Matthew 5:34 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,

NIV: But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne;

NASB: But I say to you, take no oath at all, neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God,

CSB: But I tell you, don't take an oath at all: either by heaven, because it is God's throne;

NLT: But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne.

KJV: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:

NKJV: But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne;

The previous verse contained Jesus' now-familiar phrase "you have heard that it was said…" which is His way of introducing the common teachings of religious leaders. Jesus does not always contradict those teachings, but He does explain a more godly, challenging application. God expects His commandments to be taken much more seriously than as tool for legalism and hypocrisy.

Currently, Jesus is speaking about swearing oaths as a way of obligating oneself to a task. Someone who said, "I swear to the Lord to pay you the money" would have to answer to God for their sin if they did not follow through. However, in practice, Israel's religious leaders allowed for a system of debatable oaths to take hold. Swearing by things and places other than the Lord may have been an attempt to imply less serious consequences for the oath-breaker (Numbers 30:2). They may have also tolerated those who claimed that God, not the oath-maker, was to blame if the promise was not kept.

Aspects of this continue into modern culture. Jesus is not speaking of formal, official promises such as contracts, marriage vows, or a courtroom oath. This does, however, apply to moments where a person tries to emphasize their honesty using an oath. In English, a person might say, "I cross my heart," or "may God strike me dead if I'm lying," or simply, "I swear I'll pay you back." The implication is that the oath "guarantees" the person is telling the truth and has good intentions.

Jesus now says flatly that His disciples should not take an oath, at all. They should not swear by anything. The main reason is that a person known for integrity doesn't need to enhance their promises. The upright truth behind a Christian's "yes" and "no" should be strong enough to stand on its own. Another concern is that swearing by something that belongs to God comes too close to swearing by God Himself. Therefore Jesus says not to swear by heaven, because it is God's throne. He will expand on that in the following verses.

Matthew 5:33–37 continues a theme Jesus has been expanding in the Sermon on the Mount. The difference between righteousness and sin is not just a matter of following rules. It starts in the human heart. Here, Jesus attacks another way in which hypocrites would twist and abuse religious teachings. When Jesus speaks against swearing oaths, he's not referring to serious, formal commitments like marriage or a courtroom witness. He's condemning those who use the language of oaths to disguise dishonest intentions.

The Sermon on the Mount contains some of Jesus' most challenging teaching. It begins with the unlikely blessings of the Beatitudes. Jesus' disciples must do good works in order to be a powerful influence: as the salt of the earth and light of the world. The superficial righteousness of the Pharisees is not good enough to earn heaven. Sins of the heart, such as angry insults and intentional lust, are worthy of hell just as much as adultery and murder. Easy divorce and deceptive oaths are forbidden. Believers should not seek revenge. Instead, God intends us to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors. In short, we should strive to be perfect, as God is perfect.

Matthew 5 follows Matthew's description of the enormous crowds that were following Jesus (Matthew 4:25). One day, Jesus sits down on a hill to teach them, in an address we now call the Sermon on the Mount. He describes as blessed those who are poor in spirit, who mourn, and who are persecuted. Christ also explains how God's standards of righteousness go far beyond behaviors and speech; they also include our thoughts and attitudes. Meeting God's standards means perfection. Chapter 6 continues this sermon, with more examples of Jesus clarifying God's intent for godly living.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.