Lesson 9 – Oaths 

Matthew 5:33 – 36

“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ’ 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: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.

Trustworthy - Matthew 5:37

All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ’No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.  

Another approach of what you can say is, "I will think about it", but do get back. 

Or from “Yes and then change to No”. Be consistent! Stand by your Word. Keep your words. 

In these verses, Jesus addresses the issue of oaths and vows. He refers to the teachings of the past where people were instructed not to break their oaths but fulfill their vows made to the Lord.

However, Jesus introduces a new perspective, urging his followers not to swear oaths at all. He emphasizes that making oaths or vows based on various things, such as heaven, earth, Jerusalem, or one's own head, is unnecessary. Jesus highlights that such oaths are meaningless because they cannot guarantee the truthfulness or reliability of a person's words.

Instead, Jesus calls for honesty and integrity in all speech. His teaching encourages a lifestyle where one's words are consistently trustworthy and reliable, eliminating the need for additional oaths or vows.

The underlying message is that followers of Jesus should embody truthfulness and sincerity in their communication, consistently reflecting their commitment to honesty and integrity. Jesus challenges his disciples to let their yes be yes and their no be no, without the need for additional oaths or vows to validate their words.

However, the overall message emphasizes the importance of truthful and reliable communication, where one's words can be trusted without the need for additional guarantees or oaths.