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The Book of Matthew

May 15, 2024 • Pastor Ludence Robinson • Matthew 5:33–37

THE BOOK OF MATTHEW 5:33-37

33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have to the Lord made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear at all; either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 Simply let your ‘Yes ’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”

 

‘KEEP YOUR WORD’

 

We live in a world in which the truth is often the first casualty among men. We would rather lie than tell the truth. And because of this predisposition, we have built an elaborate system of lawyers, notaries, contracts, and written agreements in order that men may keep the word they have made to each other. We sign these binding agreements to ensure that we do what we say we will do for each other. However, the sad commentary is, that none of it makes people more truthful or honest, because most of the dishonesty is in the fine print. Are you a man or woman of your word? When you say “yes” or “no”, do people take it as “gospel” (i.e., truth)? Are you someone whose word is questioned, unless confirmed with an oath?

 

Last week we saw how Jesus dealt with divorce, when persons who were once married and bonded by an oath, reneged on the promises they made to each other and ended up going their separate ways. So, to further his teaching on commitment Jesus now speaks on the issue of oath swearing. In which He set a high standard for His disciples and devotees to follow. A standard that was to exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees, and also exceed the standards followed by many people today.

 

This evening, we will reflect on what it means to ‘keep our word.’ And we will consider what Jesus taught from the standpoint of four questions:


What did the Law of Moses teach concerning the swearing of oaths?

How did the Scribes and Pharisees, interpret the Law?

What did Jesus teach in response to the scribes and Pharisees' interpretation of the Law concerning oaths?

Was Jesus forbidding the swearing of oaths in court?

 

To answer the first question, what did the Law of Moses teach concerning the swearing of oaths?

 

Let's consider first...


THE LAW OF MOSES AND ITS VARIOUS QUOTATIONS ON SWEARING OF OATHS


The Mosaic Law contained several prohibitions against swearing falsely by the name of God. Four scriptural passages will help us to see more clearly how these quotations are written in the Torah.

Exodus 20:7

Leviticus 19:12

Numbers 19:12

Deuteronomy 23:21

 

The emphasis in all these passages of scripture is on truthfulness and faithfulness to God and your fellow man. To swear by God’s name meant that he was your witness and that you were telling the truth. Therefore, we must be truthful when we swear an oath; We must truly mean it. We must also be faithful in keeping the oath and ensure that it is carried out to completion. Do not misrepresent yourself in any way, shape or form.

This emphasis on truthfulness was also conveyed by the psalmists and the prophets who stressed that truth should proceed from the heart.


The Psalmist

Psalm 15:1-2

Psalm 24:3-4.

 

The Prophets

Jeremiah 5:1-2

Hosea 4:1-2.

 

So, the teaching of the Law is clear: Vows made to the Lord should be kept, and truthfulness in all things is expected. This leads me to our second question: How did the Scribes and Pharisees, interpret the Law?

 

Let's consider secondly...


THE SCRIBES' AND PHARISEES’ INTERPRETATION OF LAW CONCERNING THE SWEARING OF OATHS

 

      It appears from the words of Jesus here in Matthew 5:33 that the emphasis had shifted from truthfulness in all things to just honoring only those oaths that have been made to the Lord. Jesus says, “again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, Do not break your oath but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.”


So from Jesus' words, the teaching long ago was, that only those vows made to the Lord were binding…this can also be seen clearly in the words of Jesus in Matthew 23:16-19 

 

Due to these interpretations offered by the scribes and Pharisees, daily conversations were often spiced with meaningless oaths and fruitless impressions. They sought to avoid the impropriety of swearing falsely by God’s name by substituting it for “I swear by heaven”, “I swear by the throne of God”, “I swear...by the earth...by Jerusalem...by the altar...by the temple...by my head...” so that those oaths made only to the Lord were binding. These fruitless impressions released them from any responsibilities.

 

By shifting the emphasis from truthfulness to honoring only those vows made to the Lord, the Scribes and Pharisees in their treatment of the Law justified the use of meaningless vows. This brings us to our third question: What did Jesus teach in response to the Scribes and Pharisees' interpretation of the Law concerning oaths?

 

Let's consider Lastly...


JESUS’ ILLUSTRATION AND EXPLANATION OF THE LAW ON OATHS


Jesus exposed the hypocrisy of the Scribes and Pharisees in their arbitrary distinctions. Jesus is clear that to make a distinction between vows made to the Lord and vows made to anything else, is meaningless, as he puts it “But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.”


Jesus’ argument here clearly shows that when one swears by...

“The temple”

“The altar”

“The Heavens”

“The Earth”

“The City of Jerusalem”

“Your head”

“The throne of God”...because regardless of where you swear, we cannot eliminate God from any of it, it all belongs to him. It is His creation, and it is all under His control. So that wherever you swear, you are swearing by the LORD also. The point Jesus was making here was that one cannot swear by these things without involving God.

 

Jesus like the psalmist and the prophets appealed to the truthfulness of the heart. Jesus says, “Simply let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”