Matthew 5:37 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

NIV: All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

NASB: But make sure your statement is, ‘ Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil origin.

CSB: But let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ mean ‘no.’ Anything more than this is from the evil one.

NLT: Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.

KJV: But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

NKJV: But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

Once again, Jesus is countering the shallow interpretation of Old Testament law, coming from Israel's religious leaders. In this passage, He has criticized the use of oaths: in this context, meaning the type of casual, "I swear I will do this" promises made in conversation. In Christ's era, people might have sworn oaths on "heaven and earth," or their own life, rather than swearing to the Lord, to avoid the consequences of breaking such a promise (Numbers 30:2). Jesus has already dismissed that practice (Matthew 5:33–36). Since all things belong to the Lord, nobody should take an oath on any of them.

Here, Jesus explicitly explains why using oaths to "enhance" a promise is not only unwise, it's sinful. When someone declares a promise with an oath, they're undermining their own personal integrity and honesty. The oath implies, "I really, truly mean what I am saying," which suggests other, non-oath-bound statements might not be so sincere. There's a built-in suggestion that the oath-swearer has a varied commitment to honesty. It's also a form of manipulation, seeking to get agreement from the other person using dramatic terms.

Christ's command for believers is simple: let the words "yes" and "no" be binding in all cases. Anything more comes from evil. A believer ought to be honest in what they say and do—they should not need the pressure of an artificial oath to follow through on their commitments. And, the believer should live a life of integrity such that others trust them without seeking such oaths. Modern culture echoes that with phrases such as "that man's word is his bond." This is the ideal: if you say you will do it, you will, period. No oaths required.

What Jesus does not refer to here are "oaths" such as contracts, marriage vows, or swearing in a witness in a courtroom. He is not forbidding believers to make promises, but to use oaths as an artificial form of honesty.

Matthew 5:33–37 continues a theme Jesus has been expanding in the Sermon on the Mount. The difference between righteousness and sin is not just a matter of following rules. It starts in the human heart. Here, Jesus attacks another way in which hypocrites would twist and abuse religious teachings. When Jesus speaks against swearing oaths, he's not referring to serious, formal commitments like marriage or a courtroom witness. He's condemning those who use the language of oaths to disguise dishonest intentions.

The Sermon on the Mount contains some of Jesus' most challenging teaching. It begins with the unlikely blessings of the Beatitudes. Jesus' disciples must do good works in order to be a powerful influence: as the salt of the earth and light of the world. The superficial righteousness of the Pharisees is not good enough to earn heaven. Sins of the heart, such as angry insults and intentional lust, are worthy of hell just as much as adultery and murder. Easy divorce and deceptive oaths are forbidden. Believers should not seek revenge. Instead, God intends us to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors. In short, we should strive to be perfect, as God is perfect.

Matthew 5 follows Matthew's description of the enormous crowds that were following Jesus (Matthew 4:25). One day, Jesus sits down on a hill to teach them, in an address we now call the Sermon on the Mount. He describes as blessed those who are poor in spirit, who mourn, and who are persecuted. Christ also explains how God's standards of righteousness go far beyond behaviors and speech; they also include our thoughts and attitudes. Meeting God's standards means perfection. Chapter 6 continues this sermon, with more examples of Jesus clarifying God's intent for godly living.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.