Matthew 5:36 , 37

"Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, for thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your speech be, Yea, yea; No, no: and whatsoever is more than these is of misery-gushing."

Jesus embraces what could be called the Minimalist Theory of Morality.  Rather than recommending the elaborate oaths common to the middle eastern culture of his day, Jesus instructs us to keep it simple. The best way to communicate one's integrity is to simply affirm with one word...and then do it.

The Etymological New Testament notes the problem with any further speech, "...and whatsoever is more than these is of misery-gushing."  Shakespeare would later write, Methinks thou dost protest too loudly.  Jesus identifies the source of extraneous affirmation: "misery-gushing."  Typically translated "evil", this Greek expression is a two-part word from "misery" and "to gush."  As we see too often among our political leadership (and religious institutions), when they wish to obscure they multiply words.  Let's embrace the minimalist idea and "swear not at all", even if a court asks us to do so.  Our yes or no will mean just that.

Matthew 5:33,34

"Again, you have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not on-oath, but shalt from-give unto the Affirmer thy oaths: 34 but I say unto you, swear not at all..."

In both the Old Testament and the New, the importance of doing what we promise is critically important.  But, there's a definite difference in how we personally assure others (and God) that we will perform as stated. In the verse and a half above, Jesus makes this difference as clear as possible.  He says, in the Etymological New Testament that "Thou shalt not on-oath..."  The ENT's ultra-literal translation allows the reader to see the two-part word Jesus used to indicate a superficial ("on") oath.  The OT forbade superficial oaths, on-oaths.  One had to genuinely "from-give" what one had sworn.  This is one method to help ensure that one does as promised: make the oath more elaborate.  Add a phrase like "so help me God" to a promise.  Perhaps, if we make our oaths more intense and complex, we will really perform them. 

Jesus takes a different tact.  By stripping our affirmations of all verbal clutter, we are left with simply our Yes or our No.  Nothing else...except our integrity.  This minimalist approach is the New Testament answer to human perfidy. We do as we say because we wish to retain our dignity, our self respect.  We claim allegiance to Jesus and his teaching.  And now we will do as we have promised.