In response to this prohibition, the Jews during Christ's time avoided using God's name in vain, opting instead to swear by other entities such as heaven, earth, Jerusalem, and even their own heads; this practice often resulted in both falsehood and deception without invoking God's name directly.
The New Testament Law reaffirms this prohibition, stating, ‘I say to you, do not swear by any oath, neither by heaven, nor by earth, nor by Jerusalem...’. It is critical not to separate the Greek word for ‘any’ from the following examples or interpret it as implying an absolute prohibition since there are instances in both Testaments where swearing by God's name has been appropriate (see Rom. 1:9; 2 Cor. 1:23; Phil. 1:8; 1 Thess. 2:5, 10; Rev. 10:6). Thus, when framing His teachings within the context of swearing, the Lord’s words imply a complete renunciation of oaths: ‘by heaven, by earth, by Jerusalem, in any circumstance, do not swear’.
Those who interpret this to mean a total rejection of oaths assume the Greek term σ῞λως refers broadly to all oaths. This understanding is echoed in certain Russian translations of the Gospel. The term ὅλως appears three times in the New Testament: 1) in 1 Cor. 5:1, suggesting a condition not reliant on the Corinthians' desires; see also Matt. 4:21, (2) in Matthew 6:7, possibly indicating a similar idea of ‘without’; and (3) in Matthew 15:20, conveying the thought that there would be no point in baptizing if there is no resurrection of the dead. In none of these contexts does ὅλως imply ‘in any way or at all’; rather, it suggests something like ‘as it were’ or ‘regardless’.
Thus, the speaker transitions from one question to another, leaving the significance of one point unclear while establishing another. In the same manner, in Matthew 5:33, it is indicated that what was forbidden to the ancients should still be forbidden, yet with a note of emphasis, ‘neither by heaven nor by earth’. In this light, the third commandment remains intact; it prohibits the misuse of oaths but does not eliminate the validity of calling upon God as a witness to our promises and as a guide for fulfilling them. However, Christ does indeed prohibit swearing by heaven, earth, Jerusalem, or even one’s head. Why is this the case? As expressed in Hebrews 6:16, ‘Men swear by the highest things,’ which explains why Jews would refer to such signs near to the divine as objects of their oaths. The Lord affirms this understanding, indicating that heaven serves as God’s throne, earth as His footstool, and Jerusalem as the city of the great King; thus, in these places, God's presence is particularly revealed, reflecting His perfection and sovereignty.
Even our own heads, despite seeming our own, are ultimately under God's authority and are of special concern to Him. These things symbolize divine majesty and goodness to the faithful believer. Yet, the practice of swearing by them originated in fear and served only to disguise the act of swearing falsely or frivolously rather than calling upon God's name directly. This Pharisaic evasion intended to bypass the third commandment resulted in oaths without using God's name, instead invoking heaven, earth, or Jerusalem in vain. The Lord condemns this hypocritical practice in His admonitions to the scribes and Pharisees, as seen in Matthew 23:20-22; this highlights how swearing by heaven and earth became an emblem of their deceitful religion (Matthew 23:37) and is thus categorically prohibited.
Therefore, when the Lord commands that your word should be a straightforward affirmation or negation, He establishes a clear alternative to the misuse of oaths, cautioning against the hollow promises that arise from temptation, specifically from the influence of the evil one.
THEOSIS