Matthew 23:20

KJV

Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

KJV (with Strong's)

Whoso therefore {G3767} shall swear {G3660} by {G1722} the altar {G2379}, sweareth {G3660} by {G1722} it {G846}, and {G2532} by {G1722} all things {G3956} thereon {G1883}{G846}.

Complete Jewish Bible

So someone who swears by the altar swears by it and everything on it.

Berean Standard Bible

So then, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.

American Standard Version

He therefore that sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
In Matthew 23:20, Jesus continues His scathing indictment of the scribes and Pharisees, specifically dismantling their deceptive casuistry regarding oaths. He clarifies that an oath sworn by the altar is not merely an oath by the physical structure itself, but inherently extends to and includes all the offerings and sacrifices placed upon it, thereby affirming the comprehensive and binding nature of vows made in relation to sacred objects and, by extension, to God Himself. This declaration exposes the religious leaders' attempts to create loopholes that would allow them to evade the full weight of their commitments.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** [Matthew 23](/matthew/23 "Matthew 23 - Woes to the Scribes and Pharisees") is a pivotal chapter, presenting Jesus' most direct and severe public denunciation of the Jewish religious leadership, particularly the scribes and Pharisees. Preceding [verse 20](/matthew/23-20 "Matthew 23:20 - The Altar and Its Gifts"), Jesus has already pronounced several "woes" upon them, condemning their hypocrisy, pride, and legalistic distortions of God's law. Specifically, [Matthew 23:16-19](/matthew/23-16-19 "Matthew 23:16-19 - Blind Guides and Foolish Oaths") sets the immediate stage, where Jesus challenges their teaching that swearing by the Temple or the altar was not binding, but swearing by the gold of the Temple or the gift on the altar *was* binding. Their intention was to manipulate divine law for personal gain or convenience, creating a hierarchy of oaths that allowed them to selectively honor or disregard their commitments. Jesus systematically dismantles this logic, asserting that the sanctity of the "gold" or the "gift" derives its binding power from the inherent sacredness of the "Temple" or the "altar" itself, which are consecrated to God.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** During Jesus' time, oaths and vows were common in Jewish society, used to affirm truthfulness or to bind oneself to a commitment. The Mosaic Law itself regulated oaths, emphasizing their solemnity (e.g., [Leviticus 19:12](/leviticus/19-12 "Leviticus 19:12 - Do Not Swear Falsely")). However, by the first century, some religious leaders, particularly the Pharisees, had developed intricate systems of casuistry—legalistic interpretations designed to navigate and sometimes circumvent the spirit of the law. They distinguished between "light" and "heavy" oaths, creating loopholes. For instance, they might argue that an oath made "by Jerusalem" was not binding, but "by the Temple" was, or that an oath "by the altar" was less binding than one "by the offering on the altar." This practice reflected a legalistic mindset that prioritized external compliance and self-interest over genuine integrity and reverence for God. The Temple and its altar were central to Jewish worship, representing God's presence and the means of atonement.

* **Key Themes:** This verse contributes significantly to several major theological and narrative themes within [Matthew](/matthew/1 "The Gospel According To Matthew") and the broader New Testament. Firstly, it underscores the **integrity of oaths and vows**, emphasizing that true commitment is not based on clever legal distinctions but on the underlying truth and the ultimate authority invoked. Jesus' teaching here, and more broadly in [Matthew 5:33-37](/matthew/5-33-37 "Matthew 5:33-37 - Do Not Swear At All"), asserts that all oaths, if genuine, are ultimately before God. Secondly, it highlights the **spiritual blindness and hypocrisy** of the religious leaders. Their attempts to manipulate divine law for personal gain or convenience reveal a profound lack of genuine devotion and a focus on outward performance rather than inward righteousness, a theme Jesus repeatedly addresses (e.g., [Matthew 15:8](/matthew/15-8 "Matthew 15:8 - Honor With Lips, Not Heart")). Finally, it speaks to the **sanctity of sacred objects**. The altar, as the place of sacrifice and atonement, was consecrated to God, and by extension, everything placed upon it became holy. Jesus' teaching reinforces that sacred objects derive their holiness from their connection to God, and therefore, an oath involving such an object cannot be trivialized.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **swear (Greek, _omnýō'_):** From G3660, this word means "to take an oath" or "to vow." In the context of Matthew 23, it refers to the act of making a solemn declaration, often invoking a divine witness or sacred object to guarantee its truthfulness or binding nature. Jesus' use of this word highlights the religious leaders' practice of making such declarations, but with a deceptive intent to categorize them as more or less binding.
* **altar (Greek, _thysiastḗrion'_):** From G2379, meaning "a place of sacrifice." This refers specifically to the altar in the Jerusalem Temple, where sacrifices were offered to God. It was a consecrated object, central to Jewish worship and atonement. Jesus' argument hinges on the inherent sanctity of the altar, which confers holiness upon anything placed upon it.
* **all things (Greek, _pâs'_):** From G3956, meaning "all, any, every, the whole." The inclusion of "all things" emphasizes the comprehensive and indivisible nature of the altar's sanctity. It is not merely the altar itself, but every single offering, gift, or sacrifice placed upon it that falls under the umbrella of its consecrated status. This word underscores the absurdity of the Pharisees' attempt to separate the altar from its contents.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar":** This clause introduces the specific scenario Jesus is addressing. It refers to anyone making an oath using the altar as the object or witness of their vow, a common practice among the Jewish people, including the Pharisees, who had developed complex rules around such oaths.
* **"sweareth by it":** This phrase affirms the direct and undeniable connection between the oath and the altar itself. Jesus states that the act of swearing by the altar inherently binds the one making the oath to the altar's sacredness and, by extension, to God to whom the altar is dedicated.
* **"and by all things thereon":** This crucial addition expands the scope of the oath. It refutes the Pharisees' casuistry that attempted to distinguish between the altar and the gifts upon it. Jesus declares that the altar's sanctity extends comprehensively to everything placed upon it (e.g., sacrifices, offerings). Therefore, an oath made by the altar implicitly includes and is made binding by the sacredness of the gifts, making their distinction null and void.

#### Literary Devices
Jesus employs several literary devices in [Matthew 23:20](/matthew/23-20 "Matthew 23:20 - The Altar And Its Gifts") to expose the Pharisees' hypocrisy. The primary device is **Irony**, as Jesus uses their own legalistic distinctions to demonstrate the absurdity and spiritual blindness of their system. They attempted to create loopholes, but Jesus turns their logic against them, showing that their distinctions are meaningless because the lesser (the gift) derives its sanctity from the greater (the altar). There is also an element of **Logical Argumentation**, where Jesus systematically dismantles their flawed reasoning by establishing a clear chain of sanctity: the gift is holy because of the altar, and the altar is holy because of God. This highlights the **Principle of Consecration**, where an object's holiness extends to what is associated with it. By stating "all things thereon," Jesus uses **Hyperbole** to emphasize the comprehensive nature of the altar's sanctity, leaving no room for their nuanced evasions.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Matthew 23:20 is a profound statement on the indivisibility of truth and the comprehensive nature of God's holiness. It teaches that one cannot compartmentalize sacredness or manipulate oaths to serve self-interest. The sanctity of an object or a vow ultimately derives from its connection to God, who is absolute truth and holiness. This passage challenges any attempt to create a legalistic system that undermines genuine integrity and reverence, reminding us that God looks beyond external performance to the heart's true intent.

* [Leviticus 19:12](/leviticus/19-12 "Leviticus 19:12 - Do Not Swear Falsely")
* [James 5:12](/james/5-12 "James 5:12 - Do Not Swear")
* [2 Corinthians 1:17-20](/2_corinthians/1-17-20 "2 Corinthians 1:17-20 - God's Yes in Christ")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Matthew 23:20 serves as a timeless call for integrity and authenticity in our words and commitments. In a world often marked by casual promises and evasive language, Jesus' teaching reminds us that our "yes" should mean yes, and our "no" should mean no, without the need for elaborate oaths or clever distinctions. This verse challenges us to examine our own hearts, ensuring that our outward expressions of faith and commitment are matched by an inward sincerity and a genuine reverence for God. It cautions against seeking loopholes to avoid responsibility or to deceive others, emphasizing that God values a sincere heart over outward religious performance. Ultimately, this passage calls us to live lives characterized by truth and transparency, reflecting the character of God Himself, who is the ultimate source of all truth and holiness.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life might I be tempted to make subtle distinctions to avoid full commitment or responsibility?**
* **How does Jesus' emphasis on the comprehensive nature of an oath challenge my understanding of integrity in speech?**
* **Am I more concerned with external adherence to rules, or with cultivating a heart of genuine sincerity and reverence for God?**

### FAQ

**What was the specific "loophole" the Pharisees were trying to exploit with oaths?**

Answer: The Pharisees taught that an oath sworn by the Temple or the altar was not binding, but an oath sworn by the gold *in* the Temple or the gift *on* the altar *was* binding. Their logic was that the gold or the gift was consecrated, while the structure itself was not. This allowed them to make oaths that sounded pious but were, in their view, non-binding, unless they involved something of monetary value or direct benefit to them. Jesus exposes this as a self-serving and spiritually blind distinction in [Matthew 23:16-19](/matthew/23-16-19 "Matthew 23:16-19 - Blind Guides and Foolish Oaths").

**Does this passage mean Christians should never take oaths?**

Answer: While Jesus' broader teaching in [Matthew 5:33-37](/matthew/5-33-37 "Matthew 5:33-37 - Do Not Swear At All") and [James 5:12](/james/5-12 "James 5:12 - Do Not Swear") encourages simple, truthful speech ("let your 'yes' be 'yes,' and your 'no' be 'no'"), the context of [Matthew 23:20](/matthew/23-20 "Matthew 23:20 - The Altar And Its Gifts") is specifically about condemning the *hypocritical abuse* of oaths. It's not a blanket prohibition on all oaths (e.g., in legal settings), but a condemnation of manipulative and deceptive oath-taking that seeks to avoid truthfulness. The emphasis is on the integrity of one's word, whether an oath is taken or not.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Matthew 23:20 finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in Jesus Himself, who is the embodiment of truth and the ultimate "Yes" of God. While the Pharisees sought to compartmentalize holiness and manipulate oaths, Christ reveals a God who is wholly consistent and whose promises are unfailingly true. Jesus is not merely associated with the sacred; He is the source of all holiness, the true Temple ([John 2:19-21](/john/2-19-21 "John 2:19-21 - Jesus Predicts His Resurrection")) and the ultimate sacrifice on the altar of God ([Hebrews 9:11-14](/hebrews/9-11-14 "Hebrews 9:11-14 - Christ's Superior Sacrifice")). His life, death, and resurrection are the definitive "Amen" to all of God's promises ([2 Corinthians 1:20](/2_corinthians/1-20 "2 Corinthians 1:20 - God's Promises Are Yes In Christ")). Therefore, for the believer, all oaths and commitments are ultimately made "in Christ" and derive their binding nature from Him, calling us to live lives of unwavering integrity and truthfulness that reflect the character of our Lord, who is "the way, the truth, and the life" ([John 14:6](/john/14-6 "John 14:6 - Jesus Is The Way, Truth, And Life")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.