TRV
Translation
King James Version
And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
Complete Jewish Bible
And someone who swears by the Temple swears by it and the One who lives in it
Berean Standard Bible
And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the One who dwells in it.
American Standard Version
And he that sweareth by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
World English Bible Messianic
He who swears by the temple, swears by it, and by him who was living in it.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And whosoeuer sweareth by the Temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
Young's Literal Translation
and he who did swear by the sanctuary, doth swear by it, and by Him who is dwelling in it;
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In the KJVVerse 23,940 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers . Public domain.
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TertullianAD 220
On Prayer
His hands, at all events, are ever unclean, eternally dyed with the blood of the prophets, and of the Lord Himself; and on that account, as being hereditary culprits from their privity to their fathers' crimes, they do not dare even to raise them unto the Lord, for fear some Isaiah should cry out, for fear Christ should utterly shudder.
Origen of Alexandria (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 253
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
In like manner the custom which the Jews had of swearing by the Heaven He reprobates. For they did not, as they supposed, avoid the danger of taking an oath by God, because, Whose sweareth by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
Now an oath is in confirmation of somewhat that has been spoken. The oath here then may signify testimony of Scripture which we produce in confirmation of that word which we speak. So that Divine Scripture is the temple of God, the gold is the meaning which it contains. As the gold which is outside the Temple is not sanctified, so all thoughts which are without divine Scripture, however admirable they may seem, are not hallowed. We ought not therefore to bring any speculations of our own for the confirmation of doctrine, unless such as we can show are hallowed by being contained in divine Scripture. The altar is the human heart, which is the chief thing in man. The offerings and gifts that are hid upon the altar, are every thing which are done in the heart, as to pray, to sing, to do alms, to fast. Every offering of a man then is sanctified by his heart, by which the offering is made. There cannot therefore be a more honourable offering than the heart of man, out of which the offering proceeds. If then one's conscience does not smite him, he has confidence towards God, not by reason of his gifts, but so to speak because he has rightly ordered the altar of his heart. Thirdly, we may say that over the temple, that is over every Scripture, and over the altar, that is over every heart, there is a certain meaning which is called the Heaven, the throne of God Himself, in which we shall be able to see the things that are revealed face to face, when that which is perfect is come.
Hilary of PoitiersAD 367
Commentary on Matthew 24.7
What is lost is the hidden dimension of the evil will. These hidden things of the mind bring about these distortions of the law. The law prescribes that a tenth be given, so they measure out a tenth of a measure of mint and dill but only in order that they might be thought by other men to fulfill the law. They abandon mercy and justice, faith and every form of benevolence. Yet these are the true duties of man.… God laughs at the superficial diligence of those who measure cucumbers. God laughs at our attempts to swallow camels, as if the sins of avoidance were less serious than the sins of consumption.
Hilary of Poitiers (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 367
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
For since Christ is come, reliance upon the Law is vain; for not Christ by the Law, but the Law by Christ, is sanctified, in whom it rests as on a seat or throne; so are they fools and blind, who, overlooking the sanctifier, pay honour to the things sanctified.
Jerome (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 420
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
As by making broad phylacteries and fringes they sought after the reputation of sanctity, and made this again a means of gain, so now He charges them with being teachers of wickedness by their fraudulent pretence of tradition. For when in any dispute or quarrel, or ambiguous cause, one swore by the temple, and was afterwards convicted of falsehood, he was not held guilty. This is what is meant by that, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing, that is, he owes nothing, But if he had sworn by the gold, or by the money which was offered to the Priests in the temple, he was immediately compelled to pay down that by which he had sworn.
Again, if one swore by the altar, none held him guilty of perjury; but if he swore by the gift or the victims or the other things which are offered to God upon the altar, this they exacted most rigorously. And all this they did not out of fear of God, but out of covetousness. Thus the Lord charges them with both folly and fraud, inasmuch as the altar is much greater than the victims which are sanctified by the altar.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Matthew
(Verse 16 onwards) Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple is nothing, but whoever swears by the gold of the temple is bound by his oath.' Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? And, 'Whoever swears by the altar is nothing, but whoever swears by the gift that is on it is obligated.' Blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? Therefore, whoever swears on the altar, swears on it and on all things that are above it. And whoever swears in the temple, swears in it and in him who dwells in it. And whoever swears in heaven, swears on the throne of God and on him who sits on it. Above, as it seemed to us, we have explained what the tradition of the Pharisees meant, saying: Whatever gift is from me will benefit you: now the double tradition of the Pharisees, enticing to one occasion of greed, is condemned, so that they may be proved to do everything for gain and not for the fear of God. For just as in the phylacteries and fringes, by enlarged expectations of holiness, it was trying to capture glory, and was seeking gains through the opportunity of glory, so another tradition found fault with the teachers of impiety. If anyone were to swear in the temple during a dispute, or in some argument, or in a doubtful case, and later be convicted of lying, they were not held accountable for the crime. But if they were to swear on gold and money, which was offered to the priests in the temple, they were immediately compelled to fulfill what they had sworn. Again: If anyone swore upon the altar, no one held him guilty of perjury; but if he swore falsely on a gift, or on offerings, that is, on victims and on fine flour and on the rest, which are offered to God upon the altar, these were most diligently sought after. Therefore, the Lord reproached them both for foolishness and deceit, because the temple is much greater than the gold that is sanctified by the temple, and the altar is greater than the offerings that are sanctified by the altar. But they did it not out of fear of God, but out of greed for riches.
Augustine of Hippo (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 430
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
(Quæst. Ev. i. 34.) The temple and altar we may also understand of Christ Himself; the gold and the gifts, of the praise and sacrifice of prayer which we offer in Him and through Him. For not He by them, but they by Him, are sanctified.
Pseudo-Chrysostom (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 500
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
The temple pertains to God's glory, and to man's spiritual salvation, but the gold of the temple though it pertains to the glory of God, yet does it more so to the delight of man, and the profit of the Priests. The Jews then pronounced the gold which delighted them, and the gifts which fed them, to be more holy than the temple, that they might make men more disposed to offer gifts, than to pour out prayers in the temple. Whence the Lord suitably reproves them in these words. Yet have some Christians at present an equally foolish notion. See, they say, in any suit if one swear by God, it seems nought; but if one swear by the Gospel, he seems to have done some great thing. To whom we shall say in like manner, Ye fools and blind! the Scriptures were written because of God, God is not because of the Scriptures. Greater therefore is God, than what is hallowed by Him.
Glossa Ordinaria (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 1274
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
(non occ.) And lest their infatuation should go so far, that they should affirm that the gold was more holy than the temple, and the gift than the altar, He argues on another ground, that in the oath which is sworn by the temple and the altar is contained the oath by the gold or by the gift.
(ord.) For whoso swears by the creature that is subject, swears by the Divinity that rules over the creation.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Matthew 23:21 is a pivotal statement within Jesus' scathing denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees, exposing their profound hypocrisy regarding oaths. In this verse, Jesus directly refutes their casuistry, which sought to distinguish between binding and non-binding oaths based on the object sworn by. He declares that swearing by the temple implicitly involves swearing by the One who dwells within it—God Himself—thereby rendering all such oaths ultimately sacred and binding, and revealing the spiritual bankruptcy of their attempts to manipulate truth.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Matthew 23:21 employs several powerful literary devices. The primary device is Argument from Lesser to Greater (A Fortiori), a common rabbinic method of argumentation. Jesus argues that if swearing by the temple (the lesser) is binding, then swearing by the One who dwells within it (the greater, God Himself) is undeniably binding. This logical progression exposes the absurdity and spiritual blindness of the Pharisees' distinctions. There is also a strong element of Irony, as the very religious leaders who claimed to uphold God's law were actively devising ways to circumvent the spirit of that law, particularly regarding truthfulness. Jesus' statement turns their own legalistic framework against them, revealing their self-deception. Furthermore, the verse uses Metonymy, where "the temple" stands in for the divine presence associated with it, highlighting the inherent sanctity and connection to God that the Pharisees attempted to ignore.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Matthew 23:21 profoundly underscores the biblical truth that God is the ultimate guarantor of all oaths and that true integrity in speech is paramount. The Pharisees' attempt to create a hierarchy of oaths, distinguishing between those that were binding and those that were not, revealed a deep misunderstanding of God's omnipresence and His demand for absolute truthfulness. Jesus' teaching here collapses any such artificial distinctions, asserting that because God's presence pervades all things, especially those dedicated to Him, any oath made in connection with sacred objects or places ultimately invokes Him. This means that all speech, particularly solemn declarations, carries divine weight and demands a heart committed to honesty, reflecting the character of God Himself, who is truth.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Matthew 23:21 serves as a timeless call to radical integrity in our speech. In a world where commitments are often taken lightly and truth can feel fluid, Jesus' words remind us that our words carry weight, not just before others, but before God. This passage challenges us to examine our own hearts: Do we seek loopholes in our promises, or do we strive for unwavering honesty in all our dealings? It's not just about formal oaths, but about the integrity of our everyday "yes" and "no." Living out this truth means cultivating a character where our word is our bond, reflecting the faithfulness of God Himself. It calls us to live transparently, without pretense or deception, recognizing that every word we utter is ultimately spoken in the presence of the One who dwells in all things.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What was the Pharisees' specific teaching on oaths that Jesus was addressing?
Answer: The Pharisees had developed a complex system of casuistry regarding oaths, distinguishing between those they considered binding and those they did not. For example, they taught that swearing "by the temple" was not binding, but swearing "by the gold of the temple" was (Matthew 23:16). Similarly, swearing "by the altar" was not binding, but swearing "by the gift on the altar" was (Matthew 23:18). Jesus condemned this system because it allowed them to evade the spirit of truthfulness and integrity, creating artificial distinctions where none existed in God's eyes.
Why did Jesus say swearing by the temple also meant swearing by "him that dwelleth therein"?
Answer: Jesus' point was that the temple, particularly the naós (the inner sanctuary), was considered holy precisely because of God's special presence dwelling within it, specifically in the Holy of Holies. Therefore, to swear by the temple was, by extension, to invoke the very presence of God who sanctified the temple. The Pharisees' attempt to separate the physical structure from the divine presence was a theological error and a moral deception. Jesus highlights that the sanctity of the temple derived from God, making any oath connected to it ultimately an oath before God.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Matthew 23:21, while a sharp rebuke to the Pharisees, ultimately points to the ultimate fulfillment of God's presence and truth in Jesus Christ. The temple, as the dwelling place of God, was a shadow of the reality to come. Jesus Himself declared, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up", referring to the temple of His body. He is the true and ultimate dwelling place of God among humanity, the very Word made flesh who tabernacled among us. Therefore, all truth, all covenants, and all integrity find their ultimate source and guarantee in Christ. He is the Truth incarnate, and His life perfectly exemplified the absolute integrity that the Pharisees so lacked. For believers, our oaths and promises are not made by a physical temple, but are to be lived out in light of our union with Christ, who is the temple of God and in whom the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily (Colossians 2:9). Thus, to swear by the temple, or by anything else, is ultimately to swear by the God revealed in Jesus Christ, the one who is faithful and true.