- The Proper Teaching on Swearing 对起誓的正确教导 (5:33)
The main teaching here is about false swearing. Jesus did not forbid us to swear but forbade us to swear falsely. Deuteronomy 10:20 says, “You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear” (c.f. Deut.6:13).
这段经文论述的是起假誓言。耶稣并非禁止我们起誓，乃是禁止我们起假誓。《申命记》10章20节说：“你要敬畏耶和华你的神，事奉他，专靠他，也要指着他的名起誓。”（参：申6:13）。
- The Perversion of Swearing 对起誓的曲解 (5:34-36)
The command “You shall not swear falsely by My name” (Lev. 19:12) was conveniently misused by the Pharisees to mean that swearing falsely by any other name was allowed, as long as it was not by God’s name. So they flippantly swore by “heaven,” “earth,” “Jerusalem” and even by their “heads.”
“不可指着我的名起假誓”（利19:12）——法立赛人误解诫命之意，认为只要不是以神的名起假誓，其他的名都可以用。所以，他们轻率地指着天、地、耶路撒冷，甚至自己的头起誓。
- The Precedence of Swearing 起誓之先 (5:37)
Jesus did not forbid swearing because God the Father Himself swore (Gen. 22:16, Heb. 6:13 etc.), Jesus also swore (Matt 26:63-64) as did Paul (Acts 18:18, Gal 1:20, 2 Cor 1:23-24). Jesus’ lesson is that we need to be truthful in our answer – let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No’.
耶稣并没禁止起誓，因为天父（创22:16，来6:13）、主耶稣（太26:63-64），以及保罗（使18:18，加1:20，林后1:23-24）都曾经起誓。耶稣这里的教导是要我们有诚信，即是，就说是；不是，就说不是。
Praying the Scripture 用经文祷告
- It is interesting that it is a command to swear by God’s name in the OT (Deut. 6:13; Jer. 12:13). But in this passage, Jesus did not prohibit swearing, but prohibits swearing falsely. When taken out of context, these verses would seem to contradict each other. Pray that God help us to divide His Word rightly.
有趣的是，旧约命令人要以神的名起誓（申6:13；耶12:13）。在这段经文中，耶稣并没有禁止人起誓；祂禁止的是起假誓言。圣经是不会互相冲突。祷告神能帮助我们按正意分解真道。
- Jesus said He is the light of the World (John 9:5) and in him there is no darkness (1 John 1:5). The lesson is for us to “put away all falsehood, let each one of us speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another” (Eph 4:25). Are you being truthful all the time with your brothers?
耶稣说他是世界的光（约9:5），在他毫无黑暗（约壹1:5）。这里的教导就是要我们除掉所有的虚伪，让我们每个人与邻舍说真话，因我们是彼此为肢体的（弗4:25）。你是否时时刻刻都真诚相待弟兄？
- We are also called children of light (Eph. 5:8). Do you walk as children of light? Pray that your light is shining so brightly that it brings glory to God.
