Matthew 5:34
Encyclopedia
Matthew 5:34 is the thirty-fourth verse of the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew
in the New Testament
and is part of the Sermon on the Mount
. This verse is part of either the third or fourth antithesis
, the discussion of oath
s.
In the King James Version of the Bible
the text reads:
The World English Bible
translates the passage as:
For a collection of other versions see BibRef Matthew 5:34
This verse departs somewhat from the structure of the previous Antitheses. The standard pattern was after presenting the former rule to present the new one, then explain it, then present examples. Here Jesus presents the new rule "swear not at all" and then moves directly to examples. The explanation for the new rule waits until Matthew 5:37
.
Very few Christians interpret this verse literally to mean that all oaths are prohibited as in other parts of the Bible oaths are looked upon more favourably. In 2 Corinthians 1:23 and Galatians 1:20 Paul of Tarsus
swears oaths and in Hebrews 6:17 God himself swears an oath. Most Christian thinkers have thus concluded that this verse is either Jesus using hyperbole
to emphasize his point, or failing to mention exceptions to this rule that would have been implicit to his audience. Others interpret the original Greek as being less absolute than its English translations. Thus most Christian churches believe that only false and vain oaths are prohibited. John Calvin
argued that only oaths counter to God are wrong. Several important Christian groups do not accept these compromises. Most notably the Quakers
and Mennonites firmly reject all oaths, a stance that has led to their persecution by governments that insist on oath taking. Tolstoy also understood this verse as banning all oaths, and it led him to support the abolition of all courts as a result.
The reference to heaven
as the throne
of God comes from Isaiah 66:1. Hill notes that while heaven in Matthew is often used as a periphrasis for God's name it is quite clearly not so used in this verse. At the time of Christ oaths were a much debated issue in the Jewish community. One view, expressed in M. Shebuoth, was that while oaths to God were binding, oaths to other subjects, such as heaven, were not. Schweizer feels that Jesus is here indicating that swearing by heaven is swearing by God as heaven is God's throne.
Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...
in the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
and is part of the Sermon on the Mount
Sermon on the Mount
The Sermon on the Mount is a collection of sayings and teachings of Jesus, which emphasizes his moral teaching found in the Gospel of Matthew...
. This verse is part of either the third or fourth antithesis
Antithesis
Antithesis is a counter-proposition and denotes a direct contrast to the original proposition...
, the discussion of oath
Oath
An oath is either a statement of fact or a promise calling upon something or someone that the oath maker considers sacred, usually God, as a witness to the binding nature of the promise or the truth of the statement of fact. To swear is to take an oath, to make a solemn vow...
s.
In the King James Version of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
the text reads:
- But I say unto you, Swear not at all;
- neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:
The World English Bible
World English Bible
The World English Bible is a public domain translation of the Bible that is currently in draft form. Work on the World English Bible began in 1997 and was known as the American Standard Version 1997...
translates the passage as:
- but I tell you, don’t swear at all: neither
- by heaven, for it is the throne of God;
For a collection of other versions see BibRef Matthew 5:34
This verse departs somewhat from the structure of the previous Antitheses. The standard pattern was after presenting the former rule to present the new one, then explain it, then present examples. Here Jesus presents the new rule "swear not at all" and then moves directly to examples. The explanation for the new rule waits until Matthew 5:37
Matthew 5:37
Matthew 5:37 is the thirty-seventh verse of the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament and is part of the Sermon on the Mount...
.
Very few Christians interpret this verse literally to mean that all oaths are prohibited as in other parts of the Bible oaths are looked upon more favourably. In 2 Corinthians 1:23 and Galatians 1:20 Paul of Tarsus
Paul of Tarsus
Paul the Apostle , also known as Saul of Tarsus, is described in the Christian New Testament as one of the most influential early Christian missionaries, with the writings ascribed to him by the church forming a considerable portion of the New Testament...
swears oaths and in Hebrews 6:17 God himself swears an oath. Most Christian thinkers have thus concluded that this verse is either Jesus using hyperbole
Hyperbole
Hyperbole is the use of exaggeration as a rhetorical device or figure of speech. It may be used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression, but is not meant to be taken literally....
to emphasize his point, or failing to mention exceptions to this rule that would have been implicit to his audience. Others interpret the original Greek as being less absolute than its English translations. Thus most Christian churches believe that only false and vain oaths are prohibited. John Calvin
John Calvin
John Calvin was an influential French theologian and pastor during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of Christian theology later called Calvinism. Originally trained as a humanist lawyer, he broke from the Roman Catholic Church around 1530...
argued that only oaths counter to God are wrong. Several important Christian groups do not accept these compromises. Most notably the Quakers
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
and Mennonites firmly reject all oaths, a stance that has led to their persecution by governments that insist on oath taking. Tolstoy also understood this verse as banning all oaths, and it led him to support the abolition of all courts as a result.
The reference to heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
as the throne
Throne
A throne is the official chair or seat upon which a monarch is seated on state or ceremonial occasions. "Throne" in an abstract sense can also refer to the monarchy or the Crown itself, an instance of metonymy, and is also used in many expressions such as "the power behind the...
of God comes from Isaiah 66:1. Hill notes that while heaven in Matthew is often used as a periphrasis for God's name it is quite clearly not so used in this verse. At the time of Christ oaths were a much debated issue in the Jewish community. One view, expressed in M. Shebuoth, was that while oaths to God were binding, oaths to other subjects, such as heaven, were not. Schweizer feels that Jesus is here indicating that swearing by heaven is swearing by God as heaven is God's throne.