How does Matthew 5:33 connect with the commandment against bearing false witness? Setting the Stage • Exodus 20:16 gives the ninth commandment: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor”. • Matthew 5:33 states: “Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’” • Jesus immediately adds in vv. 34-37 that we should not swear at all, but simply let our “Yes” be “Yes” and our “No,” “No.” How the Two Passages Connect • Same root issue: truthfulness. – The commandment guards truth in formal testimony. – Jesus moves the boundary line inward to everyday conversation. • Bearing false witness breaks trust with neighbor; breaking oaths breaks trust with God and people alike. • Both passages expose the heart: a lie or a careless oath springs from the same inner deception (cf. Proverbs 12:22). • Jesus shows the commandment’s fullness: it is not merely “avoid courtroom perjury,” but “be a person whose words are inherently reliable.” • By forbidding oaths, He reveals that constant truth-telling makes oaths unnecessary; honest speech stands on its own (James 5:12). A Deeper Standard of Truthfulness • Internal integrity: God desires truth “in the innermost being” (Psalm 51:6). • Consistency: every “Yes” and “No” is a mini-testimony of character. • Reverence: to swear casually invokes God’s name in vain (Leviticus 19:12), intertwining the ninth commandment with the third. Practical Takeaways • Speak plainly—avoid verbal exaggerations, half-truths, and manipulative silence. • Keep commitments, even small ones (Psalm 15:4). • Refuse “white lies”; trust God with the consequences of honesty. • Let integrity be visible: “put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor” (Ephesians 4:25). Bottom Line The ninth commandment forbids false testimony; Matthew 5:33-37 extends that prohibition to all speech, calling believers to unwavering, oath-free integrity so that every word bears faithful witness to the God of truth. |
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