As we confess that vain and rash swearing is forbidden
Christian men by our Lord Jesus Christ and James his apostle, so we judge that
the Christian religion doth not prohibit, but that a man may swear when the
magistrate requireth, in a cause of faith and charity, so it be done according
to the prophet's teaching, in justice, judgment, and truth.
In Matthew 5 while arguing
with the Pharisees, Jesus went on a rant about people swearing by this and that
all the doggone time.
“Again you have heard that it was said to
those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the
Lord.’ 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. 37 But
let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these
is from the evil one. (Matthew 5: 33-37)
“For whatever is more than
these is from the evil one.”
Earlier in His ministry,
Jesus had said that the devil “is a liar and the father of it” (John 8:
44).
Anything beyond the simple truth
is lie.
Therefore “whatever is more
than these” simple truths is from the devil.
So, Jesus ranted, don’t swear by this or that. Just tell the doggone truth.
Without the simple truth, an
oath is just a ritualized lie--- bearing false witness.
Jesus didn’t prohibit Christians
from taking oath and then telling the truth.
He condemned taking an oath and then telling a lie. We know this because Jesus Himself testified
under oath in a court of law.
Matthew 26 explains that
after being betrayed by Judas, Jesus was put on trial before the Sanhedrin
Council. Initially, Jesus refused to
speak but then He was “sworn in” by the high priest.
But Jesus kept silent. And
the high priest answered and said to Him, “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the
Christ, the Son of God!” (Matthew 26: 63)
The tribunal Jesus faced was
illegally assembled, improperly conducted, and corruptly concluded. Jesus response wasn’t about the integrity of
the court or the 1st century Judean justice system.
The official oath in that court
didn’t compel Jesus to tell the truth; Jesus always told the truth. The court couldn’t compel Jesus to violate
God’s law; Jesus also always kept God’s law.
But, Jesus did answer when the high priest put him “under oath by the
living God.”
Jesus said to him, “It is
as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son
of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of
heaven.” (Matthew 26: 63-64)
Jesus’s actions demonstrate
the application of His words.
Like Christ, Christians should
speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth without embellishing
our words with “I swear,” “I promise,” “I put that on my
mama/daddy/grandma/life..” Like Christ,
Christians should just say what we mean and mean what we say.
Like Christ, Christians can
also speak the truth under oath, in court, in response to a judge’s
request. Like Christ, our testimony
doesn’t depend on the integrity of the legal system. We tell the truth because that’s what
Christ-followers are supposed to do.
An oath itself isn’t
necessary, but it also isn’t a sin.
---Anderson T.
Graves II is a writer,
community organizer and consultant for education, ministry, and rural
leadership development.
Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is pastor
of Miles Chapel CME Church in Fairfield, Alabama; executive director of the
Substance Abuse Youth Networking Organization (SAYNO); and director of rural leadership development for
the National Institute for Human Development (NIHD).
Email atgravestwo2@aol.com
#Awordtothewise
You can help support Rev. Graves’
work by visiting his personal blog and clicking
the DONATE button on the right-hand sidebar.
Support by check or money order may
be mailed to
Miles Chapel CME Church
P O Box 132
Fairfield, Al 35064
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