There’s a moment in the Sermon on the Mount when Jesus moves from murder and adultery to something quieter but just as searching: our words.
“Again, you have heard that it was said… ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all… All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” (Matthew 5:33–37)
Jesus isn’t abolishing the third commandment; He’s exposing our instinct to game it. The Old Testament honored oaths (Numbers 30:2; Deuteronomy 6:13). God Himself swore—by His own name—because there is none higher (Genesis 22:16). Oaths were meant to end arguments and anchor trust.
But by Jesus’ day, people had turned oath-making into loophole-finding. If you swore “by the temple,” maybe you could wriggle out; if you swore “by the gold of the temple,” you were stuck (see Matthew 23:16–22). It became a way to sound serious without being honest. Jesus cuts through the legal gymnastics: heaven is God’s throne, earth His footstool, Jerusalem His city—there is no safe distance from His presence. So stop propping up shaky words with sacred names. Speak truth, plainly.
Why Jesus presses on this
Because our speech reveals our integrity. Contracts and signatures matter, but disciples should be known for reliability without props. “Let your ‘yes’ be yes and your ‘no’ be no” means:
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No evasive half-truths or strategic vagueness.
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No spiritual name-dropping to make our plans sound divine.
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No inflation or shrinkage of facts to manage appearances.
Scripture is blunt about this: “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord” (Proverbs 12:22). “Put away falsehood… speak the truth” (Ephesians 4:25). In Acts 5, a married couple’s polished deception ends in judgment. Words matter to God because people do.
“God told me…” — handle with holy caution
God speaks—through His written Word (Logos), by His Spirit applying that Word to hearts, and at times through wise counsel, impressions, or prophetic encouragement (what some call rhema). But any “word” we share must be tested by Scripture and humility. Be careful attaching “God said” to preferences, impulses, or predictions. If it is from Him, it will harmonize with the Bible and bear the fruit of truth, love, and holiness. Often the safest framing is, “I sense… would you weigh this?”
Are oaths always wrong?
No. Marriage vows, ordination vows, courtroom oaths—these can be fitting and faithful. Jesus’ point isn’t “never vow,” it’s “never need a vow to make you truthful.” Followers of Jesus should be so consistently honest that extra guarantees become redundant.
Five simple practices to honor Jesus with your words
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Tell the whole truth
Resist exaggeration and omission. If you can’t share, say so; don’t shade the story.
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Keep your promises small and solid
Don’t pledge what you can’t deliver. Match your commitments to your capacity.
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Make Scripture your guardrail
Let the Logos govern every alleged rhema. If it contradicts the Bible, it isn’t from God.
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Retire the props
Avoid bolstering shaky plans with spiritual language. Integrity is your credibility.
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Repent fast when you miss it
Confess quickly, make it right, rebuild trust—at home, at work, in church.
