Matthew 5:33-37

The Sermon on the Mount Continues

Matthew 5:33-37 deals with oaths.

“Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear [GR break your oath, or perjure yourself] thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

“But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:

“Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

“Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

“But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil” (Matthew 5:33-37).

Oaths were an important part of Jewish society. It was also an important part of Nephite society.

“Remember that oaths were such that even bad guys didn’t break oaths. One of the enemies of the Nephites refused to enter into an oath of peace by saying, basically, ‘I will not make an oath that I know I will break’ (see Alma 44:8). It was unheard of to break oaths. Oaths, for a time, served a function, but over time, by the time of Jesus, oaths became loopholes. People began to swear by things over which they had no control. In the beginning people would swear an oath and therefore certify that they would not do this or would not do that, and you could trust them. After a while people began to swear by the moon, by the stars, by the earth—things over which they had no control. Jesus calls people to a higher righteousness, and what is the call? Let your word be your bond. If you say, ‘Yea,’ mean yea; if you say ‘Nay,’ mean nay. ‘Whatsoever cometh of more than these is evil,’ he says in verse 37 (see also Matthew 5:37) … The Lord again calls us to a higher level of righteousness.”[1]

“To be sure, some have read Matthew 5:34 and James 5:12[2] as forbidding all oaths or promises of any kind (‘swear not at all,’ ‘swear no other oath’), but this does not capture what appears to be the historical intent of Jesus (as reflected explicitly in Matthew 23), and these two texts can be interpreted otherwise: I read the Greek in James 5:12 as telling Christians not to swear an oath by heaven, or by earth, or by any other such thing (allon tina). James admonishes his followers to let their “yes” really be a “yes” and their “no” really be a “no” and to keep their solemn promises, literally “so that they not fall under judgment [of the Lord].” Disciples of Jesus are not to be uncommitted, but should let their sacred “word (logos) be yes, yes, no, no” (Matthew 5:37). From a Latter-day Saint point of view, the most important commitments a person can ever say “yes” or “no” to are those made in covenants with God.” (emphasis in original)[3]

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[1] The Doctrine of the Risen Christ: Part 2, Robert L. Millet, Maxwell Institute.

[2] “But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation” (James 5:12).

[3] Toward an Understanding of the Sermon as a Temple Text, John W. Welch, Maxwell Institute website.