Example #4: Application
on the Issue of Oaths
“Again you have heard that it was
said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your
oaths to the Lord.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by
heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor
by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by
your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your
‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from
the evil one. (Jesus, Matthew 5:33–37)
As Jesus
continues to contrast His approach to the law with what was commonly taught, He
hits on the issue of oaths. The Old Testament gives the following commands: “And
you shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your
God: I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:12). “If a man
makes a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by some
agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that
proceeds out of his mouth” (Numbers 30:2). And, “When you make a vow to
the Lord your God, you shall not delay to pay it; for
the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and it would be sin
to you” (Deuteronomy 23:21). The standard teaching, then, was to make sure
you actually fulfill oaths made to the Lord, which sounds good. The problem is
that oaths and swearing was abused by people (as it is today), and this is what
Jesus confronts.
One abuse
is swearing about trivial things. People, instead of simply saying what they
mean, add swears to what they are saying. They “swear to God” that the food at
that restaurant is the worst they have ever had. They “swear to God” that they
are going to punish their child if he does that one more time. Obviously, this
trivializes the purpose of swearing, and it demeans God’s name. Another abuse
is swearing with technicalities (the equivalent of crossing your fingers). As
long as we don’t actually swear to the Lord (the reasoning went) then we don’t
have to actually follow through on what we swore. Today, people make promises
and sign agreements, and yet they find loopholes in order not to follow through
on their commitment.
Jesus is
simply calling people on the carpet and telling them to speak truthfully. They
should not have to add oaths to their statements for people to trust them. When
people hear you say something, they should know, based on your character, that
what you say is true. There are times when society may legitimately require and
oath or signature to ensure honesty (such as in legal situations), but this
only backs the principle of how important it is to be truthful. Jesus was asked
to swear under oath by the Jewish council whether He was truly the Son of God,
which He then affirmed (Matthew 23:63–64). But even if oaths may be instituted
by government for certain reasons, Jesus’ clear teaching is that His followers
are not to rely on them in normal conversation.
Example #5:
Application on the Issue of Retaliation
“You have heard that it was said,
‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But
whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you
and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak
also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give
to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn
away. (Jesus, Matthew 5:38–42)
The law of retribution, “an eye for
an eye and a tooth for a tooth,” is an ancient principle,
observed in law codes other than the Old Testament. The Old
Testament law does present this principle, saying for example, “But if any harm
follows, then you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth,
hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound,
stripe for stripe” (Exodus 21:24). The reasoning behind a law such as this is
that it prevents crime (through fear of consequences) and protects a guilty
person from being given a punishment that is greater than the crime itself
merits (MacArthur, 329).
The problem
Jesus is pointing out is using this law as a justification for personal
vengeance. Jesus here teaches that on a personal level, His people are to be
forgiving and even accommodating to others in situations where we may be
tempted to retaliate. If someone slaps you (a severe example of disrespect),
Jesus says to “turn the other cheek,” or to accept it calmly. If someone wants
to sue you (in Jesus’ time, they could take clothing if that was all you had),
He instructs us to give more than what is demanded. And if someone demands you
carry their load for a mile (as Roman soldiers then were permitted to do), be
willing to carry it for two.
What is the
purpose behind these reactions that Jesus advocates? A hint is found in what
Paul says in Romans:
If it is possible, as much as depends
on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves,
but rather give place to wrath; for it is
written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says
the Lord. Therefore
“If your enemy is hungry, feed
him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but
overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:18–21)
There are two
reasons for why Jesus’ followers are to refrain from taking personal vengeance.
The first is to overcome evil with good. By treating others the opposite of
what they deserve, it actually serves to convict them of how they are treating
us. Most of us know that when we act harshly and someone returns this with the
same attitude, it only exacerbates the issue. But when someone treats us nicely
in spite of ourselves, it tends to soften our hearts. An example of overcoming
contention with goodness is seen in the following words of a woman who had
become bitter in her marriage. It had come to an end for her, so she kicked her
husband out of the house. But in the meantime he spent time in prayer and
studying marriage books and tapes. She recounts:
The girls were really
starting to miss him not being around, so we decided he would return home “until
further notice.” Well, he would hold my hand every night and pray for me and
for our marriage as I stared up at the ceiling anxiously waiting for him to
finish. He would leave little notes, or a little flower on the bathroom mirror
or in my car. So many little things he would do to show me that he loved me and
wasn’t going to let this marriage end easily.
It just irritated
me. I thought, can’t he understand that I
don’t love him, that I don’t want to be with him anymore? Why is he trying so
hard?. . .
I
was emotionally going through something that neither of us really understood, but
he stayed there and loved me through it. I’ll spare you all the little extra
details, but I eventually broke. No woman in her right mind could let go of
that much love and commitment.
[Now]
I am very much in love with my husband. (Eggerichs, 98)
I am sure her
husband was far from perfect and had a part in leading the marriage to turmoil
in the first place, but he learned how to treat bitterness with kindness and
love, and overcame evil with good.
The second reason for not
retaliating is that we can trust God to bring justice. Jesus exemplified this
attitude, according to Peter, in that “when He [Jesus] was reviled, did not
revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to
Him who judges righteously” (I Peter 2:23). Jesus committed His situation to
God, who can take care of justice.
One other principle that sheds
light on this topic is seen in Paul’s instruction concerning government:
Let every soul be subject to the
governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the
authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the
authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring
judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil.
Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have
praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for
good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain;
for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him
who practices evil. (Romans 13:1–4)
Paul, in these
words, demonstrates that God uses the government to punish evil. This is the
proper sphere of meting out justice. On a personal level, Christ’s followers
are to return evil with goodness, but there are actions for which people will
ultimately face judgment from the legal system. The government is a means by
which God brings justice and which may help people not to engage in destructive
behaviors.
Works Cited:
Dr. Emerson Eggerichs, Love
and Respect: The Love She Most Desires, The Respect He Desperately Needs
(Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2004).
John F. MacArthur, The
MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Matthew 1–7 (Chicago: Moody Press,
1985).
All Scripture quotations are taken from the New King
James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson,
Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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