselves to the righteousness God intends. 37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ anything more than this comes from evil.” Jesus’s Teaching 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Listen to the Passage Read the Passageģ3“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ![]() This article is part of the Tough Passages series. ![]()
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