January 20, 2025. Inauguration Day. Chief Justice John Roberts created a chaotic scene as President-Elect Trump was getting ready to take the oath of office. Once the two men were face-to-face, Roberts began the oath. The Trump family was scrambling to get in position and Melania was late to the party with the two Bibles upon which Trump’s left hand should have rested upon. However, Trump never did place his hand on the Bibles. He stayed focused on Chief Roberts and had already repeated a couple of portions of the oath before the family was finally settled around him.
Is President Trump really the president?
Article II, Section 1, Clause 8 of the United States Constitution says, “Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:–“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” Nothing is said about raising your right hand, placing your left hand on the Bible, ending with “so help me God,” or anything else that might be added. Those are matters of preference.
George Washington began the tradition of being sworn in on the Bible. Once he took the oath, he actually kissed the Bible. Thomas Jefferson, though, did not place his hand on the Bible. John Quincy Adams placed his hand on a book of laws. Calvin Coolidge’s strict Puritan upbringing forbid the swearing in on a Bible. Theodore Roosevelt was quickly sworn in after the assassination of McKinley and no Bible was available. And after Kennedy’s assassination, Lydon Johnson was sworn in on a Catholic missal found on the plane.
So, to answer the question, yes – President Trump is really the president. But this leads us to another question. Should a Christian take an oath? Should they raise their hand and say, “I do solemnly swear?”
Matthew 5:33-37 says, “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: (34) But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: (35) Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. (36) Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. (37) But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” Some have taken this passage to mean that we cannot
take an oath of office or swear an oath in court. That is clearly not what is taught.
Albert Barnes writes, “An oath is a solemn affirmation or declaration, made with an appeal to God for the truth of what is affirmed, and imprecating his vengeance, and renouncing his favor if what is affirmed is false. A false oath is called perjury, or, as in this place, forswearing.
“It appears, however, from this passage, as well as from the ancient writings of the Jewish rabbins, that while the Jews professedly adhered to the law, they had introduced a number of oaths in common conversation, and oaths which they by no means considered to be binding. For example, they would swear by the temple, by the head, by heaven, by the earth. So long as they kept from swearing by the name Yahweh, and so long as they observed the oaths publicly taken, they seemed to consider all others as allowable, and allowedly broken. This is the abuse which Christ wished to correct. “It was the practice of swearing in common conversation, and especially swearing by created things.” To do this, he said that they were mistaken in their views of the sacredness of such oaths…
“Our Saviour here evidently had no reference to judicial oaths, or oaths taken in a court of justice. It was merely the foolish and wicked habit of swearing in private conversation; of swearing on every occasion and by everything that he condemned. This he does condemn in a most unqualified manner.”
By swearing or taking an oath in general conversation, a person was trying to add credibility to their words. However, if we would just tell the truth, mean what we say and say what we mean, an oath is unnecessary. Our character is weakened by the constant need to swear by something to authenticate our words. This is what the Lord was forbidding.
Today, make sure that you are known as a man or woman of your word. Build a reputation of always speaking truthfully. And take heed of James 5:12. “But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.”
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