Living in the Kingdom 10
Scripture: Matthew 5:33-37; 23:16-18; Leviticus 19:12; Exodus 20:7
As I have been studying, meditating and preparing these messages based on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, I have been reflecting on conversations that I have had with people about the Bible and its application to life today. In my past, I felt it was my responsibility to convince them that what the Bible says, it means and it is applicable for how we are living now. I cannot tell you the number of times I have walked away from some of those conversations feeling depressed and confused because I was unable to convince someone that how they were interpreting the Bible was not accurate. You see, there is a belief out there that every person should interpret the Bible according to his or her own truth. In other words, if the Bible does not match up with a core value/belief that you have internally, then you do not have to accept a biblical truth that does not match your personal truth. As I have been going through this series, I have come to the realization that, if we go back to Jesus’ sermon and read it and study it for what He said a lot of other things in the Bible will become clear. But first you have to start from the foundation that what Jesus said is exactly what He meant to say. This is why the Spirit is leading me to do this series, for as long as it takes, on these three chapters in Matthew. If you struggle reading the Bible and wondering if your understanding is correct, go back and start with Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Keep reading it until it is implanted in your spirit. Then begin to branch out into other books and chapters of the Bible comparing the revelation you receive from them back to what Jesus said in His sermon. You will find that what Jesus covered in this one sermon is the foundation for the other concepts and doctrines captured in the rest of the Bible, even the Old Testament so this one sermon is a great starting place for implanting the Word of God in your life.
Several years ago I watched the movie "Hook" which was a remake of the Peter Pan story. In this movie version of the story, Peter Pan had left Neverland and grown up to have a family of his own, forgetting that he was ever Peter Pan. In one scene he was talking to his son Jack about attending his upcoming baseball game. He promised Jack that he would be there – as he had promised many times before. When his son reminded him of how many times he had promised and didn’t show up, Peter replied, “Jack, my word is my bond!” Jack immediately responded saying, “Yeah, junk bonds!” As I witnessed this interaction on screen I immediately thought about if my word was my bond. Of course my first response was that of course my word is my bond. It must be. I am a minister who teaches the Word of God – my word must be my bond. Well, as I was ready to proudly proclaim that my word was my bond, I was quickly reminded of when it wasn’t. I immediately remembered times when I had broken my word. I remembered times when I said I would do something and didn’t follow through. I remembered times when I said I wouldn’t do something and turned around and did it anyway. I remembered times when I said I would be ready at a certain time and I wasn’t. I remembered times when even though I had given my word, something I deemed more important came up which caused me to not keep my promise. I remembered times when I had forgot to do something and had to be reminded. I remembered times when my wife, my daughters, and others asked me those three dishonorable words “Do You Promise…” when I was telling them that I was going to do something. The only reason they felt compelled to ask me to make a promise was because there had been times when I gave my word and didn’t keep it. And through all of these examples, I never saw my lack of follow through, all the unfulfilled promises, and all the times I just did not do what I said I would do as a big deal. I did not think about them as sin and since I did not view them as sin I did not feel the need to repent after doing them. I never want to hear those three words again when I am give my word that I will do something. If you have had this same experience, I want you to listen closely to what Jesus had to say about this. This morning as I continue my series “Living in the Kingdom” we will be looking at what Jesus said about swearing an oath.
Matthew 5:33-37 says the following, “Again, you have heard that it has been said by them of old time, ‘You shall not perjure yourself, but shall perform unto the Lord your oaths.’ 34 But I say unto you, swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne. 35Nor by the earth; for it is His footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. 36Neither shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37But let your communication be, ‘Yea, yea; Nay, nay:’ for whatsoever is more than these comes from evil.”
As we have seen in His treatment of the sixth and seventh commandments, Jesus once again addresses another one of the Ten Commandments. New Light, as I have meditated this passage for several weeks now, I understand that what Jesus is doing is re-teaching these commandments the way that they should have been taught and understood originally. In these verses Jesus addressed one of the Laws found in Leviticus which references the third commandment. Leviticus 19:12 says, “And you shall not swear by My name falsely, neither shall you profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.” Now the third commandment from which this one is based on says, “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7) In His expounding of the sixth and seventh commandments, Jesus deepened their meanings by adding in what has been missing in how they have been taught in the past – the absolute need for them to gain control over their feelings and desires. Now as He addressed this law that is linked to the third commandment – swearing by God’s name – He extended the prohibitions from one kind of oath to all kinds of oaths. As we see in the verses from Leviticus and Exodus, perjury, a false oath, was all that had been forbidden. However Jesus forbids all oaths. Jesus said that our “yes” should be “yes” and our “no” should be “no.” Now I want to ask you a question. What is the purpose of making an oath or swearing (not profanity)? Why is it not enough to be able to simply say “yes” or “no”? To get to the answer for these two questions we must first understand exactly what an oath and swearing is.
An oath is “a formal or legally binding pledge to do something such as tell the truth in a court of law, made formally and often naming God or a loved one as a witness.” Swearing is to “declare solemnly or forcefully that what is said is true, sometimes calling somebody or something thought to be sacred as a witness.” For example, someone swearing on their mother’s grave that they had done what had been asked of them.
When we look at these two definitions, the thread that bonds them together is truth and/or trust. If a person is known for always keeping their word and doing exactly what they say they would do, there would never be a requirement to make an oath or to swear. Why? Because there would not be a need for any additional proof, or guarantee, that a person would do or has done what they agreed to do. The fact that the person said they would do it would be enough. Their word would be their bond. But that is not the case in this world. We are prone to lie if it suits us. We are prone to forgetting things that we have told others we would do, especially if it’s not that important to us personally. We are prone to saying we would do something one day and forgetting about it or just choosing not to do it the next day. I am talking about Christians, not unbelievers. This is the mentality that Jesus was addressing in this message. He was saying that we, being children of God, should be so trustworthy that we would never have to swear or make an oath in order for someone to believe the words coming out of our mouth. Think about it, how many times have you asked someone to swear about something they were telling you? How many times have you said “Honestly, I swear…..?” The only reason we have done this is because we do not have the reputation of being people of our word. Our word only means what we need it to mean at the time that we spoke it, which leaves room for it to change later. Jesus said that our word should be our word! Our word should mean something!
Now listen to why Jesus said that our “yes” should be “yes” and our “no” should be “no”. He said, “…..for whatsoever is more than these comes from evil.” Jesus said when we have to add in more words than just a simple yes or no, it comes from evil. What does this mean? He was saying that having to say more than a simple yes or no is an indictment on our character. It reveals the miserable fact that our simple “yes or no” does not bind us, and, which is just as bad, is not accepted as conclusive proof by others that we will do what we said. If lies were not so common, was not a way of life for many in the church, oaths would not be needed. And get this; oaths increase the evil from which they come because our agreeing to make an oath further confirms that it is okay to not do something that we said we would do without the oath being attached to it. It’s only when we make the oath that we really must do exactly what we said we would. Many believe that it is only a sin when you swear to do something and you don’t but Jesus said that this is not the case. Once again He was dispelling the teachings that it’s only the final action that matters.
Also, the Pharisees used oath to further enrich themselves. Remember how Jesus often spoke negatively of how the Pharisees and Sadducees were interpreting and enforcing the Law? Well when it came to the third commandment, they added a new requirement to it. Remember, Leviticus 19:12 says, “And you shall not swear by My name falsely, neither shall you profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.” And the third commandment says, “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7) These commandments are against false swearing, blasphemy, and all profane, vain, trivial, light and irreverent use of God’s name in ordinary life. It also refers to using God’s name in false religions, witchcraft or any abuse of the sacred and holy name whatsoever. The appropriate use of His name is confined to that which is sacred – prayer, praise, prophecy, teaching, worship and communication with God and saints. The Pharisees understood what the Law said about swearing, especially false swearing using God’s name. So how did they teach this as religious leaders? Turn to Matthew chapter twenty-three and we are going to read what Jesus said about them in verses sixteen through eighteen.
Matthew 23:16-18 says “Woe unto you, you blind guides, who say, ‘Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is bound!’ 17You fools and blind: for which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold? 18And, ‘Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever swears by the gift that is upon it, he is bound.’” The scribes and Pharisees taught that if a person swore by the temple and they did not fulfill their promise it was nothing – no repercussion, no sin. However, if they swore by the gold in the temple and they did not fulfill their promise, then they were required to pay that amount from which they swore by as it would be a sin if they did not. The same applied to if they swore by the altar which would be nothing. However, if they swore by the gifts on the altar then they would have to pay if they did not fulfill their promise. Jesus calls them out as they were making money more important than the One to be worshipped – God.
So what should we take away from these verses as children living in the Kingdom? First and foremost we must not swear by God’s name in our efforts to prove to someone that we will do what we are promising. As a matter of practice, we should not swear at all, giving our word should be proof enough of what we are planning to do. Jesus said, “But I say unto you, swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne. 35 Nor by the earth; for it is His footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. 36Neither shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37But let your communication be, ‘Yea, yea; Nay, nay:’ for whatsoever is more than these comes from evil.”
Jesus taught that swearing “by heaven” is virtually swearing by God because it is God’s throne. There would be no heaven but for His presence. Swearing by heaven is gambling a man’s hope of heaven. Next Jesus taught that swearing “by the earth” is virtually swearing by God because it is His footstool, under His eye, subject to His divine rule in which His mercy is begged. Swearing by the earth is gambling a man’s hope of mercy on this earth. Next Jesus taught that swearing by Jerusalem is virtually swearing by God. Why? Jerusalem, to the Jew, was its sacredness as the place of the temple and “the city” of the great King. By swearing by Jerusalem, the swearer staked his interest in the kingdom of the Messiah. Finally Jesus makes it personal. He said “swearing by the head”, is still swearing by God. We have so little power over our heads that we cannot change the color of our hair. God’s ownership of a man’s head is infinitely more than the man’s. God is the Life and the Lifter-up of the head. David wrote, “But You, O LORD, are a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of my head.” (Psalm 3:3) The point that Jesus was making as it relates to swearing by anything is that we should understand and see God in everything; that the creature (creation) cannot be separate from the Creator. Therefore swearing by any creature or thing is virtually swearing by God and therefore forbidden.
Finally Jesus ends with “37But let your communication be, ‘Yea, yea; Nay, nay:’ for whatsoever is more than these comes from evil.” When asked, we should give a simple yes or no; simple affirmative or a simple negative. And if greater seriousness is required, then we should more emphatic with our yes or no. When Jesus needed to emphasize something, He did not swear, He simply said “Verily, Verily” which provided the emphasis of the point He was making at the time. When we give our “yes or no” there must not be any vagueness or room for doubt. There must be no deception. Even Homer wrote, “He whose words agree not with his private thoughts is as detestable to me as the gates of hell.” Truth is best pledged in simplicity – we do not need to embellish the truth. A true man/woman’s word is his/her bond. A true Christian loves truth for its own sake. To require more than a word from such a person should be an insult to their honor. A Christian’s self-respect will shrink from adding anything to their declaration. When was the last time you were offended when someone asked you to swear or give them your word about something because they did not take you at your word?
Finally Jesus said anything more than our yes or no comes from evil. We know from Scripture that Satan lies and is the father of lies. Lies are evil and when we give our word knowing that we are lying or are not going to do what we are testifying to, that is sin. As a child of God, we must be true to our word. I do not care what you did before today. I do not care how many promises you broke before today. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Let your word be your bond. When you commit, follow through. If you know you can’t do something, just say so up front. Oaths have their origin in man’s tendency to deceive. They are encouraged by vanity. A common swearer is a habitual perjurer. He that swears will lie. He that lies will steal. Do you see where this is leading? Lies open the door for a lot of other deception which is why Jesus commanded that we not lie. Let our word be our bond. And if our word is not our bond, heaven will not be our eternal destination. Think about that this week New Light.
Next week we will continue with what Jesus said about turning the other cheek. Get your hearts ready for that message surely will go against the grain of what the world teaches.
Until next time, “The Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up His countenance on you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
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