Matthew 5 verses 33 to 37 should create a lot more controversy in the modern church than they do. Many Churches have no policy or doctrine on taking oaths or swearing, yet this statement was clearly a directive from Christ and one of the few times he gave particular instructions:
Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: The word Oath is horkos which is from horion which has to do with boundaries which is "from a derivative of an apparently primary horos (a bound or limit)"
The word foreswear is from epiorkeo, to swear falsely, from epiorkos which is a perjured person.
In verse 34, "But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:"
We see the word swear but from a completely different word. It is translated from omnuo, a prolonged form of a primary but obsolete omo. This obsolete form is found within many other words such as omoiazo, agree; omothumadon, with one accord; omou, together; or omophron, of one mind;
There is little doubt that Jesus is talking about swearing an oath before men but from the point of view that the oath is an agreement that sets the boundaries of our lives. He goes on to clarify his doctrine with verse 35 through 37, "Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil."
If Christ came to set men free so that they may be free souls under the God of heaven and earth then to take an oath or bind ourselves by agreement so that we no longer could make free choices would be going against the precepts of what Jesus came to do.
We know the kingdom operates under the perfect law of liberty and that we are to have no other gods before us, and that there are gods many. Is Jesus simply explaining that by our oaths and agreements we restrict the exercise of our God given conscience by giving the right to choose for us to other men.
These other men became the lords of our choices, our conscience and they have what the Greeks called exousia or the right to choose for us. If Christ came to set the captive free he came to set men at liberty. There are few things that limit a man's liberty than the boundaries established by taking oaths.
God wants us to remain under the higher liberty of His word which is written upon our hearts and mind by His Holy Spirit if we will come into agreement with Him.
See ROMANS 13 verse 1 to understand exousia
http://www.hisholyc http://hurch.net/ sermon/Romans13. html