Thanks to my younger son, nearly every time I read James 5:12, I am reminded of a classic scene in an episode of “The Three Stooges.” In the 1936 episode “Disorder in the Court,” Curly is being sworn in to testify as a key witness to a murder trial. There is an extensive back-and-forth between the bailiff and Curly as the bailiff tries his level best to get Curly—who is also holding a cane—to take off his hat, place his left hand on the Bible, and raise his right hand.
Curly just can’t seem to figure out how to do all three actions at once. The bailiff becomes greatly agitated, and the problem escalates when the exasperated bailiff, in an effort to end the ordeal as swiftly as possible, hurriedly rattles off the familiar question: “Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?” Curly can’t understand the bailiff’s speedy question, so the drollery continues for quite some time before Curly is finally “sworn in.”
It really is a funny spectacle! But goofball antics of this scene notwithstanding, what place does James’ teaching in verse 12 have in today’s court of law?
Here’s the text:
But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment. (James 5:12)
Does James forbid the Christian’s taking an oath to provide testimony? Is it wrong for Christians to place their hand upon a Bible and swear an oath of office? There are some who think so. They read this verse along with statements made by our Lord Jesus and conclude that they cannot, in good conscience, swear to take an oath of any kind.
On a surface level, James’ words certainly seem to forbid such oath-taking. At the same time, given the wider scope of scriptural teaching, I do not think the Bible forbids wholesale the practice of taking oaths.
Before we consider precisely what James is teaching here, we may feel that this verse seems a bit out of place. How does this seemingly random verse fit into the overall context of James’ letter?
If there is one thing we’ve learned about James, it is that he has much to say about the use and misuse of our tongues. While chapter 3 stands out as the primary chapter on misuse of the tongue, James’ teaching on this subject begins as early as the first chapter, where he cautions against one’s “saying” he is tempted by God (James 1:13).
Recall that he warned in the same chapter, “If anyone among you thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless (James 1:26).”
You’ll also remember that in Chapter 2, James warns against our “saying” to the poor and shabbily dressed worshiper, “You stand over there (James 2:3)” and he rebukes us for “saying” a Christian can have faith without works (James 2:12).
Then there is that extensive and exhaustive treatment of the tongue in chapter 3, verses 1 through 12. James warns that our tongues are a fire, a world of iniquity (James 3:6), and “an unruly evil, full of deadly poison (James 3:8).”
In chapter 4, he warns, “Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother…speaks evil of the law and judges the law (James 4:11).”
And in our previous study of the opening verses of chapter 5 (the verses immediately preceding our text), we read where James warns—in the context of injustice—“Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned (James 5:9).”
This last warning (verse 9) is especially helpful in providing context for verse 12. It is often when we go through trials, temptations, and injustices that we are especially vulnerable and most likely to say things we will later regret.
Consider Peter’s behavior on the night Jesus was betrayed. Peter was rather “oath-like” in his verbal stand for Christ. Earlier in the evening, he boasted, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble (Matthew 26:33).” But of course, Peter himself ended up “stumbling,” abandoning Jesus. Later, when under pressure to reveal himself as a follower of Christ, Peter thrice denied his Lord, swearing: “I do not know the Man (Matthew 26:69-75)!”
Perhaps it is this kind of behavior foremost in James’ thinking when he writes verse 12. We cannot say for certain, but we do know that the misuse of our words is a prominent theme in this letter.
Having established the immediate context of verse 12, let us consider a few other passages where oaths are mentioned in the Bible.
It was not uncommon in New Testament times to use oaths in a self-serving way, a means by which to be evasive or avoid personal responsibility. An oath might be taken not so much to bind one to a commitment but rather as the means by which to get out of one.
For example, in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus warns:
“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.’ Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?”(Matthew 23:16-17)
In addition to addressing the creation of superficial distinctions in the law, Jesus teaches that it is always wrong to use an oath to get out of one’s word.
Oaths used this way often provided a “loophole” to one’s pledge, an “escape hatch” to get out of a commitment. We may imagine a person saying something like, “Look, I know I promised. I know I gave you my word, but you need to remember that I swore only by the temple, not by the gold of the temple! So I am not obliged to keep my promise.”
This is not too dissimilar from the oaths many of us took on the playground as small children. We would “promise” to do some such thing, but behind our backs, we crossed our fingers. We believed that if we had our fingers crossed, then our oath was not binding. And if we really meant to keep our word, we would say something like: “Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye (whatever that means!).”
Jesus also addresses the danger of attempting to strengthen our words by swearing oaths. In the Sermon on the Mount, He says:
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.” But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No.” For whatever is more than these is from the evil one (Matthew 5:33-37).
This particular matter of trying to strengthen one’s words by adding an oath seems to be at the center of what James forbids in verse 12. The idea is, “Don’t seek to strengthen or enforce your words by adding an oath to them. Just keep your word!”
At the same time, it seems clear that the Bible does not entirely forbid the practice of taking oaths.
Jesus, Himself, took an oath. During His trial, the high priest looked at Jesus and said, “I charge You under oath by the Living God. Are You the Son of God?” And Jesus replied, under oath, “Yes, I am; it is as you say (Matthew 26:63-64).”
Paul’s second letter to the Church at Corinth records an “oath-like” manner of speaking: “Moreover I call God as witness against my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth (2 Corinthians 1:23; cf. Galatians 1:20; Philippians 1:8).”
God the Father took an oath when making His covenant with Abraham. According to the writer of Hebrews: “When God made his promise to Abraham since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself (Hebrews 6:13).”
So when we compare Scripture with Scripture, it is hard to conclude that the Bible strictly forbids the taking of all oaths, without exception.
On the contrary, it would seem that given man’s fallen nature, oaths would be helpful in situations such as a court of law. It is precisely because we are sinners, liars at heart, that oaths have proved helpful in ascertaining the truth. Given man’s propensity for trying to find loopholes, a solemn ceremony wherein one is formally bound to tell the truth seems especially needful in modern civilization.
Think about it: Why do we require the placing of one’s hand on the Bible anyway? In other words, if one has to place his or her hand on the Bible in order to guarantee that he or she is now going to be telling the truth, what does this say about the way a person naturally goes about speaking and behaving when he or she is not placing a hand upon the Bible?
It is as though we are saying, “Oh, but I mean it now, you see. After all, I am placing my hand upon the Bible!” Or better: “I will place my hand upon a stack of Bibles!”
This reasoning sounds very much like the Pharisee who says: “I swear not merely by the temple, but by the gold of the temple!”
So, while the custom of taking an oath, such as in a court of law, may be permissible in our day, a Christian should never feel the need to strengthen or enforce his words by taking an oath. This seems to be more what James is after here in verse 12:
“But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No,’ lest you fall into judgment.”
In essence, James is saying, “Look, don’t be like some unbeliever who has to enforce his words with an oath. You don’t place your hand on the Bible only when you mean it because, as a Christian, your hand is always on the Bible.” 1
There are No Levels of Truthfulness
For Christians, there are no levels of truthfulness. We do not reason: “Well, this is one level of truth here, and then there is this little bit of “gray area” here, so I can tell the whole truth here and fudge a little there.”
Christians are expected to be completely truthful at all times. Placing your hand on the Bible doesn’t suddenly make you a truth-teller. Placing your hand on the Bible, for the Christian, is really of no consequence because the true Christian always tells the truth.
God is your Judge (cf. James 5:9), and you are always “under oath.” Always! You are always “sworn in.”
There are no levels of truthfulness to your employer, to your clients, to your co-workers, to your parents, to your children, or to your spouse. Let your “Yes” be “Yes” and your “No,” “No.” Be a person of your word. Tell the truth every time. Don’t fudge. Don’t look for the loophole.
There are No Levels of Integrity
Christians will not fudge the truth, compromise their morality, or cheapen their integrity. They endeavor to walk not in worldliness but in holiness.
So there are no levels of integrity in your marriage. You said to your spouse, “I do.” There was no qualification to that commitment. You said, “Yes,” so let your “Yes” be “Yes.”
You said, “For richer or for poorer, for sickness and in health, for the good times, and the bad times, too.”
Those who know us should regard us as those who always tell the truth. We are a people “set apart” from the average person. And our motivation for always telling the truth comes from God’s truthfulness to us. His “Yes” can be taken to the bank.
Imagine If God changed His “Yes” to “No!” God has said wonderful things such as, “The one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out (John 6:37)” or, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink (John 7:37).” Or consider this classic promise: “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:18).”
So imagine if God were to say to you, “Look, I didn’t really mean you. I didn’t really mean all of what I said. I wasn’t talking about forgiving that sin!”
Here is the supreme motivator for our own faithfulness: God’s faithfulness to us. God’s faithfulness to us motivates our faithfulness to Him and our faithfulness to others.
What About You?
- Are you comfortable taking an oath in a court of law? Why or why not? Be sure to use Scripture to support your answer.
- How does secular society view telling the truth? Why do you think that is?
- Are you known as a person of your word?
**Excerpt from You’re Either Walking The Walk Or Just Running Your Mouth (Preaching Truth: 2020), pages 179-186, available in all formats here.
- I am indebted to Tim Keller for this phrase “Your hand is always on the Bible,” heard in his sermon, “Communication,” available at https://gospelinlife.com/downloads/communication-5831/ accessed May 28, 2020
PREVIOUS COMMENTS
directorfsm Great little article; I wholeheartedly agree with the concept of no levels of truth or integrity. There is only God’s standard. I was just having this conversation with a gentleman in my church yesterday concerning some shady construction things we have both seen over the years and how many folks, especially here in the South, have been ripped off by so-called “Christian” contractors. We agreed cutting corners is immoral, unethical, and in many cases illegal, not to mention sinful for a self-proclaiming “Christian.”
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Comment by post authorTodd Linn, PhD Amen, brother. We, believers, should be setting the best example in the workplace and beyond. Thanks for your comment!✝️
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