Weekly Playlist | May 20-26
Sermon on the Mount - Oaths, Retaliation, and Enemy Love
Oaths and Truth-Telling
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Listen to the short passage of Scripture below and then watch some related resources. As you meditate on this passage, think about this question: Why does Jesus tell his followers to not swear oaths?
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Matthew 5:33-37
Oaths and Truth-Telling
We'll be adding more translations here in the future, but in the meantime, you can find more translations now on the BibleProject app.
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Jesus teaches that peacemaking begins with honesty, encouraging his followers to respond to injustice with creative nonviolence and love for their enemies.
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Jesus warns his followers against making oaths. By keeping their word, they can live with honesty and avoid the temptation to manipulate others.
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Chapter from Sermon on the Mount E14
Oaths from the Evil One
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Jesus says that adding anything to a promise beyond “yes or no” comes from the evil one. He is referencing a biblical pattern of people who use oaths to manipulate and deceive. When humans do this, they behave like the snake in Genesis 3.
Oaths and Truth-Telling
Peacemaking starts with a radical commitment to honesty and integrity. In Jesus’ day, Israelites swore religious-sounding oaths to manipulate people. When humans do this, they behave like the snake in Genesis 3 who twisted God’s words in order to deceive. So Jesus teaches his followers to avoid oaths altogether and instead honor others by keeping their word.