Never swear an oath?

[Windmill]

This is yet another reason why Christ left us a teaching authority.

 

[Tom]

I was wondering what a sound Catholic interpretation of Matthew 5:33-37 is. Jesus says not to swear at all (some translations say to “make no oath at all”). I’ve encountered some Protestants who claim one should not even make wedding vows based on this passage, since we probably won’t uphold the vows perfectly. After reading Scott Hahn’s “Swear to God” it seems to me that the idea of swearing an oath is pretty basic to the Catholic idea of the sacraments (obviously we rely on the grace of God to empower us to fulfill the promises we make, and we do not rely completely on our own power). As a Catholic, how should I understand Matthew 5:33-37 in light of this?

Matthew chapter 5 does not prohibit oaths to one another, nor of principalities, but to swearing oaths to God. One should not swear (to God) without reason. As the notes in my DRV say:
www.drbo.org:

“Not to swear at all”… It is not forbid to swear in truth, justice and judgment; to the honour of God, or our own or neighbour’s just defence: but only to swear rashly, or profanely, in common discourse, and without necessity.

The words: "but thou shalt perform thy oaths to the Lord” give the context of the prohibition for the oath. It is to God we are not to swear. Each of the examples in Mt 5: 34-37 relates to God, heaven, is the throne of God: earth, is his footstool: Jerusalem, is the city of the great king: thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. BTW the term “so help you God” is not swearing “TO” God. It’s a plea to God to help you to affirm the truth.
www.drbo.org:

Mt 5:33 Again you have heard that it was said to them of old, Thou shalt not forswear thyself: but thou shalt perform thy oaths to the Lord. 34 But I say to you not to swear at all, neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God: 35 Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool: nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king: 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37 But let your speech be yea, yea: no, no: and that which is over and above these, is of evil.

 

[Fidelis]

Whatever Our Lord meant by the verse in question, he surely did not mean that it was always sinful or unnecessary to ever swear an oath or a vow. Otherwise the following NT references make no sense:

After this Paul stayed many days longer, and then took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aq’uila. At Cen’chre-ae he cut his hair, for he had a vow. (Acts 18:18)

[Paul said] "Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow… (Acts 21:23)

And the angel whom I saw standing on sea and land lifted up his right hand to heaven and swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there should be no more delay…(Revelation 10:5-6)

One might quible that a vow is not the same as an oath; but don’t you have to swear to or by something to take a vow?

 

[Sixtus]

Friends believe to swear an oath to tell the truth is indicating that one’s word can only be accepted as true when one is under an oath. We must “speak the truth in love” at all times…not just when we are under oath. Our words are to be our bond. Our plain speech of “yes” or “no”.

It was partly through our conscience and refusal to take oaths that our judicial system allows “affirmations”…“I afirm I am speaking the truth.”

“Let your “yes”, be “yes” and your “no” be “no”, swear not at all.”

Admirable. Let us hope you are never required to give evidence in a court of law

 

[Publisher]

Admirable. Let us hope you are never required to give evidence in a court of law

I have, and I affirmed.