Matthew 5:36Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Let the reverence for God outweigh any form of coercion. If you offer such justifications, you will struggle to uphold any commandment. You might say of your wife, “What if she is harsh and extravagant?” Likewise, you would say of your right eye: “What if I cherish it and become overly attached?” You might also question the temptation of your eyes: “Am I prohibited from gazing at it?” Or consider your anger toward a brother and argue, “What if I am irritable and cannot control my words?” In this way, you could find yourself easily transgressing all these commandments. However, with respect to human laws, you would never dare present such excuses and say, “What if this or that?” – yet, whether you wish to or not, you must adhere to the law. Regarding the commandment at hand, swearing may not even be necessary for you. The one who embraces the lessons of the aforementioned beatitudes and aligns themselves as instructed by Christ will be perceived by all as deserving of honor and respect, thus escaping the need to take oaths.

This stipulation serves as a concession to them, given their spiritual immaturity, allowing them to offer sacrifices to God instead of to idols. They are permitted to swear by God's name, not because it is encouraged, but because it is preferable to do so in honor of God than in the names of false deities. However, the message of the Gospel ultimately rejects the practice of swearing altogether, as every word not blessed takes the place of oaths.

The Lord has highlighted this concept elsewhere, declaring: He who swears by the altar swears by it and by all that is upon it; and he who swears by the temple swears by it and by Him who dwells in it (Matt. 23:20-21). He instructs us not to swear by Jerusalem, for it represents the city of the Great King, symbolizing the body of Christ, which reflects the spiritual and heavenly Church. Likewise, He says not to swear by your own head, for as the Apostle teaches, Christ is the head of every man (1 Cor. 11:3). Thus, anyone who swears by these things is ultimately swearing by the Creator of all.

This prohibition exists because they contravene God's unchangeable directive: “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain” (Exodus 20:7). These vows and oaths degrade the reverence of God within our hearts, subtly fostering a propensity for deceit, while also encouraging a disregard for lawful oaths, often leading to severe breaches of them. Thus, the Savior, seeking to eradicate the root of this malady from our hearts, instructs us not to swear by the sacred and awe-inspiring name of God, nor by heaven, which is His throne, nor by the earth, which serves as His footstool, nor by Jerusalem, as the Jews often did, holding it as the holy city of the King of Israel, nor even by our own heads; for we cannot create a single hair or alter its color from black to white, or vice versa. To affirm truthfulness in all matters, Jesus Christ declares: let your word be simply 'yes' or 'no,' and anything beyond this derives from the wicked adversary of our salvation, the devil, who, as the father of lies, endeavors to implant pernicious seeds of deceit in our hearts, gradually leading us to grievous violations of our oaths. The most insidious deception of the evil spirit is the notion that disobeying Christ’s commandments is a trivial matter, while simultaneously threatening severe consequences for such infractions, thereby attempting to eradicate the fear of divine judgment from our hearts, which serves to protect our souls from the Lord. Once he succeeds in removing this divine safeguard, he invades the heart unimpeded, plundering the treasures of grace within, seizing the soul as his captive, and utilizing the body as an instrument of his wickedness. It is imperative, dear brethren, that we diligently guard our hearts, which have been sanctified as the dwelling place of God Himself, ensuring that all our bodily senses function as pure instruments for fulfilling His commandments, in accordance with the wisdom found in Scripture: “Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23). We should continually pray to our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ, asking Him to protect our hearts with the saving fear of His righteous judgment, to fill them with His love, so that we may love our Lord and God with all our heart, soul, mind, strength, and thoughts (Matthew 22:37); that we may walk blamelessly in the light of His commandments and thus become heirs to eternal life. Amen.

In this manner, the Lord illustrated the correct interpretation of the law and the character that a citizen of the kingdom of heaven ought to foster within themselves. It is not merely a grievous act that violates the law, but any absence of love; not just actual infidelity, but even lustful thoughts; not only breaking an oath, but every form of injustice that one is meant to uphold through an oath; and not only overtly unjust actions against others, but also an inhumane insistence on personal rights—these behaviors are incompatible with the law that the Messiah establishes for His realm. The defining characteristic of those who belong to His kingdom is an unconditional love for everyone, including enemies, and in this, as in all things, they are called to emulate the perfection of the Heavenly Father.

The absence of such conviction is often reflected in a person's attempts to appear more devout, as was the practice of the Pharisees.

However, from this understanding of an oath's essence, it is clear that the form of an oath prescribed by the Lord—yes or no—does not imply that one either refrains from swearing altogether or swears only in that specified manner. Rather, this teaching reveals the true inner significance of the oath. For instance, the Apostle Paul swore in a different manner (Rom. 9:1; 10:1-2). The law regarding oaths, as articulated by Christ, combines the confirmation of a past truth with a promise made to God pertaining to the future, affirmed by God’s authority (Ex. 20:7; Lev. 19:12; Num. 30:3; Deut. 23:21-23). During Christ's time, the Jewish people swore by heaven, earth, and even their own heads to avoid misusing God's name. Nonetheless, Jesus pointed out that in all these forms, people essentially swear by the name of God Himself. Beyond mere calm assertions or denials, anything in this regard comes from the evil one. This can be understood to refer either to the evil present in the world (Rom. 12:9; 1 Jn. 5:19) or specifically to the devil (1 Jn. 3:8), as anyone committing sin is influenced by the devil. It may also be understood in both senses, as the evil in the world is rooted in the original sin associated with the devil’s work in humanity.

In response to this directive, the Jews of Christ's time avoided using God’s name for dishonesty, opting instead to swear by heaven, the earth, Jerusalem, or even their own heads, thus evading the use of God's name while still engaging in false oaths. The New Testament Lawgiver condemns this practice, instructing, “I say to you not to swear by any oath, neither by heaven, nor by earth, nor by Jerusalem.” The term “any” (Greek) should be interpreted in conjunction with the subsequent examples, avoiding a broad interpretation that suggests swearing in any context is entirely forbidden, as the examples of oaths in both the Old and New Testaments demonstrate (see Rom. 1:9; 2 Cor. 1:23; Phil. 1:8; 1 Thess. 2:5, 10; Rev. 10:6). Therefore, in light of the command against oaths, the essence of the Lord's instruction is to avoid swearing by heaven, the earth, or Jerusalem in any circumstance.

Some who interpret this passage dismiss any form of oaths interpret the Greek term σ῞λως in an overly broad manner. However, this appears to overlook the intended meaning, considering its various occurrences in the New Testament. For instance, in 1 Cor. 5:1, it conveys a sense of dependency, while in Matthew 6:7, it has a similar connotation. Additionally, the phrase from Matthew 15:20 reinforces that without resurrection, baptism is meaningless—showing that the term does not imply “in any way” or “at all.” Instead, it signifies something akin to “as it were,” signifying disregard. The speaker leaves some questions unanswered and shifts focus to others, as illustrated in Matthew 5:33.

The Lord establishes, “What is forbidden to the ancients, let it be forbidden; and yet, do not swear by heaven nor by earth,” indicating that swearing by these is not permitted. The third commandment thus remains intact, which forbids both the act and misuse of oaths without invalidating the oath itself—calling upon God as the witness to our promises and aid in fulfilling them. Nonetheless, He clearly prohibits swearing by heaven, earth, Jerusalem, and one’s own head. The Apostle states, “Men swear by the highest things” (Hebrews 6:16), and similarly, the Jews swore by these entities, considering them closely connected to the divine. The Lord affirms this, noting that heaven is God’s throne, the earth His footstool, and Jerusalem the city of the great King, where the divine presence is distinctly revealed along with His glory and authority.

Even one’s head, while appearing personal, is under God’s authority and care. All these symbols embody God’s majesty and goodness for the faithful. However, the practice of making oaths by these elements emerged primarily in situations where individuals feared using God’s name; they created false or frivolous assurances. The Pharisaical hypocrisy attempted to evade the third commandment, suggesting that since God's name was not invoked, their declarations were justifiable—swearing by heaven, earth, and Jerusalem for shallow and deceitful purposes. The Lord condemns this Pharisaical subterfuge in His denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees found in Matthew 23:20-22, affirming that swearing by creation is a trait of such deceit. Instead of oaths, the Lord instructs that one’s word should be reliable, forbidding the simplistic use of oaths and declaring that the empty oaths invoked are inspired by malice—the evil one, the devil.

As caution in behavior diminished and distrust grew among the Jewish people, mere verbal assurances became insufficient in their interactions. They frequently resorted to oaths in trivial and often inappropriate matters, using them as veils for deceit. In their trepidation of breaching the third commandment—which prohibits invoking the name of God in vain—they devised oaths devoid of mentioning God's name, swearing instead by heaven, earth, Jerusalem, or even their own heads. To counteract these misuses, the Lord presented His directive: “You shall not take any oaths.” This commandment prohibits oaths in everyday insignificant exchanges where no one should be compelled to swear; a simple affirmation or denial suffices, for anything more comes from evil. The Savior condemned those oaths that do not involve God's name, as their authority is inherently tied to the sanctity of God's name, which must not be disregarded. Anyone who swears by heaven, earth, or Jerusalem and overlooks the omnipresence of God in these elements dishonors His name. Moreover, in swearing by one’s own head or life, one must not forget the Creator, without whom not even a single hair can fall from one’s head (Luke 21:18).

Overall, the Lord taught that oaths should be viewed as sacred, cautioning against taking them lightly or diluting their significance through unreasonable alterations of their fundamental expression, which ought to invoke the name of God—who is omnipresent, all-knowing, and just (Deut. 6:13). The misuse of oaths was evident, as noted in the letter from the Apostle James to Jewish converts. The Holy Apostle exhorted them to control their speech, echoing the Lord’s teaching: “Above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or any other oath; let your yes be yes, and your no be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation” (James 5:12).

However, interpreting the teachings of Christ and His apostle as an absolute ban on oaths would be inaccurate. Without nullifying the ancient laws regarding oaths (Deut. 6:13; 10:20), the Lord renewed their spirit, reminding us that God is the witness to every vow and that those who swear without invoking His name will face judgment. Jesus exemplified the approval of lawful and necessary oaths in both public and private life when He responded affirmatively to the high priest's question regarding oaths (Matt. 26:63-64).

The Old Testament contains numerous instances of oaths made by God Himself (Gen. 22:16; 26:3; Ps. 88:4, 5, 36; 131:11) as well as the oaths of the patriarchs, often associated with significant events (Gen. 14:22-23; 21:23; 26:28-31; 47:29-31; Deut. 4:26; Num. 14:9; 1 Sam. 24:23; 26:10; Ps. 118:106). An honest and sincere oath, made with good intentions and a commitment to fulfill what it asserts, does not contradict the words of the Lord. Therefore, it is not only permissible but indeed necessary in important circumstances, and when requested by legitimate authority, to engage in oaths as a means of affirmation.