Do Not Swear At All

"You have heard that it was said -, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.' But I say to you, do not swear at all." (1)

"The reason for this command is given: We are not to swear '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.' (2)

"The Jews understood the third commandment as prohibiting the profane use of the name of God; but they thought themselves at liberty to employ other oaths. Oath taking was common among them. Through Moses they had been forbidden to swear falsely, but they had many devices for freeing themselves from the obligation imposed by an oath. They did not fear to indulge in what was really profanity, nor did they shrink from perjury so long as it was veiled by some technical evasion of the law.

"Jesus condemned their practices, declaring that their custom in oath taking was a transgression of the commandment of God. Our Saviour did not, however, forbid the use of the judicial oath, in which God is solemnly called to witness that what is said is truth and nothing but the truth. Jesus Himself, at His trail before the Sanhedrin, did not refuse to testify under oath. The high priest said to Him, 'I adjure Thee by the living God, that Thou tell us whether Thou be the Christ, the Son of God.' Jesus answered, 'Thou has said.' (3) Had Christ in the Sermon on the Mount condemned the judicial oath, He would at His trial have reproved the high priest and thus, for the benefit of His followers, have enforced His own teaching...

"If there is anyone who can consistently testify under oath, it is the Christian. He lives constantly as in the presence of God, knowing that every thought is open to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do; and when required to do so in a lawful manner, it is right for him to appeal to God as a witness that what he says is the truth, and nothing but the truth...

"Through the apostle Paul, Christ bids us, 'Let your speech always be with grace.' (4) 'Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.' (5) In the light of these scriptures the words of Christ upon the mount are seen to condemn jesting, trifling, and unchaste conversation. They require that our words should be not only truthful, but pure." (6)

1. Matthew 5:33, 34.
2. Matthew 5:34-36.
3. Matthew 26:63, 64, KJV.
4. Colossians 4:6.
5. Ephesians 4:29.
6. Thoughts From The Mount Of Blessing, pp., 66-69.