TEXT: Matthew 5:33-37

SUBJECT: Exposition of Sermon on the Mount #8: Oaths

The Lord Jesus did not come "to destroy the Law and the prophets, but to fulfill (them)". The Sermon on the Mount, therefore, does not contradict the Old Testament Scriptures, but it does add to them. Why? Because "the Law and prophets" were not complete. They were never meant to be. Paul tells us that they were the "schoolmaster until Christ". They taught the elementary lessons; He teaches the college courses. In vv.21-32, He has offered advanced teaching on murder, adultery, and divorce. In vv.33-37, He takes up the subject of "oaths". He does it in the usual way: by comparison.

"Again, you have heard it said to those of old, `You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord'", v.33. This had been said to "those of old". But who said it? God. Where? In the Bible.

What is an oath? It is a sacred promise. When one took an oath, he was asking God to be his witness. And more: he was asking God to curse him if he lied. And cursed he would be. "A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who speaks lies shall perish" says Proverbs 19:9.

What was the oath's purpose? To induce one to tell the truth, of course. All Lying was a sin, but perjury was a crime punishable by death and damnation. Therefore, when a man swore to an oath, he had better keep his word. Numbers 30:2 makes it plain: "If a man vows a vow to the LORD, or swears to an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth".

This is what they had "heard". And they had heard it correctly. But now they're to hear something more.

"But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king, nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black, but let your `yes' be `yes', and your `no' be `no'. For whatever is more than these is from the evil one".

What is the Lord doing?

Some have said "He is correcting the Rabbis". But this makes no sense. If He were, He would have quoted them--and not the Scriptures. Or, He would have used the His customary terms, "doctrines of men" or "traditions". But, of course, He doesn't. Because He is not correcting the Rabbis.

He is "fulfilling the Law and the Prophets". The ethical teaching Moses began, He completes.

What does He tell us about oaths? He tells us "do not swear at all". What does this mean? Some have taken it quite literally. Consequently, they won't take an oath in court; they won't pledge allegiance to the flag; they won't swear to uphold and defend the constitution. Some of these men are worthy of our respect; many have suffered for conscience. But, as sincere as they may be, I don't think they have grasped the Lord's meaning.

What is it?

By taking an oath in the Name of God, one promised to tell the truth. The Jew, however, was reluctant to invoke the Name, and so referred to God indirectly. He would swear by "heaven"--because it was "God's throne". He would swear by "the earth"--because it was "His footstool". He would swear by "Jerusalem"--because it was "the city of the Great King". He would swear by his "head"--because God controlled his life. But whatever word he put into his oath, the meaning was the same: he swore by God. And, if he invoked that Holy Name, he felt bound to "Tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth".

But that won't do. The Lord adds: "Let your `yes' be `yes' and your `no' be `no'. What does this mean? It means: "Tell the truth even when you're not under oath". The Lord's people needn't "swear at all", because they tell the truth without invoking the Name of God. They do it from a good conscience and not from fearing the Divine curse.

Why should we do this? Because "Whatever is more than these is from the evil one". The notion of "a two-tiered truth"--one under oath, the other not--is from Satan. If one must swear to tell the truth, he is a liar. And the devil, of course, is "a liar from the beginning, and the father of lies".

These words provide lessons worth learning.

Firstly, be careful what you say. The Christian is under a perpetual oath. He is accountable for every word he says. "Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; therefore, let your words be few", Ecclesiastes 5:2.

Secondly, do what you say--even if it's super-inconvenient. Whether the Lord passed through your mind or not, your every promise is a oath before God. You wouldn't break a sacred oath, would you? Then do what you have promised, whatever the cost. "My son, if you become a surety for a friend, if you have shaken hands in a pledge for a stranger, you are snared by the words of your mouth. So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; for you have come into the hand of your friend. Go and humble yourself; plead with your friend. Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids. Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler", Proverbs 6:1-5. This Scripture is laden to imagery, but its meaning is fairly simple: If you've made a promise (even a stupid one) keep it with the same energy that a deer uses to escape the hunter. If you force yourself to do this, you'll learn the first lesson, too: Be careful what you say.

Thirdly, confess your myriad lies to the Lord. If we're under oath at all times, we have perjured ourselves something awful. We've told "white-lies" and "half-truths". We've slanted the truth to make ourselves look better than we are and others worse than they are. We've repeated rumors as truth. So many lies to confess; so little time to confess them.

Fourthly, to parents: make your children stick to their word. If you don't, you contribute to their lying.

Fifthly, repent of the broken promises made to God. If Ananias and Sapphira died for "lying to God", how can we be content with the many vows we have broken to the Lord? Have we promised to love Him? To seek Him with our whole heart? To study His word? To pray? To witness? Have we kept our promises?

Lastly, the demand for absolute truth-telling must daily drive us to "the throne of grace to obtain mercy, that we might find grace to help in time of need".