Matthew 5:33-37 (MSG)

33-37 “And don’t say anything you don’t mean. This counsel is embedded deep in our traditions. You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying, ‘I’ll pray for you,’ and never doing it, or saying, ‘God be with you,’ and not meaning it. You don’t make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true. Just say ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong.

Matthew 5:33-37 (MSG)

General Context Questions

• Who wrote this? Who is or which groups of people are involved?
• Was this written before, during, or after Jesus’ lifetime?
• Is this a narrative, a parable, a praise, a suggestion, a command, an instruction, or something else?
• Is there anything that stands out to you?
• Did anything confuse you? Were there words or phrases that didn’t make sense?

Specific Questions

• What sort of conversations does this passage apply to? Is it advice for talking with other people or is it also applicable in prayer?
• Do you follow through when you say, “I’ll pray for you”? How do you stay disciplined to do that?
• Which words or phrases do you consider to be “religious lace”?
• Is this passage giving us permission to be blunt with other people?
• What is the difference between manipulating words and carefully selecting words in a conversation?