Swearing oaths and Matthew 5:33-37

[Lux Veritatis]

Matthew 5:33-37 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath 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. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one."

What do these verses mean? Should one swear on a Bible to God, or do these verses prohibit this? If one does swear an oath does this go against the verses as they say that anything beyond simple yes or no comes from the evil one?

 

[lforrest]

I take it as a command not to make oaths or vows. Yet oaths remain in our society because the are an effective means of control. People still make vows to God that are not within their power to keep.

If your obligations are already known an oath or vow serves only as a deterrent to acting counter to those obligations. Breaking your word is heaping a sin upon another sin, the sum of which is more serious than the original offence.

Jesus wants people to be true to their word, and this can be done without oaths or vows. Oaths and vows provide extra ammunition for the accuser(Satan) to use against you if you fail to live up to your self imposed obligations.

 

[horsecamp]

Jesus is not saying here a person cannot testyfy in court or any other place ( John 1:/25 Jesus testyfying before Pilot---------the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”



Jesus is also saying ,

DON'T LIE AS IF YOUR NOT LYING TO God because you are-- all things belong to him ------- .. and when you TESTYFY . let your yes be yes and your no be no..


EXAMPLE -----------you do not want to be dis honest or confusing like many people running for governmental offices of to day ..try to do .. they use many words to avoid a simple yes or no..


Some guy standing in the court room say place your hand on the bible and do you swear to tell the truth .


why are you telling the truth because of that guys words ? no---- your telling the truth out of thankfulness to Jesus the salvation he won for you -------


and not out of compultion a have to --------------rather out of thankfulness a want to ---------gospel motivation not law motivation..



Jesus speaks under oath-----------------

62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent.
The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
64 “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”[e]
65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. 66 What do you think?”
“He is worthy of death,” they answered.



and no you dont have to explain this to the secular court..