"***** Chapter 37—Oath Taking I saw that some of God's children have made a mistake in regard to oath taking, and Satan has taken advantage of this to oppress them, and take from them their Lord's money. I saw that the words of our Lord, “Swear not at all,” do not touch the judicial oath. “Let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” This refers to common conversation. Some exaggerate in their language. Some swear by their own life; others swear by their head—as sure as they live; as sure as they have a head. Some take heaven and earth to witness that such things are so. Some hope that God will strike them out of existence if what they are saying is not true. It is this kind of common swearing against which Jesus warns His disciples. 1T 201"
"But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:"
EGW directly quotes and interprets Matthew 5:34.
"But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil."
EGW directly quotes and interprets Matthew 5:37.
"have been increasing, and we are yet to be brought into strait places. But God will sustain His people in being firm and living up to the principles of His word. When the laws of men conflict with the word and law of God, we are to obey the latter, whatever the consequences may be. The law of our land requiring us to deliver a slave to his master, we are not to obey; and we must abide the consequences of violating this law. The slave is not the property of any man. God is his rightful master, and man has no right to take God's workmanship into his hands, and claim him as his own. 1T 201.2"
"Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men."
EGW echoes the principle of obeying God over human laws when they conflict, as exemplified in Acts 5:29. The context of slavery makes the connection particularly strong.
"And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death."
The EGW passage directly condemns the practice of slavery, aligning with the Exodus verse's condemnation of man-stealing, which was a primary source of slaves. The principle is that humans cannot be treated as property.
"Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men."
The EGW passage argues that a slave is not the property of any man, but belongs to God. This echoes the sentiment in 1 Corinthians 7:23 that believers are bought with a price and should not be servants of men in the sense of being owned by them. Both passages emphasize God's ownership over humanity.