Jesus & the Law – on making oaths & vows … (11/19/18)
The ancient Law (much like most of the other mad-made moral codes constructed both before & since) made it quite clear that its citizens were required to be both frugal in the making of oaths & promises (see Exodus 18:21 & Exodus 20:7, & Deuteronomy 10:20 – also Leviticus 19:11) and consequent in the fulfillment thereof (see Leviticus 19:12, Numbers 30:2-3, & Deuteronomy 23:21-24). And yet even though Jesus was a huge fan of flagrant honesty (see Matthew 5:37‘s “Let your word be ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’ – for anything other than this comes from the evil one”), he was definitely not a supporter of the making of vows or oaths (see Matthew 5:33-36, Matthew 21:28-32, Matthew 23:16-22, & Mark 7:14-23 et al) – preferring instead that his followers let their Love remain completely volitional, and their actions do their talking for them (see Matthew 7:21, Matthew 13:18-23, Matthew 24:12-14, Luke 6:46-49, Luke 9:23, & John 13:15-17 et al) …
“Indeed I say to you, do not swear at all – neither by Heaven, for it is the throne of God; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King; nor even by your own head, for you cannot make a single hair upon it white or black.” ~ Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:33-36)
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