Bible references

Key NT Scriptures

• James 5:12

Key OT Scriptures

• Deuteronomy 6:13-15
  Jewish Commentary
• Deuteronomy 10:20
  Jewish Commentary
• Exodus 20:7
  Jewish Commentary
• Leviticus 5:21-23
  Jewish Commentary
• Leviticus 19:12
  Jewish Commentary

Supportive NT Scriptures

• Hebrews 6:13-17
• Matthew 5:33-37
• Matthew 23:16-24
  Click to retrieve Matthew 23:16-24

Supportive OT Scriptures

• Exodus 22:9-10
  Jewish Commentary
• Leviticus 5:4
  Jewish Commentary
• Numbers 30:3
  Jewish Commentary

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Commentary

Rabbi Michael Rudolph

A vow is a promise uttered with deliberate solemnity. An oath is an utterance added to a vow that invokes an authority capable of enforcing the vow, and punishing the oath-maker if the vow is breached. When a person adds an oath to his vow, he is giving an assurance that is in addition to his personal honor. He is essentially saying that if he reneges on his promise, he invites the invoked authority to enforce his compliance and/or mete out punishment. It is clear from many Scriptures in the Tanakh (e.g. Deuteronomy 10:20 ) that God endorses the swearing of oaths, but in His Name alone. That makes perfect sense since if a vow is serious enough to require the added assurance of an oath, no authority other than God can be counted upon to enforce it ( Deuteronomy 6:13-15 ). Also, when we swear an oath by God's Name we invoke His Honor; therefore, if we swear falsely we profane His Name ( Leviticus 19:12 ). The Tanakh contains many examples of oaths sworn in ancient times, and even God has been known to swear an oath on occasion (e.g. Hebrews 6:13-17 ). In more recent times, oaths are most commonly sworn ancillary to giving legal testimony in a court of law. When oaths are sworn outside of a court proceeding they are called "notarizations", and are generally for attesting to the accuracy of a legal document or for affirming the authenticity of a signature. There are some who refuse to swear oaths based on their interpretation of Matthew 5:34 and James 5:12 that contain the words " But I tell you not to swear at all ... " and " Above all, brothers, stop swearing oaths ... " respectively. Their explanation for how this can be in light of God's teaching and the many examples in the Tanakh , is that Yeshua changed the rules for the New Covenant in order to raise the standard of truth-telling to a higher level. That is not correct for, if one looks at the Matthew and James "statements" that were taken out of context, when each one's entire verse and adjacent verses are returned to them, one sees that there is no contradiction at all. In fact, Matthew 5:33-37 affirms the importance and legitimacy of oaths made in God's Name by warning that we should not swear by "heaven", by "earth", by "Jerusalem", by one's "head" or, by extension, by anything else that is not "God". Similarly, James 5:12 admonishes the reader to stop swearing oaths by "heaven", by "earth", or by "any other formula". These verses of Scripture are apparently intended to stop a common practice of invoking meaningless authorities for their effect in enhancing the oath-taker's appearance that he is telling the truth (when he would never promise the same thing if he was swearing in God's Name). Instead, a man should be able to put forth his reputation that his "yes" and his "no" (i.e. whatever he says) can be relied upon without reinforcement. The Scriptures prohibit using God's Name lightly ( Exodus 20:7 ), but do not, in any way, prohibit swearing oaths in God's Name in appropriate situations. Matthew 23:16-24 explains this especially well, and infers a warning to the oath-taker that he deludes himself if he thinks that his oath is not binding just because it does not invoke God's Name directly. Yeshua scolds the teachers and Pharisees for using "oath formulas" that create the appearance of enforceability, while their secret intent is to not honor their vows. It is intentional casuistry, and they will be held to their word by God nevertheless.

Classical commentators

The corresponding mitzvot of Maimonides and HaChinuch are completely consistent with this Mitzvah , and emphasize that we must not swear an oath by anything that is created. Maimonides adds to this by saying that if we swear an oath by any created object in the belief that it has, in itself, sufficient truth to support the oath, we have put that created object on an equal footing with the Creator, which is sin. There is no mitzvah written on the subject by Meir.

Copyright © Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster, The Law of Messiah, Torah from a New Covenant Perspective, Volume 1 & 2

Source and License

Based on The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective by Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster.

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Disclaimer: the original content is authored by Rabbi Michael Rudolph and Rabbi Daniel Juster; additional notes or implementation details on this website are not part of their original work and do not represent their views.

Record source: The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective - Volume 1 & 2

Copyright note: Copyright © Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster, The Law of Messiah, Torah from a New Covenant Perspective, Volume 1 & 2