Let your 'Yes' be 'Yes'

Read Matthew 5:33-37

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The Law said “Do not swear falsely by the Lord’s name” (Lev.19:12) and emphasised the seriousness of breaking a pledge made with an oath (Num.30:2). Some things had come to be considered more binding than others, which Jesus saw as nonsense (Mt.23:16-22). Once again he declared a fuller meaning that's a more righteous way to live – “Do not swear at all” (34; Jas.5:12).

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To invoke God’s name is not only profanity but risks also using it in perjury if our vow isn’t kept. Nothing we appeal to can make the slightest difference to the strength of our promise. So any words used for that reason are meaningless and irrelevant. “A vow is binding irrespective of its accompanying formula” (J.Stott).

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It’s not that we must refuse to take an oath (Mt.26:63-64) but it does mean that as honest people we don’t need to supplement our promises with words intended to give assurance that what we say is true e.g. “on my mother’s grave”, “on the Bible” etc. The word of an honest person doesn’t need underscoring by adding, “Honestly”! That’s unnecessary if we always keep our promises and always tell the truth. Just as God “does not lie” (Tit.1:2), neither must we (Col.3:9; Eph.4:15).