33-36. You have also heard what was said to the ancients: do not break your oath, but fulfill your oaths before the Lord. 34 But I say to you: do not swear at all: not by heaven, for it is the throne of God; 35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King; 36 Do not swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black. 37. But let your word be: yes, yes; no no; and anything beyond this is from the evil one .
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said: “Do not swear at all, but let your word be: yea, yea; no, no, and anything beyond this is from the evil one .
In order to accurately fulfill this command, we need to clearly understand two principles that we will now consider.
“And I tell you: do not swear at all...”
Continuing the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ proclaimed: “Again you have heard what was said to the ancients: Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord. But I say to you: do not swear at all: not by heaven, for it is the throne of God; nor the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King; Do not swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black. But let your word be: yes, yes; no no; and anything beyond this is from the evil one” (Matthew 5:33–37)
. These words of Jesus Christ about the oath can be explained as follows. The word “oath”, in Hebrew “sheba” means “a solemn promise, affirmation” (S.I. Ozhegov, “Dictionary of the Russian Language”, 22nd edition, Russian Language Publishing House, Moscow 1990, page 280).
In the time of Moses, the oath was known among the Jews as a very ancient custom. There were oaths in various types and forms. For example, there was an oath in the form of one person’s assurance to another person or group of persons of the correctness and truth of the words spoken by him. The Jews had an oath in the form of calling God to witness the truthfulness of what was said. Such an oath concerned the facts of the present, past and future, as well as assurances of the authenticity of any facts or actions. In many countries around the world there is an oath that is taken at the request of the government, for example before a court. There is an oath in the form of an oath, for example, taken before military service. There is an oath-promise, for example, about non-disclosure of secrets when joining any societies (for example, Masonic). There is an oath of people united by one profession. For example, the Hippocratic Oath among doctors.
Most often, an oath in the Bible took two forms: 1 an oath confirming something of which a person was an eyewitness; 2 a promising oath, in which a person promised to perform some action. Words from the Bible “If anyone makes a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath, placing a pledge on his soul, then he must not break his word, but must fulfill everything that comes out of his mouth” (Num. 30:3)
It is a mistake to attribute it only to a confirming oath. Because it supposedly cannot be broken, since with this oath a person does not undertake to perform any deeds, and an oath promise can be broken by failure to fulfill the promised act. This judgment is incorrect and here's why. Both forms of oath are broken. An oath of promise is violated by failure to fulfill the promised deed, and an oath of confirmation (assurance) is also violated by the fact that one day a person can confirm something by swearing his words, and the next day refuse the words he said. Therefore, the words about breaking an oath equally apply to both a confirming (certifying) oath and an oath in the form of a promise to perform an act. Since if a person does not renounce the previously spoken words sworn to by him, then by doing so he also commits a worthy act.
In different types of oaths, according to the customs of different nations, the name of God may be absent or present. So, for example, among pagan peoples they swore without referring to God. “They swear by the sin of Samaria and say: “As your God lives, Dan!” (Amos 8:14).
The Lord God, turning to the prophet Jeremiah, said:
“Your sons have forsaken Me and swear by those who are not gods” (Jer. 5:7)
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The pagans swore by objects of pleasure. “On that day the beautiful virgins and young men who swear by the sin of Samaria will melt with thirst” (Am. 8:13-14).
In pagan countries they swore by the name of kings and pharaohs. “This is how you will be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you will not come out of here unless your youngest brother comes here” (Gen. 42:15).
Among the ancient Jews, the oath was also widely used since time immemorial.
The Hebrew patriarch Abraham swore. “And Abraham said, I swear” (Gen. 21:24).
The Hebrew patriarch Joseph swore to his father, Israel.
The oath was often used by ordinary people, prophets and patriarchs of the Jewish people. “But Abraham said to the king of Sodom, “I lift up my hand to the Lord God Most High, the Lord of heaven and earth, because I will not take even a thread or a shoe strap from all yours” (Gen. 14:22-23).
Moses regulated the use of oaths in the Jewish environment and gave rules and restrictions associated with the use of oaths. So Moses prohibited the use of a false oath using the name of God. “Do not swear falsely by My name, and do not dishonor the name of your God. I am the Lord [your God]” (Lev. 19:12).
Moses commanded that oath promises be fulfilled.
“If anyone makes a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath, placing a pledge on his soul, then he must not break his word, but must fulfill everything that has come out of his mouth” (Num. 30:3)
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Moses declared that only the oath in which the name of God was invoked was firm. “Fear the Lord thy God, and serve Him [alone], and cleave to Him, and swear by His name.”
(Deut. 6:13). Moses allowed the Jews to use oaths in the form of justifying assurance during controversial issues, as well as the use of an oath before the court to confirm testimony
“an oath before the Lord be between both, that the one who took did not stretch out his hand on his neighbor’s property” (Ex. 22:11 )
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But despite the instructions of Moses, over time the oath began to be used by Jews not only in especially important cases of life, but also for any trifles, and in ordinary colloquial speech. Back in Old Testament times, the ancient Jews on Mount Sinai were told: “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain” (Ex. 20:7)
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However, the ancient Jews very often violated this injunction and frivolously pronounced the name of God, using this name in their false oaths. Along with this, the Jews very often and unjustifiably referred to God, and also cursed themselves in His name, that is, they called upon their heads heavenly punishment, which should punish those who swear if they are wrong. That is, they swore in the name of God. At the same time, Jews used different formulations in their oaths. For example, after their statements they repeated the wording “As the Lord lives”, which meant that they swear by God. “[Gideon] said: These were my brothers, the sons of my mother.
The Lord lives!” (Judges 8:19). In addition, the Jews used in their oaths such formulations as “let God do this and that to me” (1 Kings 2:23). “And he said: Let God do this and that for me, and even more, if...” (2 Kings 6:31).
Along with this, the Jews repeatedly and unjustifiably took God as a witness to confirm that they were right.
In fact, in the vast majority of cases, in the words of the Jews when pronouncing oaths and references to God, rightness and truth were absent. “Although they say, “As the Lord lives,” they swear falsely” (Jer. 5:2).
That is why Moses, in order to protect his people from the grave sin of perjury, and showing condescension to the hard-heartedness of the Jews, allowed them to pronounce oaths, but on the condition that these oaths were not false.
As already mentioned, Moses indicated that the oaths pronounced by the Jews must be fulfilled. This applies to vows, assurances and promises. “If you make a vow to the Lord your God, fulfill it immediately, for the Lord your God will exact it from you, and sin will be upon you” (Deut. 23:21).
Moses also instructed the Jews not to refer to God in their false assurances, not to point to the Lord as a witness to the truth of their false statements, and not to take God's name in vain.
“Do not swear falsely by My name, and do not dishonor the name of your God.
I am the Lord [your God]” (Lev.19:12) .
The ancient Jews not only often took the name of God in vain, that is, to disguise their lies, to justify greed and money-grubbing, but they also openly violated their oaths sealed in the name of God. Such actions became widespread in the Jewish state because the Pharisees, indulging in perjury, invented numerous justifications for this sin. So, for example, the Pharisees, calming the conscience of the Jews, argued that in oaths it is forbidden to swear only in the name of God and therefore all other, obviously false oaths supposedly do not contain sin. It was the Pharisees who advised the Jews in such oaths to swear by heaven, earth, Jerusalem, their own heads, etc., instead of the name of God. The Pharisees also falsely claimed that a false oath in the name of personal gain and selfishness was allegedly allowed in cases where the insincerity of the oath cannot be proven and if such an oath allows one to cleverly circumvent the Law and successfully arrange one’s affairs. At the same time, the Pharisees forgot to point out to the people that any false oath, regardless of whether it is pronounced in the name of God or not, still remains false and is a sin.
Therefore, Jesus Christ condemned the Pharisees with all irreconcilability, declaring that such oaths in any case violate the Law of God. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ gave a comprehensive explanation of why such Pharisaic oaths cannot be used. Jesus Christ calls not to believe the Pharisees, who, condoning human weaknesses, allow an oath without the name of God. Jesus Christ in the Sermon on the Mount explains why you cannot use Pharisaic oaths and swear neither by heaven nor by earth, nor by Jerusalem, nor by your head. “But I say to you: do not swear at all: not by heaven, for it is the throne of God; nor the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King; Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black” (Matt. 5:34-36).
The words of Jesus Christ must be understood in the sense that heaven, earth, Jerusalem, and everything else belongs only to God. Everything comes to man from God and everything in the world is God. And from what man received from God, everything was washed by the atoning blood of the Savior. Therefore, no matter what a person swears, in essence he swears by what does not belong to him, but to God, because a person has nothing of his own that is not given by God. In this case, a person should not put anything forward to confirm that he is right. Everything that people have, like human life itself, bears the imprint of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. And it is from this point of view that the oath must be considered.
Therefore, a person should swear only by the name of God, which God allowed to be invoked in an oath. Therefore, one cannot swear by heaven, since man does not own it and because heaven is a symbol of the throne of God. You cannot swear by the earth, since it also belongs to God, being His footstool. One cannot swear by the earth because the earth is the human habitat and should not be tainted by a false oath. And also because the earth is not a symbol of holiness, since there is a lot of evil, sin, lies and injustice on it. And therefore, swearing by the earth, a person swears by the evil that dominates it. You cannot swear by Jerusalem, since it is the city of the great King. The great king in Jerusalem was Solomon, as he built the Great Temple in this city in honor of the True One God. But in the above words, Jesus Christ is called the Great King. The Bible speaks about Christ as a King: “I am a King. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I came into the world, to testify to the truth; everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice" (John 18:37)
It was in this city that His preaching activities took place. It was in this city that He was crucified and He was resurrected. Therefore, this city can be called the city of the great King, Jesus Christ.
One cannot swear by this city also because Jerusalem, after the public ministry of the Savior, became a symbol of religious and moral life, a city closely connected with the biography of Christ. You cannot swear by your head because the head is a symbol of the mind, the intellectual and moral life of a person. And intelligence and creative abilities are also given by God and do not belong to man. Therefore, you cannot swear by them either. The head is a symbol of human life in general, which, like the mind, belongs to God. And since a person has nothing of his own in this world, and everything is received from God, then one must swear only in the name of God. “For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Jesus Christ wanted His followers to demonstrate morality higher than that of the Pharisees. Therefore, it can be assumed that Jesus Christ believed that those people who became poor in spirit, crying over their own and others’ sins, became meek, truthful, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, cannot lie and are worthy of such trust that they do not need to be supported your words with an oath. Therefore, the words of such people, “yes” or “no,” will be more reliable and firmer than the oaths of sinners and deceivers. Jesus Christ called all other people to become just such, morally pure people and not to swear at all, because a morally pure person is not capable of deceiving. If a person is required to swear confirmation of his words, then this indicates that such a person is not believed, because he has stained himself with a false life and evil deeds, and it is not enough to hear the words “yes” or “no” from him, but confirmation is needed his words are also an oath. An honest person may not swear at all, since he always tells the truth. Therefore, for honest people, an oath is simply not needed.
And for people with a low moral level, an oath is useful for the simple reason that it will keep a person from the sin of perjury. The idea that if a person did not take an oath, then he has nothing to break, and he can lie for the sake of profit, is incorrect because with or without an oath, a person must still remain honest. But for people with low morality and prone to sin, an oath is useful in that such a person, fearing God’s punishment, will still observe the oath and show honesty in relation to its fulfillment. Perhaps such a person will develop in the future in a moral sense and will no longer break his oath, not only because of the fear of God’s punishment, but also because of an awakened conscience.
Thus, an oath for a person at the first stage of his moral development will be useful in that it will play the role of a deterrent and protect a person from possible sin in the form of perjury.
Having said that people's words should be "yes, yes"
,
“no, no
,” and everything beyond this
is “from the evil one
,” Jesus Christ pointed out that the guiding principle in all conversations of people should be the truth in its laconic presentation. All other words, “what is beyond this,” that is, beyond the truth, “is from the evil one,” says the Lord. Truth comes only from God. Lies, misinterpretations, falsification and distortions come from the evil spirit, the “father of lies.” Therefore, the person who deviates from the truth thereby surrenders himself to the power of the evil one. The truth can be spoken only when a person lives according to the Precepts of God and is guided by the teachings of the One who is the Absolute Truth Himself. That is, God is the embodiment of Reason, Wisdom, Truth and Light. Therefore, all the actions and words of a true Christian should be bright and clear, like a ray of light.
Christ's call that "Let your word be: yea, yea, no, no"
also concerns the way of conducting conversations, constructing phrases and the culture of speech in general.
With these words, Jesus Christ condemns insignificant conversations and idle talk, the use of rude and abusive expressions, flattery and lies in speech, and calls on people to ensure that their short speech is filled with clear meaning and deep meaning, and makes a favorable impression on the listener. “Let your word always be with grace” (Col. 4:6),
the Apostle Paul explains the teaching of Christ.
Jesus Christ calls on people not only not to abuse the name of God, but also to take care that speech does not offend the interlocutor, is devoid of swear words, serves the ideals of goodness and strengthening of faith, has educational value and is pleasant for listeners. “Let no corrupt word come out of your mouth, but only that which is good for edifying in the faith, that it may bring grace to those who hear” (Eph. 4:29).
With his statement that people’s speech should be simple and brief, “yes, yes,” “no, no,” Jesus Christ also condemns absurd, unnecessary disputes, quarrels, stupid jokes and ridicule, reproaches and reproaches, mocking and humiliating words , ambiguous expressions and vulgar conversations, as well as conversations that inflame passion, pushing towards sin. Prohibiting sinful conversations, Jesus Christ demands from people truthfulness in words, purity of thoughts, openness and truth both in thoughts and speeches, and in the deeds of our lives, so that a person becomes purer and better, moves away from sin and does not participate “in fruitless works of darkness" (Eph.5:11)
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Principle one. We are not omnipotent, we cannot influence many events
Do you understand how insignificant our life is? How weak is a person? There are many circumstances beyond our control. And we, sometimes, are like a straw in a sea of external events.
Here's how Jacob writes about it:
13. Now listen to you who say: “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and we will live there for one year, and we will trade and make a profit”; 14. You who do not know what will happen tomorrow: for what is your life? steam that appears for a short time and then disappears. (James 4:13,14)
Remember Peter, who swore to Jesus that he would never betray him:
33. Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are offended because of You, I will never be offended.” 34. Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 35. Peter said to Him: Even though I had to die with You, I will not deny You. All the disciples said the same thing. (Holy Gospel of Matthew 26:33-35)
What stupid arrogance! Only the all-powerful God, who has control over everything, can say: “I swear that I will do this.” The man is too pitiful and weak.
The lesson we can learn from this is to never rely only on our own strength.
