Matthew 5:33-37
33 “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.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
As we approach the Sermon on the Mount, we’re exploring what it looks like to live out Jesus’s teachings and what kind of community is created in doing so. We are people who have stepped out of the crowd to receive the words of Jesus and become his kingdom community here on earth, amongst the nations as “salt and light” in the world. We no longer live in line with the ethical paradigms that the world offers us. We live on a different paradigm all together. When viewing the teachings of Jesus from the worldly point of view, they are impractical and near impossible. I believe this is because the worldly perspective is about power, position, and personal rights. Whereas Jesus’s Kingdom Community is about the laying down of power, position, and personal rights for the sake of redemption, reconciliation, and righteousness.
As with each section in the sermon, there are ways in which this teaching can be made legalistic and miss the point of what Jesus is getting at. There are some who have used this passage to avoid taking an oath in court or in office and others who try not to make any kind of promises. With any teaching, merit can be found. But what is Jesus calling his community of followers to in their life together and their life in the world as salt and light?
Jesus advocates for a deep level of integrity. A lot of what Jesus is teaching paints a picture of a community that could be rather than one that is currently in existence. Much like putting together a puzzle, we look to the picture on the box for guidance even when the pieces we work with don’t always bring a clear picture together. We live in a world of half-truths, convenient retelling of stories, and blatant lies. It is easy to point the finger at our political leaders in this, but Jesus is not concerned with them. Jesus paints a picture of a community of people that are attractive because of their deep integrity. When they say they are going to do something, they do it. These are not people who fudge the numbers on their taxes or will slight you when a better offer comes along. You know what you’re dealing with when you come across a follower of Christ.
As you go throughout your week, take a moment each day (or twice a day), and take stock of the things you said. Did you inflate the stories you told others? Did you rationalize your actions when you should have just apologized? Did you make empty promises? What other reflective questions would you add here?
There’s a rub with this teaching through. This is the ethical rub. Is there ever a time when lying is justified? To answer this question honestly, you must draw close to the heart of Jesus. When are times when telling the truth might come into conflict with “love your neighbor”? I think about this old example: You have Jews hiding in your attic and a Nazi knocks on your door. They ask if you have seen any Jews. In an attempt to not lie but also love your neighbor you respond, “Next question please.”
The teachings of Jesus are calling us to draw close to the heart of Jesus where our heart beats with his. This is not a legalistic examination of each word spoken but a cultivation of the heart that does not seek selfish gain through what we say and promise to those who listen to us. When we speak, people have no question that we are earnest.
In Jesus’s teaching throughout Matthew 5, “Love” is the ethic that drives living Jesus’s teachings. Take a day this week and try to speak only what love requires of you.