“Human beings swear by someone greater than themselves; for them an oath serves as a guarantee and puts an end to all argument.” –Hebrews 6:16
OATH /ŌTH/ (1) : a solemn usually formal calling upon God or a god to witness to the truth of what one says or to witness that one sincerely intends to do what one says (2) : a solemn attestation of the truth or inviolability of one’s words (source: Merriam-Webster online dictionary)
In our society, we make agreements nearly every day from the routine purchasing merchandise with a credit card to signing a contract for a home. Among other ways, we can make agreements by swiping a card, by shaking hands, by taking a formal vow, or by signing a contract. On rare occasions, we may be asked to take a solemn oath. When I joined the Navy I was asked to take an oath of enlistment. When my wife and I were married, we verbally spoke our vows. When our children were baptized, we were asked to profess our faith and promise to raise our child in those truths.
What does God’s Law say?
- “You shall not take the name of the LORD, your God, in vain.” -Exodus 20:7 (The 2nd Commandment)
- “You shall not swear falsely by my name, thus profaning the name of your God. I am the LORD.” -Leviticus 19:12
- “Moses said to the heads of the Israelite tribes, “This is what the LORD has commanded: When a man makes a vow to the LORD or binds himself under oath to a pledge of abstinence, he shall not violate his word, but must fulfill exactly the promise he has uttered.” – Numbers 30:2,3
Another definition of an oath is “a profane or offensive expression.” When God commanded us not to take His Name in vain, He didn’t merely mean in a profane way, but especially in an indifferent or blasé way. To exclaim “Oh, God!” in a moment of excitement or surprise is an example of breaking the Second Commandment.
What does Jesus say?
- “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all; not 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. Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one.” – Matthew 5:33-37 (see also James 5:12)
What did Jesus tell the Pharisees (religious legalists)?
“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If one swears by the temple, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.’ Blind fools, which is greater, the gold, or the temple that made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘If one swears by the altar, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.’ You blind ones, which is greater, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it; one who swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it; one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who is seated on it.” – Matt 23:16-22
God’s people often swore oaths, but swearing by God’s name was deemed as deadly serious. Thus they swore oaths “by heaven” or “by the temple” or “by (fill in the blank).” Because of the religious legalism of the day, it was okay if you did not fulfill them. Like crossing your fingers, it was used as an excuse to promise frivolously or worse, deceitfully.
Oaths are not sinful, but oaths are serious.
- Paul swore oaths (Galatians 1:19-20)
- Angels can swear oaths (Revelation 10:6)
- Jesus swore an oath (Matthew 26:63-64)
- God swore oaths (Jeremiah 11, 4-5, Hebrews 6:13,17)
Remember, our plan is not always God’s plan.
“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we shall go into such and such a town, spend a year there doing business, and make a profit.” You have no idea what your life will be like tomorrow. You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears. Instead you should say, “If the Lord wills it, we shall live to do this or that.” -James 4:13-15
Before you commit to an agreement, whether a nonchalant pledge or a solemn oath, stop and consider: We often do not control as much of our lives as we think we do. If we live honestly as disciples of Jesus, yes or no should be sufficient for most questions. For serious matters, oaths are entirely appropriate.
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