Matthew 5

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus says

³⁴ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, ³⁵ or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ³⁶ And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. ³⁷ Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

Matthew 5:34-37

Does this mean we shouldn’t make promises at all?

What about marriage vows?

What about the promise of a recurring contribution to the church?

What about the oath of office taken by government officials and members of the military?

How do some people say, “Well, Jesus didn’t really mean that,” while insisting on the inerrancy of His other words as recorded in the Bible?

Inquiring minds want to know.