Post by Mark on Dec 19, 2008 4:53:53 GMT -8
I remember as a kid, promising something that I didn’t intend to keep; but being justified in it because my fingers were crossed behind my back. I remembering lying awake in bed and wondering if I "crossed my heart and hoped to die" in obligation, which superstitious act cancelled the other out.
Now, as I read Messiah Yeshua rebuking the religious people of Israel, I think to myself, "Wow. Nothing is really different anywhere."
Again, you have heard that it has been said to the ancients, "You shall not swear falsely, but you shall perform your oaths to the Lord." But I say to you, Do not swear at all! Not by Heaven, because it is God's throne; not by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet; not by Jerusalem, because 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 word be, Yes, yes; No, no. For whatever is more than these comes from evil.
(Matthew 5:33-37 MKJV)
The Greek word epi-orkeh-oh is combination of the two words epi, which means over and or-kos, which means limit or restraint. The strict definition of the word would be, then, over the limit. The "oaths" that the sages demand should be performed is the word or-kos, simply a drop of the the prefix epi. However, there is more subtle deceptions involved in the teachings that Messiah addressed, because of the phrase, "to the Lord."
By specifying that each is commanded to "perform your oaths to the Lord," there is room left to consider, does that mean that we are not obligated to keep our oaths to anyone else?
This had become so extreme to some that any contractual agreement with a non-Jew was in no way binding and even agreements between brothers only held weight if the Most High were called upon as the seal. Given our human nature to split hairs and weasel out of tight places, this had been refined to the point of rediculous.
Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
(Matthew 23:16-22 KJV)
The Hebrew word "shah-bah" is the idea of swearing an oath. Literally, it means, "to seven oneself or to complete." The idea is that if you say that you will do it, you will by no means leave it undone.
A Psalm of David.
LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle?
who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness,
and speaketh the truth in his heart.
He that backbiteth not with his tongue,
nor doeth evil to his neighbor,
nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor.
In whose eyes a vile person is contemned;
but he honoreth them that fear the LORD.
He that sweareth to his own hurt,
and changeth not.
(Psalms 15:1-4 KJV)
In their adoption of Greek ideas and principles, it had to many, become an easy thing to separate the spiritual and godly from the normal and mundane. The
, biblical instructions for righteous living, does not allow for this.
Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.
(Deuteronomy 6:13 KJV)
Many of the sages rightly couple this passage with Deuteronomy 28:9 which commands us to "walk in His ways." This echoes what Paul would later teach us in Colossians 3:17, to do all things, in word or deed, to the glory of the Most High. This interpretation concludes that any word we speak or any oath we make has the stamp of the Most High upon it because in all things we are a representation of Him.
Either our word is good or it is not. Either we represent our Lord with integrity or we do not. It is not something we can stamp as reliable one day but be worthless the next. We are who we are, either representatives of Him or not.
Some kids never held their hands behind their backs. They were never asked to cross their hear and hope to die. They were always, always the ones who had the attention and the respect of all the other kids, regardless of how big they were, how smart or how wealthy. They walked with integrity… and I bet they slept well at night, too.
Now, as I read Messiah Yeshua rebuking the religious people of Israel, I think to myself, "Wow. Nothing is really different anywhere."
Again, you have heard that it has been said to the ancients, "You shall not swear falsely, but you shall perform your oaths to the Lord." But I say to you, Do not swear at all! Not by Heaven, because it is God's throne; not by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet; not by Jerusalem, because 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 word be, Yes, yes; No, no. For whatever is more than these comes from evil.
(Matthew 5:33-37 MKJV)
The Greek word epi-orkeh-oh is combination of the two words epi, which means over and or-kos, which means limit or restraint. The strict definition of the word would be, then, over the limit. The "oaths" that the sages demand should be performed is the word or-kos, simply a drop of the the prefix epi. However, there is more subtle deceptions involved in the teachings that Messiah addressed, because of the phrase, "to the Lord."
By specifying that each is commanded to "perform your oaths to the Lord," there is room left to consider, does that mean that we are not obligated to keep our oaths to anyone else?
This had become so extreme to some that any contractual agreement with a non-Jew was in no way binding and even agreements between brothers only held weight if the Most High were called upon as the seal. Given our human nature to split hairs and weasel out of tight places, this had been refined to the point of rediculous.
Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
(Matthew 23:16-22 KJV)
The Hebrew word "shah-bah" is the idea of swearing an oath. Literally, it means, "to seven oneself or to complete." The idea is that if you say that you will do it, you will by no means leave it undone.
A Psalm of David.
LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle?
who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness,
and speaketh the truth in his heart.
He that backbiteth not with his tongue,
nor doeth evil to his neighbor,
nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor.
In whose eyes a vile person is contemned;
but he honoreth them that fear the LORD.
He that sweareth to his own hurt,
and changeth not.
(Psalms 15:1-4 KJV)
In their adoption of Greek ideas and principles, it had to many, become an easy thing to separate the spiritual and godly from the normal and mundane. The
, biblical instructions for righteous living, does not allow for this.Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.
(Deuteronomy 6:13 KJV)
Many of the sages rightly couple this passage with Deuteronomy 28:9 which commands us to "walk in His ways." This echoes what Paul would later teach us in Colossians 3:17, to do all things, in word or deed, to the glory of the Most High. This interpretation concludes that any word we speak or any oath we make has the stamp of the Most High upon it because in all things we are a representation of Him.
Either our word is good or it is not. Either we represent our Lord with integrity or we do not. It is not something we can stamp as reliable one day but be worthless the next. We are who we are, either representatives of Him or not.
Some kids never held their hands behind their backs. They were never asked to cross their hear and hope to die. They were always, always the ones who had the attention and the respect of all the other kids, regardless of how big they were, how smart or how wealthy. They walked with integrity… and I bet they slept well at night, too.
