1. Jesus teaches that all oaths should be truthful and avoid meaningless or hypocritical oaths meant to impress others. 2. The Pharisees had twisted God's command about oaths by allowing false oaths if not made in God's name, and not keeping oaths made to people. 3. God requires absolute truth in all aspects of life, not just religious matters. A half-truth or lie in any area dishonors God.

1. INSIDE OUT Part 5 – And I swear – Of Truths and Oaths Mathew 5:33 to 37

2. I – INTRODUCTION Historical and Contextual background Based on Old Testament prophecy a Messiah or a king was predicted to come and establish his kingdom. When Jesus came and presented himself as the Messiah and the King, the Jews thought he was finally going to come and rescue them from Roman oppression and setup his earthly kingdom. True, Jesus was the Messiah and King but his Kingdom was not of this earth but a spiritual Kingdom. The Jews, being eager to get into the kingdom wanted to hear how this could be achieved. In Mathew 5 to 7, known collectively as the sermon on the mount, Jesus describes the characteristics of Kingdom citizens (verses1 to 12), the function of Kingdom citizens (13 to 16) and the basis of conduct of Kingdom citizens which is God’s laws (13 to 17) He clarified to them that the standard of righteousness required to get into the Kingdom anchored on God’s laws but is primarily internal. (vs. 20) He gives them six illustrations to show them what he means and how they missed the point. (Verse 21 to 48) In verses 31 & 32, Jesus gives here the fourth illustration on oaths & telling the truth.

3. I – INTRODUCTION WHAT THE TOPIC IS ALL ABOUT The TRUTH is one of the most important concept in human society. In fact it is essential that the concepts of Truths & honesty be enforced in order for human society to properly function. Sadly our whole society is built on a lies and manufactured truth and half truth (white lies) The Jews of Jesus day revered the idea of truth much as we do. But just as our modern day society, their practice of telling the truth was buried under their system of tradition. In the same way that the Pharisees has misinterpreted and degraded God’s standards in the first 3 illustrations, they have also done this with the concept of truth. Our Lord Jesus exposes their hypocrisy and reveals what is God’s true standards on truth is.

4. II – WHAT THE LAW OF MOSES SAID ABOUT OATHS “ Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:” (vs. 33) “ Usab nakadungog na kamo niini nga gikasulti ngadto sa mga tawo sa karaan, nga nagaingon, `Ayaw pagbinakak sa imong pagpanumpa, kondili kinahanglan tumanon mo ang imong gipanumpaan ngadto sa Ginoo.” (Cebuano) The two vows mentioned here are different but related “ thou shalt not forswear thyself” – epiorkeo – Which means to perjure oneself or swear falsely or make false vows. “ But shall perform to the Lord thy oaths” – horkos – This means to enclose as with a fence or to bind together

5. What is a vow - “ For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.” (Hebrews 6:16) “ Sa pagkatinuod ang mga tawo adunay ilang pagapanumpaan nga labi pang dagku kay kanila, ug alang kanila ang panumpa nga magapanghimatuod sa usa ka sulti magatapus sa tanan nilang lantugi.” Does God allow oaths ? What did the law of Moses say about oaths ? Where did the Pharisees get this teaching ? The above statement teachings of the Pharisees was derived from Leviticus 19:12, Numbers 30:2 & Deuteronomy 23:21

6. Leviticus 19:12 “ And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I [am] the LORD.” Dili kamo magpanumpa sa akong ngalan sa bakak, dili mo usab pagpasipalahan ang ngalan sa imong Dios: Ako mao si Jehova. (Cebuano) Numbers 30:2 If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth. Sa diha nga ang tawo magasaad ug usa ka saad kang Jehova, kun magapanumpa ug usa ka panumpa nga magahigot sa iyang kalag uban sa usa ka katungdanan, dili niya pagalapason ang iyang pulong: pagabuhaton niya sumala sa tanan nga mogula sa iyang baba. (Cebuano)

8. Even God himself made oaths on certain occasions. He swore an oath to Abraham: By myself have I sworn , saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies ; (Genesis 22:16,17) Ug miingon siya: Tungod sa akong kaugalingon nanumpa ako, nagaingon si Jehova, nga tungod kay gibuhat mo kini, ug wala ka magdumili kanako sa imong anak, sa imong bugtong anak, Sa pagpanalangin, ikaw pagapanalanginan ko, ug sa pagpadaghan, pagapadaghanon ko ang imong kaliwatan ingon sa mga bitoon sa langit, ug ingon sa balas nga atua sa baybayon sa dagat; ug ang imong kaliwatan manag-iya sa mga ganghaan sa iyang mga kaaway. (Cebuano)

9. Jesus Himself several times emphasized what he is telling them by saying “Truly, I say unto you . . . “ (Mathew 5:18, 26; 6:2, 6, 16 etc.) And in several occasion he said “Truly, truly, I say to you (John 1:51, 3:3,5; 5:19, 24 etc.) to emphasize the importance of his teachings. In Mathew 26:63-64 he said swore an oath to Caiphas that he was Christ, the Son of God. God provided for proper oath giving in His name as an accommodation to sinful human nature which is prone to deceit and lying. God takes oath taking seriously. In the Old Testament. Oaths were only to be made in God’s name. “ You shall fear only the LORD your God; and you shall worship Him and swear by His name.” (Deut. 6:13) (NASB)

10. Or if a person swears thoughtlessly with his lips to do evil or to do good, in whatever matter a man may speak thoughtlessly with an oath, and it is hidden from him, and then he comes to know it, he will be guilty in one of these. So it shall be when he becomes guilty in one of these, that he shall confess that in which he has sinned. He shall also bring his guilt offering to the LORD for his sin which he has committed, (Leviticus 5:4-6 ) NASB “ O kong may tawo mahinayak sa pagpanumpa ug mamulong sa iyang mga ngabil sa pagbuhat ug dautan, kun sa pagbuhat ug maayo, sa bisan unsang mga butanga nga ang tawo mahinayak sa pagpamulong uban ang panumpa, ug kini wala mahibaloi niya, kong sa ulahi masabut niya, nan sad-an siya sa usa niining mga butanga.Ug mahitabo nga kong makasala siya sa usa niining mga butanga, igasugid niya kadto diin siya nakasala. Ug ang iyang halad-tungod-sa-paglapas pagadad-on niya kang Jehova tungod sa iyang sala nga iyang nabuhat, usa ka baye, gikan sa mga panon, nating carnero kun kanding, alang sa halad-tungod-sa-sala; ug ang sacerdote magabuhat alang kaniya sa pagtabon-sa-sala mahitungod sa iyang sala” (Cebuano)

11. III – HOW THE PHARISEES TWISTED MOSES’S TEACHING At first glance, what the Pharisees taught seemed biblical. But a closer examination would reveal that it fell short of what God really taught. 1.) It had a missing ingredient – What was missing here was the proper circumstances for making the oath. According to the Pharisee any kind of oath can be used for any kind of purpose and was acceptable for as long as it is not false and the person would full fill it. This led to the making of meaningless oath making without any intention of fulfilling them. People would declare anything and promise anything. 2.) It had a misplaced emphasis – The Pharisees were limiting the honest vows to the Lord. Keeping oaths made to other people was made optional.

12. Examples of the Pharisees misinterpretations: “ And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.” ( Leviticus 19:12 ) Dili kamo magpanumpa sa akong ngalan sa bakak, dili mo usab pagpasipalahan ang ngalan sa imong Dios: Ako mao si Jehova. (Cebuano) This was erroneously misinterpreted to mean that searing falsely by another name was allowed

13. “ If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.” (Numbers 30:2) Sa diha nga ang tawo magasaad ug usa ka saad kang Jehova, kun magapanumpa ug usa ka panumpa nga magahigot sa iyang kalag uban sa usa ka katungdanan, dili niya pagalapason ang iyang pulong: pagabuhaton niya sumala sa tanan nga mogula sa iyang baba. This was erroneously misinterpreted to mean that you must not renegade your oath to God, but you can renegade your oath to anyone else So as you can see, through rabbinic tradition, God’s standard of absolute truthfulness was contradicted and lowered to accommodate the sinfulness and selfishness of human beings.

14. IV - GOD’S STANDARDS ON OATH MAKING AND THE TRUTH 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. (Mathew 5:34 to 37) Apan magaingon ako kaninyo, Ayaw gayud kamo pagpanumpa, bisan pa kon tungod sa langit, kay kini mao ang trono sa Dios;bisan pa kon tungod sa yuta, kay kini mao ang tongtonganan sa iyang mga tiil; bisan pa kon tungod sa Jerusalem, kay kini mao ang siyudad sa dakung Hari.Ug ayaw pagpanumpa tungod sa imong ulo, kay ikaw dili arang makapaputi ni makapaitom sa bisan usa na lang ka lugas nga buhok niini.Apan ang inyong sulti himoa lamang nga `0` o `Dili`; kay bisan unsa nga kapin na niini nagagikan sa dautan. (Cebuano)

15. Jesus is not saying here not to make any oaths at all considering that the Old Testament approves oath taking and that Jesus did not come to destroy the law (Mathew 5: 17 and 18) What he is saying here is that he is condemning the meaningless hypocritical oaths made just to make an impression. Jesus commands simple truthfulness in thought words and deed. In accordance with Old Testament standards we are not to swear by any other but by God’s name. Appealing to earth, Jerusalem or heaven in an effort to make oaths less binding just as the Jews had done should not be followed.

16. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees by their making of frivolous oaths. In Mathew 23: 16 to 20 he gives this strong condemnation: Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. "Alaut kamo, mga magtotultol nga buta, nga manag-ingon, `Kon may manumpa tungod sa templo, wala kanay bili; apan kon may manumpa tungod sa bulawan sa templo, obligado siya sa iyang panumpa.` Kamong mga boangboang nga mga buta! Kay hain bay labaw, ang bulawan o ang templo ba nga maoy nagahimo nga balaan sa bulawan? Ug kamo manag-ingon, `Kon may manumpa tungod sa halaran, wala kanay bili; apan kon may manumpa tungod sa halad nga anaa sa halaran, obligado siya sa iyang panumpa.` Kamong mga buta! Kay hain bay labaw, ang halad o ang halaran ba nga maoy nagahimo nga balaan sa halad? Busa ang manumpa tungod sa halaran, nagapanumpa tungod niini ug sa tanang anaa niini; (Cebuano)

17. Jesus condemns them further . . . And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.(Mathew 23:21,22) ug ang manumpa tungod sa templo, nagapanumpa tungod niini ug tungod sa nagapuyo sulod niini; ug ang manumpa tungod sa langit, nagapanumpa tungod sa trono sa Dios ug tungod sa nagalingkod niini. (Cebuano) In other words the point of Jesus Christ is that God is the Creator and Lord of everything and is the God of truth in everything. To carelessly and dishonestly call any part of His creation as witnesses to a false oath was to dishonour God himself whether or not his name is invoked. To dishonour and compromise any truth is to dishonor and compromise His truth. Every lie is against God, and therefore every false oath dishonours his name.

18. CONCLUSION Truth has no degrees of shades. A half truth is a whole lie and a white lie is really black. God’s absolute and unchanging standard is sincerety in everything. As Bible comentator William Barclay says “ Here is a great eternal truth. Life cannot be divided into compartments in some of which God is involved and in others of which he is not involved; there cannot be one kind of language in the Church and another kind of language in the shipyard or the factory or the office; there cannot be one kind of conduct in the Church and another kind of conduct in the business world. The fact is that God does not need to be invited into certain departments of life, and kept out of others. He is everywhere, all through life and in every activity of life. He hears not only the words which are spoken in his name; he hears all words; and there cannot be any such thing as a form of words which evades bringing God into any transaction. We will regard all promises as sacred if we remember that all promises are made in the presence of God”

19. Most of the Notes in this slide are lifted from John MacArthur’s Bible Commentary on the book of Mathew. For Bible study Guide notes, sermon notes and the audio message of this series by John MacArthur visit www.gty.org . Other inputs and notes are done by Zigfred Diaz To download other slides that can be used for sermons visit the Master’s Community Fellowship website at www.tmcf.zdiaz.com