A Greater Righteousness (5)
The Kingdom of GOD • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 48:18
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· 11 viewsIn this series, we are looking at what it means to be citizens in the Kingdom of GOD. We take a look at how we should live and how we partner with the FATHER in HIS reign. This week we dig into the fourth case study in the Sermon on the Mount as we discover GOD's Wisdom beneath the command, "You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill you vows to the LORD."
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Greeting
Okay, so that was a review of where we have been in our series on the KINGdom of GOD, as we are stepping through JESUS’ SOTM.
Those videos are always both entertaining and informative, and hopefully, that served as a good reminder of where we were before the holiday season.
Announce text: Matthew 5:33-37
Key Text: Matthew 5:33-37
(Me) This one is going to hurt today
Kate & Leopold - “I’m a people-pleaser, people!”
Wife enlightened me to something over the course of our marriage
Tend to tell people what they want to hear
Good-intentioned
Often lack of follow-through
Oof!
HOLY SPIRIT helping me with that
Requires a conscious effort on my part, sometimes
I really don’t mean or want to be someone who doesn’t do what he says
I don’t want to be someone who can’t be trusted
HE really has helped me with that
By nature I hate confrontation
But the role of a shepherd sometimes requires it
Amazingly, HS has helped me to be firm & direct when I have needed to be
As I lean into HIM
Still, not always easy
Life is messy and we have to live with intentionality sometimes
(We)
Finish this statement: “He’s a man of his word.” Though you would never know it in this day and age, this is a principle many of us grew up on. As men of character, we desire to live up to and be known as “a man of his word”—one known for doing what we say we will do. I’m not sure why this statement has been so closely tied to men, because it should be true of women, as well. No doubt, you ladies would desire the same be said of you, as well.
As parents, we desire to instill this principle in our children. How many times did you hear, “when you say you’re going to do something—do it!” How many times have you repeated that line to your own children?
As one who is or was in the workforce, you have undoubtedly worked with or for someone at some point you wished was a person who kept their word.
Do you always keep your word? I’m sure we’ve all experienced times when we said we would do something—and really intended to do so—only to have something interfere with our follow-through. Maybe it was an unexpected event—car trouble, weather, family emergency, etc.—that kept us from being able to do what we agreed to.
Don’t answer this next question in some external way, but did you ever knowingly agree to do something you knew you would never do just to escape the tension of dealing with someone in the moment? Have you ever manipulated, deceived, or tricked someone with your words to produced a desired outcome? Worse yet, have you ever used the GOD-card to do so? Have you ever been on the receiving end of a situation like that?
Well, GOD has a little something to say about this. In our text this morning, JESUS is going to address these issues and more.
Announce text again: Matthew 5:33-37
Scripture Reading
Scripture Reading
The Words of YESHUA:
33 “Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.’
34 “But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,
35 or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
36 “Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.
37 “But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.
Prayer for added blessing to the reading of the Word
Message
Message
The Truth in Our Words: Authenticity Over Pretense
The Truth in Our Words: Authenticity Over Pretense
The title of the message this morning is The Truth in Our Words: Authenticity Over Pretense.
As we just heard in the review, righteousness in the Bible describes a world where individuals treat one another with dignity and respect, diligently resolving conflicts by doing right by each other. To discern this way of living, JESUS pointed to the ancient Scriptures as the source of GOD's Wisdom. Meditating on the laws given to ancient Israel uncovers divine principles for relational harmony. These timeless laws remain relevant today, to guide us in righteous conduct. In the Sermon on the Mount, JESUS exemplifies this by citing a command from the Torah and unveiling the deeper wisdom it embodies.
We have been looking at the six teachings of JESUS found in the first section of HIS message from the SOTM. Today, we will move into the next group of three teachings as we begin looking at the fourth case study which addresses the practice of oath-keeping.
Big Idea: Authenticity in our speech is a reflection of our identity in CHRIST and a testament to HIS Truth in the world.
In Matthew 5:33–37, JESUS teaches about the importance of integrity in our words. HE addresses the common practice of making oaths and emphasizes that our speech should be radically truthful, reflecting a heart aligned with GOD's will. This teaching of JESUS will inform us that our integrity in speech reflects our faith in GOD. JESUS calls us to go beyond simply adhering to rules about oaths; we should aim for a sincerity that comes from being transformed by the Gospel.
As has been HIS pattern in these use cases, HE begins HIS teaching by referencing a traditional understanding:
33 “Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.’
We see the familiar wording rephrased to introduce the statement HE is drawing from. You may recall from what we looked at previously in our series is that what follows is either a direct quote of a command, an interpretation of a command, or a compilation of commands. The statement JESUS makes in our verse here is the latter. This isn’t a single command, but a compilated statement—a summary of several commands from three different passages of Scripture. Here they are:
11 “You are not to steal. You are not to lie. You are not to deceive one another.
12 “You are not to swear by My Name falsely, and so profane the Name of your God. I am Adonai.
1 Moses spoke to the princes of the tribes of Bnei-Yisrael saying, “This is what Adonai has commanded:
2 Whenever a man makes a vow to Adonai or swears an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he is not to violate his word but do everything coming out of his mouth.
So, we see the emphasis that anyone who makes a vow to YHWH or binds themselves with an oath must not violate their word but fulfill everything promised.
22 “When you make a vow to Adonai your God, you are not to delay to make good on it—for Adonai your God will certainly require it of you, and you would have sin on you.
23 But if you refrain from making a vow, you would not have sin on you.
24 Whatever comes out of your lips you are to take care to do, since you have vowed to Adonai your God a freewill offering that you have promised with your mouth.
Finally, this passage adds that delaying fulfillment of a vow to God constitutes a sin, though refraining from making a vow incurs no fault; however, whatever is spoken must be honored.
To gain a full understanding of this, we need to look a little more closely at the two words we’re seeing used here—oath and vow—because there are some distinctions in ancient Israelite culture. Vows, known in Hebrew as neder, involve promises made directly to YHWH, often conditional. For instance, in Genesis 28, Jacob vows that if GOD protects him and returns him safely to his land, then YHWH will be his GOD, and Jacob will offer sacrifices upon his return. Such vows create a reciprocal commitment between a person and YHWH.
Oaths, or shevua in Hebrew, typically occur between people and often invoke GOD's name for added weight, similar to a binding covenant. An example might involve borrowing an item and promising repayment "by the name of YHWH." Failing to honor this not only breaks the promise but profanes GOD's name, as warned in Leviticus. In this society, invoking YHWH in an oath carried significant leverage, signaling deep seriousness and invoking divine accountability.
By JESUS’ time, however, this tradition had evolved. You will most likely recall this from our series on the Shema. For centuries, Israelites avoided pronouncing YHWH's name out of reverence, creating a need for alternatives. Remember that? It’s where the name Jehovah was formed by accident because translators didn’t realize YAHOWAH was an artificial word so readers wouldn’t accidentally say YHWH. Well, the same principle applied to oath-making. People began swearing by sacred elements that were GOD-adjacent— or closely tied to God—such as the heavens (God's throne), the earth (His footstool), Jerusalem (the city of the great King), or even one's own head. This is the very same thing we saw in the beginning of this series where the Gospels interchange KINGdom of GOD (Mark, Luke-Gentile audience) and KINGdom of heaven (Matthew-Jewish audience). That’s what JESUS is referring to in the following verses:
34 “But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,
35 or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
36 “Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.
In the cultural evolution of ancient Israel, oaths originally required invoking GOD's name to underscore trustworthiness and seriousness in commitments. This practice aimed to maintain the oath's gravity—the weight of the oath—without risking disrespect to the divine name—YHWH.
The problem is this shift from invoking the name of YHWH to GOD-adjacent terms opened doors to exploitation. Religious leaders developed loopholes, distinguishing between oaths that "counted" and those that did not—for example, swearing by the temple might be dismissible, but swearing by the gold within it was binding. Similarly, an oath by the altar could be avoided, while one by the gift on the altar could not be.
JESUS condemns these practices later in Matthew 23:16-22, pronouncing woes on such blind guides.
16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple is obligated.’
17 “You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold?
18 “And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing, but whoever swears by the offering on it, he is obligated.’
19 “You blind men, which is more important, the offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering?
20 “Therefore, whoever swears by the altar, swears both by the altar and by everything on it.
21 “And whoever swears by the temple, swears both by the temple and by Him who dwells within it.
22 “And whoever swears by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.
JESUS exposes the hypocrisy: the temple sanctifies the gold, and the altar sanctifies the gift. Ultimately, swearing by any of these invokes GOD’s Presence. So, HE cuts through this complexity with radical simplicity in v.34:
34 “But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,
JESUS reveals the profound Wisdom underlying this summary of commands by saying simply, “make no oath at all.” HE further states in v.37,
37 “But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.
Again, though HIS teaching is rooted in a specific cultural issue, it reveals profound Wisdom. It calls for integrity that transcends loopholes and external validations, urging a life where words alone carry truth, reflecting the character of a trustworthy GOD and fostering genuine relationships built on reliability rather than evasion.
JESUS critiques the elaborate schemes humans devise to manipulate one another, noting that any oath-swearing object, whether sky, earth, Jerusalem, or even one's own head, ultimately invokes GOD’s Creation and Authority. No element escapes divine origin; even the ability to change a single hair's color lies beyond human control. Thus, oath-keeping devolves into a strategic game, fostering distrust rather than authentic connection.
At its core, this teaching promotes vulnerable, transparent relationships over evasion. Instead of constructing loopholes to avoid accountability, followers are called to own their words fully—be accountable, acknowledging past failures and seeking genuine reconciliation. Dallas Willard, in his book The Divine Conspiracy, captures this in the following paragraph:
The essence of swearing oath that Jesus targets, here, is about invoking something or someone else, especially God, to make your words seem more significant and more weighty. The aim is to impress others with your seriousness or your piety, so that you get what you want. It's a device of manipulation, designed to override the judgment or input of others, in order to possess them for our purposes. It's manipulation, or as we say in our culture, spin. And Jesus says it's evil. Instead of loving and honoring others with truthfulness, the intent is to get one's way, by verbal manipulation of the thoughts and choices of others.
This principle extends beyond ancient oaths into contemporary religious life, where people might borrow GOD’s Authority to bolster personal integrity or agendas. For instance, claiming "GOD gave me peace about this" or "GOD told me to do this" can elevate a personal intuition to divine mandate, potentially shutting down dialogue and evading accountability. While genuine experiences of HOLY SPIRIT guidance occur—as seen in biblical narratives—the wisdom here urges hypervigilance against misuse. Followers must cultivate self-awareness to avoid manipulating others through spiritual language, especially in leadership roles where representing GOD carries profound responsibility. This does not mean silencing references to GOD but ensuring they foster honesty rather than coercion.
In cases of deep convictions shaped by Scripture, life events, or perceived HOLY SPIRIT guidance, the approach should honor relational dignity. Share reasons openly, invite discussion, and respect differing views, as in the biblical example of Paul and Barnabas parting ways over John Mark. Avoid wielding the "GOD-card" to bypass vulnerability or accountability, recognizing that human intentions are often hidden even to oneself. True transparency aligns with JESUS' call: express intentions clearly, as far as understood, without hiding behind Divine invocation.
This teaching forms part of the second triad in the Sermon on the Mount, alongside non-violent retaliation and loving enemies—which we’ll look at in the following weeks. Together, they address coercion and conflict—how to relate when wills clash, treating others with value even amid harm or enmity. It envisions a community of GOD’s Image-bearers who resolve differences through integrity, not manipulation, building bonds of trust that reflect divine character. Ultimately, JESUS simplifies the path: Let your yes be yes, and your no be no—embracing straightforward honesty as the foundation of righteous relationships.
JESUS then concludes HIS teaching on oaths with a stark warning:
37 “But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.
There are variants of this phrase depending on the version of the Bible you are using. Your version might say, “anything beyond this comes from the evil one." This is interesting. This reference to "the evil one"—Satan—intensifies the message, revealing a profound connection to a recurring motif in the Hebrew Scriptures. This motif originates with the snake in the Garden of Eden and depicts individuals who twist God's words to manipulate, deceive, or ensnare others for personal gain—much like we read earlier in Leviticus 19:11.
In Genesis 3, the snake approaches the woman and subtly alters GOD’s command from Genesis 2. It begins by misquoting: "Did God really say you cannot eat from all the trees of the garden?" This insertion of a single word—"not"—shifts focus to restriction, sowing seeds of distrust. When the woman corrects the distortion, the snake inverts GOD’s warning outright: "You will not die." Through these tweaks, the snake uses divine words as a trap, leading humanity into ruin. This pattern of deception establishes "the evil one" as a force that perverts truth for destructive ends.
The Eden narrative serves as a template, replayed across generations in the Hebrew Bible through subtle linguistic hyperlinks. For instance, in Genesis 12, Abraham faces famine and descends to Egypt, lying about Sarah by calling her his sister. The language echoes Eden: Egyptian men "see" her beauty and "take" her, mirroring the woman's seeing and taking of the forbidden fruit. Abraham assumes the snake's role, deceiving Pharaoh and endangering others.
This motif frequently involves vows or oaths as tools of trickery. Numerous stories portray characters acting like the snake, employing solemn promises to deceive. In Joshua 9, after Israel's victories at Jericho and Ai, the Gibeonites—aware of impending conquest—act "craftily," using the same Hebrew term (arum) applied to the snake. They disguise themselves as weary travelers from a distant land, carrying worn sacks, patched wineskins, tattered clothes, and crumbling bread as props. Approaching Joshua, they feign submission and request peace. Deceived by appearances, Joshua and the elders swear an oath by YHWH to spare them, only later discovering the Gibeonites' nearby origin. Here, the tricksters manipulate others into invoking GOD’s name, binding them through deception.
Other examples highlight oaths as instruments of death rather than life. Jephthah, in Judges 11, rashly vows to sacrifice whatever emerges from his house if GOD grants victory in battle—resulting in his daughter's tragic death. Saul, in 1 Samuel 14, imposes an oath forbidding his soldiers to eat, cursing violators with death. His son Jonathan, unaware, eats honey and faces execution, though spared by the people. Both narratives contain hyperlinks to the snake, transforming oaths—intended to reinforce truth—into mechanisms of ruin.
JESUS, in referencing "the evil one," illuminates His understanding of Scripture: When people wield divine truth, such as GOD’s words or sacred invocations, to deceive or initiate harm, they echo the snake's voice. Humans become conduits for this evil, "snaking" one another by exploiting trust. In relationships, especially where one party is inclined to believe, invoking reasons for trustworthiness—while intending evasion—aligns with dark powers.
Such deception may be deliberate or subconscious, driven by hidden desires. Most individuals can recall moments of slightly misrepresenting truth to sway others. In JESUS' time, oath-swearing was commonplace: "I swear by YHWH I'll repay you," followed by mental loopholes like, "I only swore by the temple, not directly by YHWH." These seem innocuous, yet JESUS exposes a diabolical undercurrent.
This teaching ties into the Sermon's emphasis on character formation. Similar to HIS words on lust—where internal fantasies, though private, shape habits with eventual public consequences—small deceptions accumulate. An innocent exaggeration or white lie, repeated, erodes integrity, making larger manipulations, including using faith in GOD against others, increasingly feasible. This progression embodies the way of the snake, undermining the righteousness JESUS calls HIS followers to embody.
Ultimately, JESUS urges a life of unadorned truthfulness, free from manipulative props. By letting words stand alone in honesty, believers reject the evil one's tactics, fostering relationships marked by genuine trust and reflecting GOD’s Faithful Character.
So, pj … What’s the point?
Conclusion
Conclusion
As we draw this message to a close, let us remember that JESUS' radical call in Matthew 5:33-37 is not merely about avoiding oaths but about embodying a life of uncompromised integrity—a life where our "yes" means yes and our "no" means no, without the need for elaborate vows or manipulative loopholes. In a world rife with half-truths, spin, and deception, this teaching challenges us to examine our own speech: Have we, like the ancients, twisted words to evade responsibility, perhaps even invoking GOD's name or playing the "GOD-card" to get our way, just to escape a tense moment or achieve a desired outcome? We've all fallen short—whether in family promises broken by unforeseen circumstances, workplace commitments unkept, or those subtle deceptions we've used or endured that erode trust. Yet, JESUS exposes these as echoes of the evil one, urging us instead to cultivate vulnerable, transparent relationships that honor others and reflect GOD's Faithful Character.
This integrity is no mere moral ideal; it is a testament to our transformation by the Gospel. As believers, our words should mirror CHRIST, WHO is the Ultimate TRUTH (John 14:6)—the Word made flesh who never deceived, always fulfilled His promises, and whose yes to the FATHER’s Will redeemed us all. When we speak with authenticity, we point the world to HIM, fostering trust in our homes, workplaces, and communities, and instilling in our children not just the principle of being "a person of their word," but the profound reality of living as image-bearers of a trustworthy GOD.
So, beloved, let us commit today to reject the way of the snake—the subtle manipulations that lead to relational ruin—and embrace the simplicity of truthful speech. In doing so, we build bonds of genuine love, resolve conflicts with dignity, and shine as witnesses to CHRIST's unchanging truth. May HOLY SPIRIT empower us to let our yes be yes, our no be no, and our lives be a resounding affirmation of HIS Grace. Amen.
Closing prayer & benediction
24 The Lord bless you, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face shine on you,
And be gracious to you;
26 The Lord lift up His countenance on you,
And give you peace.’
Scripture records the following words in v.27:
“So whenever they use my name to bless the Israelites, I will bless them.”
So, receive and go with the blessings of YAHWEH!
