TRV
Translation
King James Version
And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
Complete Jewish Bible
And someone who swears by heaven swears by God's throne and the One who sits on it.
Berean Standard Bible
And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the One who sits on it.
American Standard Version
And he that sweareth by the heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
World English Bible Messianic
He who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by him who sits on it.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And he that sweareth by heauen, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
Young's Literal Translation
and he who did swear by the heaven, doth swear by the throne of God, and by Him who is sitting upon it.
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In the KJVVerse 23,941 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers . Public domain.
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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.
Theophylact of OhridAD 1107
He calls them blind for not wanting to teach what was right, but instead valuing what was of lesser importance, and giving second place to that which was worthy of honor. For they valued the gold in the temple, the images of the Cherubim and the golden urn, more highly than they did the temple itself. Therefore they taught the people that it was of no consequence to swear by the temple, and instead they taught them to swear by the gold which is in the temple. This gold, however, was precious precisely because it was in the temple. And the Pharisees said that the gifts placed on the altar were more valuable than the altar itself. So the Pharisees even taught that if someone swore by the golden vessel, or the ox, or the sheep brought for sacrifice, and then broke his oath, he was sentenced to pay an equal amount. The Pharisees put a higher value on the gift upon the altar because of the profit they derived from sacrifices. But if some one swore by the temple and then broke his oath, he was absolved [and owed nothing, the Pharisees would say], as it was not possible to build [and pay] anything equal to the temple. And so the oath by the temple was considered to be of lesser consequence because of the Pharisees’ love of money. Under the Old Covenant, Christ does not permit the gift to be greater than the altar, but for us it is just the opposite: the altar is sanctified by the gifts, for the loaves are changed by divine grace into the very Body of the Lord Himself. Therefore the altar is sanctified by them.
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
In Matthew 23:22, Jesus delivers a powerful rebuke to the scribes and Pharisees, exposing the profound hypocrisy and spiritual blindness inherent in their system of oaths. He dismantles their casuistry, which attempted to distinguish between binding and non-binding vows based on the object sworn by, unequivocally declaring that swearing by heaven is tantamount to swearing by the very throne of God and by God Himself, thereby making any such oath ultimately accountable to divine authority.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse is situated within Jesus' scathing denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23, a chapter largely dedicated to a series of "woes" pronounced against these religious leaders. Specifically, Matthew 23:16-22 addresses their intricate and self-serving distinctions concerning oaths. 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 offering on the altar was binding. Jesus systematically exposes the absurdity and spiritual bankruptcy of this casuistry, arguing that anything associated with God's holy presence ultimately derives its sanctity and binding power from God Himself. His argument progresses from the Temple and its gold, to the altar and its offering, and finally to heaven itself, culminating in the declaration that all oaths ultimately involve God.
Historical & Cultural Context: During the Second Temple period, oath-taking was a common and significant practice, often used to affirm truthfulness or solemnize commitments. Jewish law, particularly as interpreted by the rabbinic schools, had developed complex rules and distinctions regarding oaths, sometimes leading to loopholes and evasions. The Pharisees, in their meticulous pursuit of legal purity, had created a system where the perceived sanctity of the object sworn by determined the oath's binding nature. This allowed for a form of spiritual deception, where individuals could swear by seemingly lesser things to avoid the full weight of an oath, yet still give the appearance of solemnity. Jesus' teaching directly confronts this legalistic manipulation, emphasizing that the spirit of the law, particularly regarding truthfulness and reverence for God, superseded such man-made distinctions. The concept of heaven as God's dwelling place and throne was deeply embedded in Jewish thought, as seen in passages like Isaiah 66:1.
Key Themes: The passage contributes to several major theological and narrative themes found throughout Matthew's Gospel and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it highlights the Sanctity of Oaths and Truthfulness, underscoring that all vows, regardless of their immediate object, ultimately involve God and demand absolute integrity. There are no "loopholes" for insincere promises or deceptive speech in God's economy. Secondly, it powerfully asserts God's Omnipresence and Absolute Sovereignty. By declaring heaven as God's throne, Jesus emphasizes that God's authority extends over all creation, and His presence is inescapable. This reinforces the biblical truth that the Lord's dominion is over all. Lastly, this verse serves as a potent example of Jesus' Exposition of Religious Hypocrisy. He unveils the Pharisees' attempts to manipulate divine law for their own convenience and gain, revealing a profound lack of genuine reverence for God and integrity in their spiritual practice, a theme prevalent throughout Matthew 23.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Matthew 23:22 employs several significant literary devices. Most prominently, Symbolism is at play, as "heaven" is not merely a physical location but a profound symbol of God's transcendent presence, divine authority, and ultimate sovereignty. Jesus redefines the Pharisees' understanding of this symbol, transforming it from a seemingly indirect object of an oath into a direct representation of God's throne. This reinterpretation also functions as a Rhetorical Correction or Redefinition, where Jesus directly challenges and corrects the flawed theological logic of the religious leaders. He dismantles their intricate system of legalistic distinctions by revealing the underlying spiritual truth, thereby exposing their Hypocrisy and spiritual blindness. The verse's concise and declarative nature also lends it an air of Authoritative Pronouncement, characteristic of Jesus' teaching style, asserting divine truth against human deception.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Matthew 23:22 profoundly reinforces the biblical emphasis on the sanctity of speech and the omnipresence of God. It teaches that there is no "spiritual loophole" for deceptive or insincere vows; all oaths, even those seemingly indirect, ultimately invoke the divine. This principle undergirds the broader biblical call for integrity in communication, reflecting God's own truthfulness and faithfulness. The verse also highlights God's absolute sovereignty, reminding us that His authority extends over all creation, and He is the ultimate witness to all human declarations. Our words, therefore, are not merely human utterances but carry spiritual weight, accountable to the One who sits on the throne of heaven.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
This verse serves as a powerful reminder for believers today about the profound importance of integrity in our speech and the inescapable presence of God in all our commitments. In a world often characterized by casual promises and deceptive language, Jesus' teaching calls us to a higher standard: our "yes" should mean yes, and our "no" should mean no, as He teaches in Matthew 5:37. We are to be people of our word, not because of a complex system of oaths, but out of a deep reverence for God, who is the ultimate witness to every declaration we make. This means avoiding any form of linguistic manipulation, tricky phrasing, or attempts to find loopholes in our commitments. True faith demands transparent and straightforward communication, acknowledging God's sovereignty over all aspects of our lives and words. Our speech should always be mindful of His holy presence and authority, reflecting the character of the God who cannot lie.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What was the specific issue Jesus was addressing with the Pharisees' teaching on oaths?
Answer: Jesus was addressing the Pharisees' casuistry, a system of legalistic distinctions that allowed them to differentiate between binding and non-binding oaths. They 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 offering on the altar was binding. This created loopholes for insincere promises and allowed them to appear devout while avoiding accountability. Jesus exposed the absurdity of this system by showing that anything associated with God's holiness ultimately derived its sanctity from God Himself, making all such oaths ultimately accountable to Him, as seen throughout Matthew 23:16-22.
Why does Jesus say swearing by heaven is swearing by God's throne?
Answer: Jesus' statement is rooted in the biblical understanding that heaven is God's dwelling place and the seat of His ultimate authority. Prophets like Isaiah (Isaiah 66:1) and later Stephen (Acts 7:49) affirmed that "Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool." By connecting "heaven" to "the throne of God," Jesus unequivocally declares that invoking heaven in an oath is to invoke the very presence and sovereign power of God. There is no separation between the two; to swear by heaven is to swear by the One who sits upon that throne.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Matthew 23:22, while a condemnation of Pharisaic hypocrisy, ultimately points to the supreme truthfulness and authority embodied in Jesus Christ. The Pharisees sought to manipulate the divine standard for oaths, but Jesus, as God incarnate, is the very embodiment of truth and integrity. He is the one by whom all things hold together (Colossians 1:17) and the one to whom all oaths ultimately refer. When Jesus teaches that swearing by heaven is swearing by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it, He implicitly asserts His own divine authority, for He is the one who comes from heaven, and who will one day return to reign from that very throne (Matthew 26:64). His life was a perfect testament to truthfulness, fulfilling the ideal of speech that the Pharisees so egregiously violated. Believers are called to live with integrity, mirroring Christ's character, knowing that our ultimate accountability is to the King who reigns from heaven's throne, the very one who is "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6).