Christians and Oaths
Member Question:
My question comes from Matthew 5:34. Is Jesus explicitly stating that we do not take oaths at all? In testing all my traditional beliefs, how do we discern what to do or not do? Things that come to mind: my oath to my wife, promises I’ve made to my kids, my oath to the military, saying the pledge of allegiance to our flag, taking an oath in court, Are these all sins? What does it mean biblically if you break an oath?
Sunday Pastor Ryan preached about God taking an oath to Abraham. I understand that God can’t sin. However, God is also the only one who can keep an oath because he cannot fail, and he cannot lie. So just because God did it, I can’t say that I should be able to as well. I look forward to your guidance on this issue.
Understanding the Question
This topic has bubbled up more than once over the past few weeks and I appreciate the chance to speak on this specific issue. I want to try and break the question down and answer each part, here is what I see being asked.
Wisdom From the Confession
Before I even begin to answer, I wanted to include the wisdom given in the 1689 LBCF. It speaks directly to this topic, although it might not answer all the specifics brought up in the question. You can read the section about lawful oaths and vows here:
Chapter 23 – Lawful Oaths and Vows
Although our only infallible rule of faith is scripture (Sola Scriptura), the historical orthodox teaching of the church can provide enormous benefits by giving a consistent understanding of scripture on those topics it addresses.
Look at the Text
First, let’s look at the text this question is coming from.
Matthew 5:33-37 33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.
There is one other text where this same topic is spoken of, and I wanted to include it for consideration also. James repeats the teaching of Jesus regarding oaths almost verbatim.
James 5:12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.
Awakening Answers
Let’s go through the main issues brought up by the question and address each in turn.
Is Jesus explicitly stating that we do not take oaths at all, what about all the oaths I’ve already taken, are they all sins?
This question arises because some take the prohibition of verse 34, “Do not take an oath at all” to be all-inclusive of any oath or vow however or whenever made. In general, it is the Anabaptist denominations who interpret this way (Amish, Hutterite, Mennonite, Brethren). I see this as a misinterpretation of the text for more than one reason.
After considering scripture like this I conclude that our text in Matthew, and the same teaching in James, does not prohibit the taking of legitimate oaths and vows. When Jesus said, “Do not take an oath at all”, he was referring to the kind of so-called oath-taking promoted by the Pharisees. This kind of oath-taking was not made explicitly in the name of God. In taking oaths by lesser things, they intended to obtain confidence in what they said without putting themselves in any jeopardy if they proved to be liars. In other words, if your oath to something other than God (i.e. my mother’s grave, on my life) is for the express purpose of escaping the force and sanction of the vow, you must not swear “at all”. It is this kind of shallow swearing, not all swearing, that Jesus condemns.
We can also be helped by the context provided in Jesus’ teaching. If the intention were to condemn all swearing, the passage would teach just that and nothing more. The text would communicate “Do not take an oath at all” and be done with the topic. That is not what we have in the text, we have a further explanation of what kinds of oaths are specifically forbidden. The additional context provided by
“…either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.”
gives further indication that not all swearing was prohibited, but a certain type of swearing contained dishonesty through dissociation. The rest of the text is added, as further exposition, to explain the former “Do not take an oath at all” by giving example cases.
Not only is this my interpretation of this text, but I believe it to be the apostolic interpretation by example. If it were true that Jesus forbade all swearing of oaths and vows by this teaching in Matthew 5:33-37 then we would expect to see the Apostles operating with that correct interpretation. Instead, we see the opposite.
What does it mean biblically if you break an oath?
This is an important question concerning the topic of oaths, vows, and swearing. What Jesus is doing with this teaching is explaining that all conversation has an eternal witness, not just our oaths or vows. Every word from the mouth displays its source. We are committed to honoring our Father in Heaven with truth, or the evil one who is the father of lies. That is why Jesus teaches that “anything more than this comes from evil”. Because anything other than the truth comes from the evil one who is the source of lies (John 8:44).
The text in James 5:12 is helpful when answering this question. It tells us the reason for abandoning the sinful use of swearing an oath to undergird false statements, “so that you may not fall under condemnation”. The word translated there as condemnation is the Greek word krisn, most used to communicate judging, decision, sentence; generally: divine judgment; accusation. This word has to do with divine judgment every time it is used in the New Testament. This warning is about the seriousness of a lying tongue and James elevates it to the point of saying eternal judgment is what comes about because of lies.
This functions as another way to communicate the seriousness of taking the Lord’s name in vain (Exo 20:7). In this case, the taking of the Lord’s name in vain would be done by breaking an oath taken in his name or by all the things that belong to Him on earth or in heaven. Not only is it sinful as a curse word, or as a flippant exclamatory, but a lie demonstrates a complete disregard for the glory and worth of God. God’s sentence on the heart that pours forth lies and false oaths is death in hell. The end of the entire warning passage in Matthew 22 in which oath-breaking and false oaths are contained, is the sentence of hell.
Matthew 23:33 33 You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?
James 3:6 is so clear on how dangerous the tongue is, and he speaks about it as setting the whole course of our lives on fire.
Then in Revelation 21:8, we have the destination of the one who is called a liar, “the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death”
All of this is to say that there is no small thing at stake when the issue of truthfulness is concerned. The Glory of God and eternity are on the line when topics of the heart like this one are discussed. This doesn’t mean that throughout our entire lives, we’ll never say anything that isn’t true. James also says in 3:2, “if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.” A Christian will sin with their tongue. There will be times when we speak untruth, but it is not the way of our hearts. It is not the unbroken pattern of our lives. The sin of lying is the exception rather than the rule in the life of a believer.
James gives us a clear view into the heart of man. If your life is marked by swearing, using the name of God to persuade people you are truthful, and that’s the predominant pattern. That person stands ready to be sentenced to hell. On the other hand, when regeneration happens, and the new heart lives by God and for God we are made as new creations. We have a love for truth; and the new life pattern of a believer is a pattern of truth – not a perfect life with no lying, but discipline and repentance over sin as the exception in our lives, not the rule of it.
Is God the only one allowed to make oaths because only God can guarantee that an oath can be kept?
This is another good point to bring up. When studying scripture, we need to correctly determine if what is being written is descriptive or prescriptive. In this case, what is being asked is:
Just because God makes oaths doesn’t mean that we should. All the oaths God makes will be able to be kept and therefore He will never sin when making them. On the other hand, we might fail at keeping an oath. So, since we can’t guarantee our oaths will be kept, isn’t it better to never make any at all?
God may indeed do what we may not do. But in the context of Scripture and by example, what God has commanded, regulated, and done Himself suggests that this is one of those things in which God’s action is not just a historical record for us but a pattern for us.
I would end with these thoughts,
There can be many appropriate instances where oaths and vows can be made. Neither Jesus nor James is discussing these areas. Instead, the context of the teaching and the Apostolic example show he is informing the everyday speech throughout the Christian community. As believers, our word is to be trustworthy, so we don’t need to swear an oath every time we make obligations and contracts to one another. If we find that our speech is untrustworthy, and we have the need to swear our truthfulness in all of our conversations, then perhaps we have not truly embraced the God of all truth.
Prov 4:23 23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
My question comes from Matthew 5:34. Is Jesus explicitly stating that we do not take oaths at all? In testing all my traditional beliefs, how do we discern what to do or not do? Things that come to mind: my oath to my wife, promises I’ve made to my kids, my oath to the military, saying the pledge of allegiance to our flag, taking an oath in court, Are these all sins? What does it mean biblically if you break an oath?
Sunday Pastor Ryan preached about God taking an oath to Abraham. I understand that God can’t sin. However, God is also the only one who can keep an oath because he cannot fail, and he cannot lie. So just because God did it, I can’t say that I should be able to as well. I look forward to your guidance on this issue.
Understanding the Question
This topic has bubbled up more than once over the past few weeks and I appreciate the chance to speak on this specific issue. I want to try and break the question down and answer each part, here is what I see being asked.
- Is Jesus explicitly stating that we do not take oaths at all, what about all the oaths I’ve already taken, are they all sins?
- What does it mean biblically if you break an oath?
- Is God the only one allowed to make oaths because only God can guarantee that an oath can be kept?
Wisdom From the Confession
Before I even begin to answer, I wanted to include the wisdom given in the 1689 LBCF. It speaks directly to this topic, although it might not answer all the specifics brought up in the question. You can read the section about lawful oaths and vows here:
Chapter 23 – Lawful Oaths and Vows
Although our only infallible rule of faith is scripture (Sola Scriptura), the historical orthodox teaching of the church can provide enormous benefits by giving a consistent understanding of scripture on those topics it addresses.
Look at the Text
First, let’s look at the text this question is coming from.
Matthew 5:33-37 33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.
There is one other text where this same topic is spoken of, and I wanted to include it for consideration also. James repeats the teaching of Jesus regarding oaths almost verbatim.
James 5:12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.
Awakening Answers
Let’s go through the main issues brought up by the question and address each in turn.
Is Jesus explicitly stating that we do not take oaths at all, what about all the oaths I’ve already taken, are they all sins?
This question arises because some take the prohibition of verse 34, “Do not take an oath at all” to be all-inclusive of any oath or vow however or whenever made. In general, it is the Anabaptist denominations who interpret this way (Amish, Hutterite, Mennonite, Brethren). I see this as a misinterpretation of the text for more than one reason.
- On numerous occasions in Scripture, we read about the taking of an oath being not only sanctioned but commanded. (see Deut 6:13; 10:20; Psalm 15:4; Rom 1:9; 2 Cor 1:23; Phil 1:8; 1 Thess 2:5, 10)
- God himself takes oaths. (see Gen 22:16; Psalm 110:4; Heb 6:17-18)
- The God-man Jesus seems to have no reservations about speaking under oath. (Matt 26:63-64)
After considering scripture like this I conclude that our text in Matthew, and the same teaching in James, does not prohibit the taking of legitimate oaths and vows. When Jesus said, “Do not take an oath at all”, he was referring to the kind of so-called oath-taking promoted by the Pharisees. This kind of oath-taking was not made explicitly in the name of God. In taking oaths by lesser things, they intended to obtain confidence in what they said without putting themselves in any jeopardy if they proved to be liars. In other words, if your oath to something other than God (i.e. my mother’s grave, on my life) is for the express purpose of escaping the force and sanction of the vow, you must not swear “at all”. It is this kind of shallow swearing, not all swearing, that Jesus condemns.
We can also be helped by the context provided in Jesus’ teaching. If the intention were to condemn all swearing, the passage would teach just that and nothing more. The text would communicate “Do not take an oath at all” and be done with the topic. That is not what we have in the text, we have a further explanation of what kinds of oaths are specifically forbidden. The additional context provided by
“…either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.”
gives further indication that not all swearing was prohibited, but a certain type of swearing contained dishonesty through dissociation. The rest of the text is added, as further exposition, to explain the former “Do not take an oath at all” by giving example cases.
Not only is this my interpretation of this text, but I believe it to be the apostolic interpretation by example. If it were true that Jesus forbade all swearing of oaths and vows by this teaching in Matthew 5:33-37 then we would expect to see the Apostles operating with that correct interpretation. Instead, we see the opposite.
- Paul is under a vow in Acts 18:18.Paul is under oath in Rom 1:9.
- Paul is under oath in 2 Cor 1:23.Paul is under oath in 1 Thess 2:10.
- Paul is under oath in Gal 1:20.Paul is under oath in Phil 1:8.
What does it mean biblically if you break an oath?
This is an important question concerning the topic of oaths, vows, and swearing. What Jesus is doing with this teaching is explaining that all conversation has an eternal witness, not just our oaths or vows. Every word from the mouth displays its source. We are committed to honoring our Father in Heaven with truth, or the evil one who is the father of lies. That is why Jesus teaches that “anything more than this comes from evil”. Because anything other than the truth comes from the evil one who is the source of lies (John 8:44).
The text in James 5:12 is helpful when answering this question. It tells us the reason for abandoning the sinful use of swearing an oath to undergird false statements, “so that you may not fall under condemnation”. The word translated there as condemnation is the Greek word krisn, most used to communicate judging, decision, sentence; generally: divine judgment; accusation. This word has to do with divine judgment every time it is used in the New Testament. This warning is about the seriousness of a lying tongue and James elevates it to the point of saying eternal judgment is what comes about because of lies.
This functions as another way to communicate the seriousness of taking the Lord’s name in vain (Exo 20:7). In this case, the taking of the Lord’s name in vain would be done by breaking an oath taken in his name or by all the things that belong to Him on earth or in heaven. Not only is it sinful as a curse word, or as a flippant exclamatory, but a lie demonstrates a complete disregard for the glory and worth of God. God’s sentence on the heart that pours forth lies and false oaths is death in hell. The end of the entire warning passage in Matthew 22 in which oath-breaking and false oaths are contained, is the sentence of hell.
Matthew 23:33 33 You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?
James 3:6 is so clear on how dangerous the tongue is, and he speaks about it as setting the whole course of our lives on fire.
Then in Revelation 21:8, we have the destination of the one who is called a liar, “the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death”
All of this is to say that there is no small thing at stake when the issue of truthfulness is concerned. The Glory of God and eternity are on the line when topics of the heart like this one are discussed. This doesn’t mean that throughout our entire lives, we’ll never say anything that isn’t true. James also says in 3:2, “if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.” A Christian will sin with their tongue. There will be times when we speak untruth, but it is not the way of our hearts. It is not the unbroken pattern of our lives. The sin of lying is the exception rather than the rule in the life of a believer.
James gives us a clear view into the heart of man. If your life is marked by swearing, using the name of God to persuade people you are truthful, and that’s the predominant pattern. That person stands ready to be sentenced to hell. On the other hand, when regeneration happens, and the new heart lives by God and for God we are made as new creations. We have a love for truth; and the new life pattern of a believer is a pattern of truth – not a perfect life with no lying, but discipline and repentance over sin as the exception in our lives, not the rule of it.
Is God the only one allowed to make oaths because only God can guarantee that an oath can be kept?
This is another good point to bring up. When studying scripture, we need to correctly determine if what is being written is descriptive or prescriptive. In this case, what is being asked is:
Just because God makes oaths doesn’t mean that we should. All the oaths God makes will be able to be kept and therefore He will never sin when making them. On the other hand, we might fail at keeping an oath. So, since we can’t guarantee our oaths will be kept, isn’t it better to never make any at all?
God may indeed do what we may not do. But in the context of Scripture and by example, what God has commanded, regulated, and done Himself suggests that this is one of those things in which God’s action is not just a historical record for us but a pattern for us.
I would end with these thoughts,
There can be many appropriate instances where oaths and vows can be made. Neither Jesus nor James is discussing these areas. Instead, the context of the teaching and the Apostolic example show he is informing the everyday speech throughout the Christian community. As believers, our word is to be trustworthy, so we don’t need to swear an oath every time we make obligations and contracts to one another. If we find that our speech is untrustworthy, and we have the need to swear our truthfulness in all of our conversations, then perhaps we have not truly embraced the God of all truth.
Prov 4:23 23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
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