Matthew 5:37 NKJV, “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.”
The context
““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.”
Matthew 5:33-36 NKJV
Reading Matthew 5:37 in its context indicates that the Lord Jesus is teaching his disciples/followers to avoid or to not do one specific thing but to do another: Followers of Jesus Christ are to (1) “not swear at all” but (2) limit ourselves to saying “yes” or “no”. The two stand in contrast to each other…. Having said that, we cannot help but noticing Proverbs 10:19 being echoed here, “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking , But he who restrains his lips is wise.”….
Accordingly, from a contextual point of view it is clear that swearing goes beyond yes or no. See, whilst some swear by heaven (God’s throne), some by Jerusalem (the city of the great king), some by the earth (God’s footstool), others did the same by their head (yet they cannot make one hair white or black).
Interestingly, the Lord Jesus reveals and remarks, “…whatever is more than these (yes or no) is from the evil one”. Swearing by heaven and/or swearing by Jerusalem, by the earth and even by one’s own head is actually going beyond “yes” or “no”, and, the added bit is from the evil one (not my words…), that is, the evil one has a vested interest in having you add to it for any reason…. God help us!
Intriguing Scene: Genesis 15 (God’s Covenant with Abram). We hope you take time to read the chapter for yourself…
Please note Abram’s question in verse 8, “And he said, “Lord God, how shall I know that I will inherit it?””
The Lord God’s response in verse 9, “So He said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.””
Abraham did as he was told in verses 10-11, setting the stage for the assurance he sought of the Lord God, “Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.”
Question: What do you make of verse 12: “Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him.”
Interestingly, the Bible states in the next verse (13) “Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years.”…
Please note, “He said to Abram” whilst the latter was in “a deep sleep” and the fact that Abraham was put in a deep sleep tells us that he was not expected to participate or partake in the ceremony (cutting the covenant), as would have been the case traditionally, as if to tell us that the certainty of the oath (promise) made by the Lord God to Abraham rested exclusively on Himself. It could not have rested on Abram (a human being). We note that Abram was not permitted to swear, and we understand that by swearing to Abram, the Lord God gave the assurance to fulfil the promises he made on oath to him. Every word said in this context (oath/swearing) was/is (spiritually) binding so that failure to fulfil it attracted serious even deadly consequences!
Hebrews 6:13-14 states, “For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.””
obviously, swearing by someone is acknowledging accountability to the one for the oath. It is also giving assurance of certainty for the promise made and here is the real problem for certainty is exclusively God’s domain: Everything a human being does is contingent on circumstances if not on God himself…. The statement “no one greater” with reference to God simply means that He is the Independent dependable! Hence, He (God) can swear but we should not, hence the exception requires our adding “so help me God” when we have to swear or take an oath.
Simon Peter: The man who swore twice (Matthew 26:31-35)
Jesus reveals to his disciples, Matthew 26:31, “Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’”
Peter’s first statement, Matthew 26:33, “Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.””
Jesus reveals to Peter in response, Matthew 26:34, “Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.””
Peter’s second statement, Matthew 26:35, “Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And so said all the disciples.” -Talking about someone swearing out of desperation to prove credibility! The group dynamic is revealing: See how Peter’s responses had a ripple effect on “all the disciples” ….
No wonder Luke 22:31-32 disclose, “And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”” Intriguing especially when considering the foregoing as part of Luke’s recollection of the scene in Matthew 26.
The Lord Jesus speaking to his disciples states the following:
- do not swear at all…
- But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’
- For whatever is more than these [yes or No] is from the evil one.”
Tell me, (1) when was the last time you swore and (2) how hard is it for you to simply limit yourself to “Yes” or “No”?
