Matthew 23:16-22 "Yes and No"

“Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’  You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred?  You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’  You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?  Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.  And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it.  And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.

 Let's make sure we understand what Jesus is teaching here.  He is not saying that swearing by one thing (either altar or gold) is more binding than swearing by another thing.  To think that would be missing His point.  Jesus is identifying in the Pharisees a lack of understanding of a fundamental character quality that God's people ought to possess: integrity.  In fact, in another place Jesus says very clearly not to swear by anything because people should be able to take us at our word.  When we say yes, it should mean yes.  When we say no, it should mean no.


Playing games with honesty is not God's way.  I heard a preacher teaching a while back that we need to be very careful about the wording when when pray and be very specific because God is likely to give us exactly and only what we ask for.  For example, if you need a new car, ask for a Mercedes just to make sure God doesn't stick you with a Kia.  THIS IS WRONG!  God isn't mean spirited, and He can't be manipulated.  Playing games with wording is Satan's domain.  Jesus said that Satan is a liar and the father of lies.  This means that all deception and trickery originates with Satan.


And this is the heart of what Jesus was teaching.  Playing games with the wording to get out of keeping an oath or a promise is 100% Satan's domain, and God's people should not participate.  When we, as God's people, blur the lines between lying and truth, we are fudging on one of God's primary character qualities and siding with the enemy.


When we say yes, let it mean yes.  When we say no, let it mean no.  Let's be the kind of people that others trust because our Father is trustworthy.