Keep your communications yea, yea or nay, nay

Jesus says to keep your communications yea, yea or nay. nay. For anything more cometh of evil.

I have had problems doing this, but try to keep it up, when someone asks you a question that is not yes or no. Other times somebody might need something explained to them. I have also been persecuted for keeping this advice from the Lord.
 
Jesus says to keep your communications yea, yea or nay. nay. For anything more cometh of evil.

I have had problems doing this, but try to keep it up, when someone asks you a question that is not yes or no. Other times somebody might need something explained to them. I have also been persecuted for keeping this advice from the Lord.

I think we can garner more form Christ's words here to include: #1 Be honest (AKA: don't lie) and #2 Say only what is NECESSARY! This is also is in combination with - listening is more important than responding, and don't respond irrationally.

I am no good with that whole don't respond irrationally (out of anger) thing... Lord helps us with our wicked tongues by guiding our repentant heart towards your ways. For it is what comes off your tongue that defiles a man and reveals the core (heart) of a person.

Respond in Truth AND Love: "All truth and no love (or grace) is brutality." Pastor James MacDonald-Harvest Bible Chapel

('Speaking in grace with no truth is compromise'; compromising The Faith, The Way)
 
Jesus is talking about making vows, oaths or promises when He said this, we should just say yes or no not make oaths on anything because something may keep us from doing it. Jesus used more than yes and no when He talked to people, we can too just no make vows because we can not keep them.
 
I think ‘Oath” as opposed to “Worry” is similar in a way: wrongly placed confidence or no confidence .

Oath: Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.

Worry: Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?


Matthew 5:33-37New King James Version (NKJV)

Jesus Forbids Oaths
33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

Matthew 6:25-34New King James Version (NKJV)

Do Not Worry
25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
 
I like what Clark Thompson posted above.

To me it's about making promises. Promises that you might not be able to keep, and hence let someone down which would reflect negatively on one's integrity.

I think it's also why when in court they don't have you swear(promise) on the bible any more.

If a person is questioned and they don't feel like they can answer yes, yes, or no, no, then I feel they should give an explained answer, but not a promise.
 
I like what Clark Thompson posted above.

To me it's about making promises. Promises that you might not be able to keep, and hence let someone down which would reflect negatively on one's integrity.

I think it's also why when in court they don't have you swear(promise) on the bible any more.

If a person is questioned and they don't feel like they can answer yes, yes, or no, no, then I feel they should give an explained answer, but not a promise.

I think it is not about making an oath itself that we might not able to keep, or about making a promise itself that we might not able to keep...

...am being careful here, this is a Jesus teaching, thus, aside from this is my personal opinion, am very interested as well for others opinion...

I think, in formal public situations: we are required to by law to make a promise, an oath, a vow,
one example you mentioned: an oath in court hearing...
also in marriage vow...
also a promise to pay a debt that we might not able to keep : )

prom·ise : a declaration or assurance that one will do a particular thing or that a particular thing will happen.
oath: a solemn promise, often invoking a divine witness, regarding one's future action or behavior.
vow: a solemn promise.
 
I think it is not about making an oath itself that we might not able to keep, or about making a promise itself that we might not able to keep...

...am being careful here, this is a Jesus teaching, thus, aside from this is my personal opinion, am very interested as well for others opinion...

I think, in formal public situations: we are required to by law to make a promise, an oath, a vow,
one example you mentioned: an oath in court hearing...
also in marriage vow...
also a promise to pay a debt that we might not able to keep : )

prom·ise : a declaration or assurance that one will do a particular thing or that a particular thing will happen.
oath: a solemn promise, often invoking a divine witness, regarding one's future action or behavior.
vow: a solemn promise.

Interesting points you've made. Now you have me searching the Word for clarity.
 
I have read various commentaries that have led me to believe that this passage (Matt. 5:33-37) is related mostly to the importance of honesty and avoiding deceptive speech. This would explain why Jesus starts by quoting the teaching, "You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn." My understanding is that the religious leaders had created all sorts of loopholes to allow themselves to weasel out of their promises if they wanted to. This idea is further explained in Matt. 23:16, where Jesus says, "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.'" The next few verses after this give similar examples. It seems that people had developed creative ways of making impressive promises with the intention of backing out of them later based on technicalities.

In other words, be honest and say only what you mean, and don't try to make grandiose promises to impress people.
 
I have read various commentaries that have led me to believe that this passage (Matt. 5:33-37) is related mostly to the importance of honesty and avoiding deceptive speech. This would explain why Jesus starts by quoting the teaching, "You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn." My understanding is that the religious leaders had created all sorts of loopholes to allow themselves to weasel out of their promises if they wanted to. This idea is further explained in Matt. 23:16, where Jesus says, "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.'" The next few verses after this give similar examples. It seems that people had developed creative ways of making impressive promises with the intention of backing out of them later based on technicalities.

In other words, be honest and say only what you mean, and don't try to make grandiose promises to impress people.

Yes, I think that I would agree more on that as the lesson/message…

Interestingly , I think it is similar/already mentioned in post # 2 : )
 
I think ‘Oath” as opposed to “Worry” is similar in a way: wrongly placed confidence or no confidence .

Oath: Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.

Worry: Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?


Matthew 5:33-37New King James Version (NKJV)

Jesus Forbids Oaths
33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

Matthew 6:25-34New King James Version (NKJV)

Do Not Worry
25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Such a great reminder for all of us busy bodies
 
I think it is not about making an oath itself that we might not able to keep, or about making a promise itself that we might not able to keep...

...am being careful here, this is a Jesus teaching, thus, aside from this is my personal opinion, am very interested as well for others opinion...

I think, in formal public situations: we are required to by law to make a promise, an oath, a vow,
one example you mentioned: an oath in court hearing...
also in marriage vow...
also a promise to pay a debt that we might not able to keep : )

prom·ise : a declaration or assurance that one will do a particular thing or that a particular thing will happen.
oath: a solemn promise, often invoking a divine witness, regarding one's future action or behavior.
vow: a solemn promise.

So would you say that the examples you've given, court hearing, marriage vow, and to pay a debt are of this world or of God? And do you think it will be the same in the coming Kingdom of God?
 
So would you say that the examples you've given, court hearing, marriage vow, and to pay a debt are of this world or of God? And do you think it will be the same in the coming Kingdom of God?

I can only imagine of things of “thy Kingdom come”.... based on Paul’s describing Love (1 Corinthians 13) and some later verses in Revelation….

Thus, in my opinion, those mentioned are of this world: obligations and promises…..

….. in the same manner with our needs of “food, shelter and clothing" which we are to:

Colossians 3:17New King James Version (NKJV)
17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
 
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