Nothing but the Truth

“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ But I tell you, Do not swear at all ... Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one” (Matt 5:33, 37).

Truth is a precious commodity. In a world filled with “my truth”, alternative facts, and things that are “true from a certain point of view”, Jesus wants us to be people of Truth.

At first glance, Jesus’ command about oaths is a little puzzling. What’s wrong with making an oath and not breaking it? Jesus’ objection to oaths becomes clearer in another passage:

“Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’ ... You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath’” (Matt 23:16-18).

The Pharisees had created an elaborate system that allowed people to weasel out of oaths. It let people get out of vows they’d made to the Lord, but it also made it hard to identify who was bound by an oath given to other people. You can almost imagine them flipping through their notes, trying to figure out if an oath was binding enough or if they should demand something stronger. People like this are not trustworthy.

One is reminded of the scene in The Princess Bride:

INIGO: I could give you my word as a Spaniard.
THE MAN IN BLACK: No good. I've known too many Spaniards.

The same could be said of the Jews of that time.

Jesus’ people are supposed to be different. They don’t make oaths because honesty does not require oaths. Every word out of our mouths is supposed to be utterly trustworthy.

I’m reminded of another scene, this time in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation called “A Matter of Honor”:

KARGAN: Although we are on a peaceful mission, we are ready to go into battle instantly. I know I can count on every Klingon warrior in this crew to serve and die in that battle. So I ask you again, Commander Riker. Where are your loyalties?
RIKER: I have been assigned to serve this ship and to obey your orders. And I will do exactly that.
KARGAN: Will you take an oath to that effect?
RIKER: I just did.

The truth does not require elaborate rituals, oaths, or pinky promises. In a world full of weasel words, half-truths, and statistics, Jesus demands that we be people of the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.


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