Matthew 18 verse 8. Jesus is talking about the importance of not sinning, not actually cutting your hand off.
The left hand is placed on the Bible and the right hand is raised.
Standing up with your left hand on the Bible and your right hand raised.
Although there was a Bible present, he did not place his left hand on it for some reason, perhaps religious. His right hand was raised, however.
Since oaths are sworn with the raised right hand, the left hand is the only one left to place on the Bible, thus swearing or affirming on the Bible. I think it is not so much significance of the left hand, but that the right hand is always raised for the oath - so the left is the only one left!
Traditionally, it was your right hand for cultural reasons. I do not believe that Bibles are used for this purpose any more. I personally appeared as a witness twice (in NY) and both times I was asked to swear to tell the truth. No Bible was presented and I was not asked to raise my hand.
732 times
The Bible in one hand... The gun in the other!
Matthew 6:3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
Just open a Bible to the Book of Joshua, the sixth book in the Old Testament. You'll find all you want to know. (He was Moses' right-hand man, and led the Chosen People into the Promised Land after the dath of Moses.)
Joseph was the one with the coat of many colours and pharoahs right hand man
The Holy Bible. Today (January 20, 2009), President Obama was sworn in with his hand on the same bible used at the inauguration of President Lincoln.
I don't know who sings it, but I can remember some of the words: I know my bible is right, something else is wrong (something is wrong) Something else is wrong (something is Wrong) Oh, something else is wrong (something is wrong) I know that (something else is wrong) In Genesis (read your bible) the world was made (read your bible) By my God's creative hand (creative Hand) In Exodus, the Hebrews marched (they wanted to claim the promised Land) Maybe someone else can remember more of it.... continuing "Read Leviticus(read your bible), Numbers(read your bible), Deueteronomy (read your bible), Joshua (read your bible), Read Judges( read your bible), Ruth (read your bible), 1st and 2nd Samuel (read your bible ), 1st and 2nd Kings (read your bible), 1st and 2nd Chronicicles ... The Bethlehem Gospel Singers "My Bible Is Right", you can find on you tube.