Answers from church history on today's questions
What Christian writers said, from about AD 190 to 1930.
62 passages · 23 writers · 10 centuries
Of the 62 passages here from 23 writers, 54 state a position on Matthew 5:34 and James 5:12 and 8 mention them in passing. Cyprian (about AD 246), the Apostolic Constitutions, Chrysostom, and Maclaren read "Swear not at all" as a command not to swear, and Chrysostom urges his hearers to avoid oaths altogether. Augustine, Aquinas, Calvin, Wesley, Matthew Henry, Hodge, and the Thirty-Nine Articles read it as aimed at habitual, rash, or needless swearing or at oaths by creatures, and they allow a solemn oath when necessity or a magistrate requires one; Augustine advises refraining from oaths as far as possible. Aquinas, Calvin, Henry, and Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown connect James 5:12 with Matthew 5:34-37. Before the Reformation, most of the passages come from Chrysostom and Augustine, and the medieval sources are Aquinas, Jacobus de Voragine, and Thomas a Kempis. Philaret of Moscow (1839) is the only Orthodox writer after the fourth century.
18 passages · 11 writers · 200s to 1900s
Writers differ on whether Matthew 5:34 bars every oath or only casual, frivolous, or false-appeal oaths.
12. That we must not swear. … I say unto you, Swear not at all: (neither by heaven, because it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, because it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King; neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.) But let your discourse be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: (for whatever is fuller than these is of evil.”)
Cyprian of Carthage, The Treatises of Cyprian 12.4.14
Wherefore it is the duty of a man of God, as he is a Christian, not to swear by the sun, or by the moon, or by the stars; nor by the heaven, nor by the earth, by any of the elements, whether small or great. For if our Master charged us not to swear by the true God, that our word might be firmer than an oath, nor by heaven itself, for that is a piece of heathen wickedness, nor by Jerusalem, nor by the sanctuary of God, nor the altar, nor the gift, nor the gilding of the altar, nor one’s own head, for this custom is a piece of Judaic corruption, and on that account was forbidden; and if He exhorts the faithful that their yea be yea, and their nay, nay, and says that “what is more than these is of the evil one,” how much more blameable are those who appeal to deities falsely so called as the objects of an oath, and who glorify imaginary beings instead of those that are real, whom God for their perverseness “delivered over to foolishness, to do those things that are not convenient!”
Constitutions of the Holy Apostles, Constitutions of the Holy Apostles 6.2
He who made a law for swearing rightly, and forbade perjury, has now charged us not to swear at all.
Constitutions of the Holy Apostles, Constitutions of the Holy Apostles 7.4
5. But in order that we may not by saying everything at once to-day, confuse your minds, we put before you one custom, namely, about the avoidance of oaths, saying this much by way of preface, and speaking plainly—that if you do not avoid oaths, I say not perjury merely, but those too which happen in the cause of justice, we shall not further discourse upon any other subject.
John Chrysostom, Instructions to Catechumens 2
12. Knowing these things, then, brethren, and gathering up what has been now advanced, as well as what has been said before; let us at last desist from this evil custom, yea, I pray and beseech you all! For if in the old dispensation, when the Jews had not the strictest moral wisdom required of them, but much condescension was extended to them, such wrath was the effect of one oath; such capture and captivity; what punishment is it likely that those who swear should now be subjected to, after an express law forbidding the practice, and so large an addition of precepts.
John Chrysostom, The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 21
51. “Again,” says He, “ye have heard that it hath been said to them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oath: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. … The righteousness of the Pharisees is not to forswear oneself; and this is confirmed by Him who gives the command not to swear, so far as relates to the righteousness of the kingdom of heaven.
Augustine of Hippo, Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount 2.17
“Neither use thyself,” he says, “to the naming of the Holy One. For as a servant that is continually beaten shall not be without a blue mark, so he that sweareth.” He speaks not here of false oaths, but he cuts down all oaths, and to them also assigns their punishment. Why then, swearing is a sin.
John Chrysostom, A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 10
34. Swear not at all Many have been led by the phrase, not at all, to adopt the false notion, that every kind of swearing is condemned by Christ. … Swear not at all But we need not go beyond the immediate context to obtain the exposition: for he immediately adds, neither by heaven, nor by the earth Who does not see that those kinds of swearing were added by way of exposition, to explain the former clause more fully by specifying a number of cases? The Jews had circuitous or indirect ways of swearing: and when they swore by heaven, or by earth, or by the altar, ( Matthew 23:18 ,) they reckoned it to be next to nothing; and, as one vice springs from another, they defended, under this pretense, any profanation of the name of God that was not openly avowed.
John Calvin, Harmony of the Evangelists, Vol. 1 5.48
“Yes, yes; No, no.” This repetition means, that we ought to abide by our words, so that all may be convinced of our honesty. Now, as this is the true and lawful method of proceeding, when men have nothing on their tongue but what is in their heart, Christ declares, that what is beyond these comes from evil I do not approve of the exposition of these words which some have given, that the criminality of swearing ought to be charged on the man who does not give credit to what another says. Christ teaches us, in my opinion, that it originates in the wickedness of men, that they are compelled to swear: for, if honesty prevailed among men, if they were not inconsistent and hypocritical, they would maintain that simplicity which nature dictates. And yet it does not follow, that it is unlawful to swear, when necessity demands it: for many things are proper in themselves, though they have had a wicked origin.
John Calvin, Harmony of the Evangelists, Vol. 1 5.48
But as there is some difficulty in what our Saviour says on the subject of swearing, it may be proper to consider it a little. Here, however, we shall never arrive at the true meaning, unless we attend to the design of Christ, and the subject of which he is treating. His purpose was, neither to relax nor to curtail the Law, but to restore the true and genuine meaning, which had been greatly corrupted by the false glosses of the Scribes and Pharisees. If we attend to this we shall not suppose that Christ condemned all oaths but those only which transgressed the rule of the Law. It is evident, from the oaths themselves, that the people were accustomed to think it enough if they avoided perjury, whereas the Law prohibits not perjury merely, but also vain and superfluous oaths.
John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion II.8
What he forbids is, the swearing at all, 1, by any creature, 2, in our ordinary conversation: both of which the scribes and Pharisees taught to be perfectly innocent.
John Wesley, Notes on the Bible 1.5
8. Common swearing, or thoughtless oaths in common talk. 534. Are not such oaths specially forbidden in holy Scripture? The Saviour says: I say unto you, Swear not at all, but let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. Matt. v. 34, 37.
Philaret of Moscow, The Longer Catechism of the Orthodox, Catholic, Eastern Church q. 532–535
The Lord Jesus forbids all vain and light swearing altogether. All swearing by created things, even when God's name is not brought forward--all calling upon God to witness, excepting on the most solemn occasions, is a great sin.
J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on Matthew 5:21-37
Frivolous oaths were indeed severely condemned in the teaching of the times. … Against all this our Lord now speaks decisively; teaching His audience that every oath carries an appeal to God, whether named or not.
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Matthew 5
A great part of our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount is devoted to the correction of perversions of the law, introduced by the Scribes and Pharisees. … In like manner, the Scribes taught that the law allowed all kinds of swearing, and swearing on all occasions, provided a man did not forswear himself; but our Lord said, I say unto you, in your communications swear not at all; this is plain from ver. 37, “Let your communications (λόγος, word, talk) be Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these, cometh of evil.” It is unnecessary, colloquial, irreverent swearing our Lord condemns.
Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology III.19.7
In His treatment of the old commandments as to oaths, He expands them by extending the prohibitions from one kind of oath to all kinds. … He forbids all. We may note that the forms of colloquial swearing, which our Lord specifies, are not to be taken as an exhaustive enumeration of what is forbidden.
Alexander Maclaren, Ezekiel, Daniel and the Minor Prophets; and Matthew Chaps. I to VIII 2.25
The oaths specified are all colloquial, which were and are continually and offensively mingled with common speech in the East. … That further relaxation of the obligation of truthfulness was grounded on the words quoted in verse 33, for, said the immoral quibblers, ‘it is “thine oaths to the Lord” that thou “shalt perform,” and for these others you may do as you like’ Therefore our Lord insists that every oath, even these mutilated, colloquial ones which avoid His name, is in essence an appeal to God, and has no sense unless it is.
Alexander Maclaren, Ezekiel, Daniel and the Minor Prophets; and Matthew Chaps. I to VIII 2.25
It must be fully admitted that there is little in common between such pieces of senseless profanity as these oaths, or the modern equivalents which pollute so many lips to-day, and the oath administered in a court of justice, and it may further be allowed weight that Jesus does not specifically prohibit the oath ‘by the Lord,’ but it is difficult to see how the principles on which He condemns are to be kept from touching even judicial oaths. For they, too, are administered on the ground of the false idea that they add to the obligation of veracity, and give a guarantee of truthfulness which a simple affirmation does not give. Nor can any one, who knows the perfunctory formality and indifference with which such oaths are administered and taken, and what a farce ‘kissing the book’ has become, doubt that even judicial oaths tend to weaken the popular conception of the sin of a lie and the reliance to be placed upon the simple ‘Yea, yea; Nay, nay.’
Alexander Maclaren, Ezekiel, Daniel and the Minor Prophets; and Matthew Chaps. I to VIII 2.25
7 passages · 6 writers · 300s to 1800s
How writers explain why Jesus lists oaths by created things in Matthew 5:34-36.
Next, to lead them farther away from swearing by God, He saith, “Neither by Heaven, for it is God’s throne, nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King:” still speaking out of the prophetical writings, and signifying Himself not to be opposed to the ancients. … For He neither said, “because Heaven is beautiful and great,” nor, “because earth is profitable;” but “because the one is God’s throne, the other His footstool;” on every side urging them on towards their Lord.
John Chrysostom, The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 20
52. But it may be asked why, when it was said, “But I say unto you, Swear not at all,” it was added, “neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne,” etc., up to “neither by thy head.” I suppose it was for this reason, that the Jews did not think they were bound by the oath, if they had sworn by such things: and since they had heard it said, “Thou shalt perform unto the Lord thine oath,” they did not think an oath brought them under obligation to the Lord, if they swore by heaven, or earth, or by Jerusalem, or by their head; and this happened not from the fault of Him who gave the command, but because they did not rightly understand it. Hence the Lord teaches that there is nothing so worthless among the creatures of God, as that any one should think that he may swear falsely by it; since created things, from the highest down to the lowest, beginning with the throne of God and going down to a white or black hair, are ruled by divine providence. “Neither by heaven,” says He, “for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool:” i.e. , when you swear by heaven or the earth, do not imagine that your oath does not bring you under obligation to the Lord; for you are convicted of swearing by Him who has heaven for His throne, and the earth for His footstool.
Augustine of Hippo, Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount 2.17
Reply to Objection 1: Our Lord forbade us to swear by creatures so as to give them the reverence due to God. Hence Jerome adds that "the Jews, through swearing by the angels and the like, worshipped creatures with a Divine honor."
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II-II.Q89.A6
Some erroneously suppose that our Saviour, in that passage, rebukes superstition, by forbidding men to swear by heaven and earth, and Jerusalem. He rather refutes the sophistical subtilty of those who thought it nothing vainly to utter indirect oaths, imagining that they thus spared the holy name of God, whereas that name is inscribed on each of his mercies. The case is different, when any mortal living or dead, or an angel, is substituted in the place of God, as in the vile form devised by flattery in heathen nations, “By the life or genius of the king”; for, in this case, the false apotheosis obscures and impairs the glory of the one God. But when nothing else is intended than to confirm what is said by an appeal to the holy name of God, although it is done indirectly, yet his majesty is insulted by all frivolous oaths.
John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion II.8
Christ strips this abuse of every vain pretext when he says “Swear not at all”. … If you refer the words, “not at all”, to the act itself, as if every oath, without exception, were unlawful, what will be the use of the explanation which immediately follows—Neither by heaven, neither by the earth, &c.? These words make it clear, that the object in view was to meet the cavils by which the Jews thought they could extenuate their fault.
John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion II.8
4. That we must not swear by any other creature. It should seem there were some, who, in civility (as they thought) to the name of God, would not make use of that in swearing, but would swear by heaven or earth, &c. This Christ forbids here ( v. 34 ) and shows that there is nothing we can swear by, but it is some way or other related to God, who is the Fountain of all beings, and therefore that it is as dangerous to swear by them, as it is to swear by God himself: it is the verity of the creature that is laid at stake; now that cannot be an instrument of testimony, but as it has regard to God, who is the summum verum—the chief Truth.
Matthew Henry, Commentary on Matthew 5.7
36. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black—In the other oaths specified, God's name was profaned quite as really as if His name had been uttered, because it was instantly suggested by the mention of His "throne," His "footstool," His "city." But in swearing by our own head and the like, the objection lies in their being "beyond our control," and therefore profanely assumed to have a stability which they have not.
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Matthew 5
8 passages · 5 writers · 1200s to 1800s
How writers read James 5:12 alongside Matthew 5:34-37, including the phrase "above all things."
Reply to Objection 1: Jerome, commenting on Mat. 5:34, says: "Observe that our Saviour forbade us to swear, not by God, but by heaven and earth. For it is known that the Jews have this most evil custom of swearing by the elements." Yet this answer does not suffice, because James adds, "nor by any other oath." Wherefore we must reply that, as Augustine states (De Mendacio xv), "when the Apostle employs an oath in his epistles, he shows how we are to understand the saying, 'I say to you, not to swear at all'; lest, to wit, swearing lead us to swear easily and from swearing easily, we contract the habit, and, from swearing habitually, we fall into perjury.
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II-II.Q89.A2
It has been a common vice almost in all ages, to swear lightly and inconsiderately. For so bad is our nature that we do not consider what an atrocious crime it is to profane the name of God. For though the Lord strictly commands us to reverence his name, yet men devise various subterfuges, and think that they can swear with impunity.
John Calvin, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles James 5.4
II. It is here added, that the commandment does not only forbid false swearing, but all rash, unnecessary swearing: Swear not at all, v. 34; Compare Jam. v. 12 . Not that all swearing is sinful; so far from that, if rightly done, it is a part of religious worship, and we in it give unto God the glory due to his name. … That we must not swear at all, but when we are duly called to it, and justice or charity to our brother, or respect to the commonwealth, make it necessary for the end of strife ( Heb. vi. 16 ), of which necessity the civil magistrate is ordinarily to be the judge.
Matthew Henry, Commentary on Matthew 5.7
All customary needless swearing is undoubtedly forbidden, and all along in scripture condemned, as a very grievous sin. Profane swearing was very customary among the Jews, and, since this epistle is directed in general to the twelve tribes scattered abroad (as before has been observed), we may conceive this exhortation sent to those who believed not.
Matthew Henry, Commentary on James 5.2
2. But let your yea be yea, and your nay nay; lest you fall into condemnation; that is, "let it suffice you to affirm or deny a thing as there is occasion, and be sure to stand to your word, an be true to it, so as to give no occasion for your being suspected of falsehood; and then you will be kept from the condemnation of backing what you say or promise by rash oaths, and from profaning the name of God to justify yourselves. It is being suspected of falsehood that leads men to swearing. Let it be known that your keep to truth, and are firm to your word, and by this means you will find there is no need to swear to what you say.
Matthew Henry, Commentary on James 5.2
The sin of swearing is cautioned against: But above all things, my brethren, swear not, &c., v. 12 . … But the apostle's warning extends to other occasions of swearing as well as this. Some have translated the words, pro panton — before all things; and so have made sense of this place to be that they should not, in common conversation, before every thing they say, put an oath.
Matthew Henry, Commentary on James 5.2
The apostle here particularly forbids these oaths, as well as all swearing in common conversation. … But he does not forbid the taking a solemn oath before a magistrate. Let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay - Use no higher asseverations in common discourse; and let your word stand firm.
John Wesley, Notes on the Bible 20.5
James here refers to Mt 5:34, &c. let your yea be yea—Do not use oaths in your everyday conversation, but let a simple affirmative or denial be deemed enough to establish your word.
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible James 5
10 passages · 5 writers · 300s to 1400s
Writers give reasons for avoiding oaths: the risk of perjury, the force of habit, reverence for God's name, and the discipline of plain speech.
Oaths were shunned by Gregory, that pure soul, worthy of the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, content with yea and nay, in accordance with the commandment of the Lord Who said, “I say unto you swear not at all.”
Basil of Caesarea, The Letters 207
When thou risest up then from thy bed, and when thou goest out of thine house, repeat this law: “I say unto you, Swear not at all.” … Call thy son, and frighten him, and threaten to lay a few stripes upon him, if he does not duly observe this law; and thou wilt see, how he will forthwith abstain from this custom. Is it not therefore truly absurd, that little children, out of the fear we inspire, should perform this commandment, and that we should not fear God as our sons fear us?
John Chrysostom, The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 21
6. Knowing these things then, let us avoid oaths; and let our mouth continually practise the saying, “Believe me;” and this will be to us a foundation for all pious behaviour; for the tongue, when it has been disciplined to use this one expression, is ashamed, and would blush to utter words that are disgraceful and ugly; and should it at any time be drawn away by habit, it will be checked again, by having many accusers. … Where there is a transgression of the law, there is no such thing as necessity.
John Chrysostom, The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 10
21. And in the meanwhile I desire to fix three precepts in your mind, to the end that you may accomplish me these during the fast,—viz. to speak ill of no one; to hold no one for an enemy; and to expel from the mouth altogether the evil custom of oaths. And as when we hear that some money tax is imposed, each one going within, and calling his wife and children and servants, considers and consults with them how he may pay this tribute, so also let us do with respect to these spiritual precepts. Let every one when he has returned home call together his wife and children, and let him say, that a spiritual tribute was imposed this day: a tribute by which there will be some deliverance and removal of these evils; a tribute which does not make those who pay it poor, but richer; that is to say, to have no enemy, to speak evil of no man, and to swear not at all.
John Chrysostom, The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 5
Cleanse thy tongue from falsehood, because “a mouth which tells lies destroys the soul”: cleanse it from detraction, from swearing, and from perjury. I beg you not to think it is an inverted order that I have said the tongue should be cleansed from swearing before perjury, for one will then the more easily escape perjury, if he swears not at all, so that there may be fulfilled in him that statement, “Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.”
Sulpitius Severus, The Doubtful Letters of Sulpitius Severus 2.10
We see many who do not wish to swear, but because the tongue has already become habituated, they are not able to prevent those things from going forth from the mouth which we cannot but ascribe to the root of evil. For that I may discuss with you those words, which as they do not withdraw from your mouth so may they be understood by your heart: you swear by the Paraclete. If therefore you wish to find out experimentally whether what I say is true, determine not to swear.
Augustine of Hippo, Acts or Disputation Against Fortunatus the Manichæan 3
Thus, then, it is understood that the Lord gave the command not to swear in this sense, lest any one should eagerly seek after an oath as a good thing, and by the constant use of oaths sink down through force of habit into perjury. And therefore let him who understands that swearing is to be reckoned not among things that are good, but among things that are necessary, refrain as far as he can from indulging in it, unless by necessity, when he sees men slow to believe what it is useful for them to believe, except they be assured by an oath. To this, accordingly, reference is made when it is said, “Let your speech be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay;” this is good, and what is to be desired. “For whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil;” i.e. , if you are compelled to swear, know that it comes of a necessity arising from the infirmity of those whom you are trying to persuade of something; which infirmity is certainly an evil, from which we daily pray to be delivered, when we say, “Deliver us from evil.”
Augustine of Hippo, Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount 2.17
Again, because perjury is a heinous sin, while there is no sin either in not swearing at all or in swearing truly, the Lord wished to secure us from departing from the truth by not swearing at all, rather than that we should be in danger of perjury by being in the habit of swearing truly. For one who never swears is less in danger of swearing falsely than one who is in the habit of swearing truly.
Augustine of Hippo, Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 21
But as, in swearing, one who swears, even though truly, is in danger of perjury, of which one is in no danger who never swears; and while swearing truly is not a sin, we are further from sin by not swearing; so that the command not to swear is a guard against perjury: in the same way since it is sinful to wish to be revenged with an unjust excess, though there is no sin in wishing for revenge within the limits of justice, the man who wishes for no revenge at all is further from the sin of an unjust revenge.
Augustine of Hippo, Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 21
And thus Florentius was guarded and thoughtful in all his speech, especially before them of the world and persons whom he knew not. Likewise he was strict in avoiding that most evil custom of swearing, which is common among men of the world; and he forbade any of his Community in their daily talk to use such phrases as “Verily I do swear,” or “Of a surety I swear”; lest by such heedless swearing they should pile up sin on sin. Wherefore whenever he wished to lay stress upon any notable or important matter, or when he must bear testimony to anything, he would not lightly or hardily introduce the form of an oath, but would answer in his gentle way, “This is the conclusion of the matter,” or “this is surely so”; and thus he satisfied his questioner. Nor would he confidently affirm anything wherein he might be mistaken, but remembering the saying of the Lord, “Let your yea be yea and your nay, nay,” he was careful to guard against any slip of the tongue, and to instruct others by his good example, and by telling the plain truth; wherefore men trusted his word without an oath rather than that of others whose tongues had the evil custom of much swearing.
Thomas à Kempis, The Founders of the New Devotion 3.26
8 passages · 7 writers · 300s to 1900s
How writers reconcile the command with God's oaths, Paul's oaths, Christ's answer under oath, and the Law's allowance of oaths.
“Thou shalt not forswear thyself; for it is said, “Thou shalt not swear at all.” But if that cannot be avoided, thou shalt swear truly; for “every one that swears by Him shall be commended.”
Constitutions of the Holy Apostles, Constitutions of the Holy Apostles 8.1
“What then,” it may be said, “is not swearing of the evil one?” Yes, indeed it is altogether of the evil one; that is, now, after so high a rule of self-restraint; but then not so.
John Chrysostom, The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 20
Shall I tell you why it was permitted the ancients to take oaths? (for to take false oaths, was not permitted to them either.) Because they swore by idols. But are you not ashamed to rest in laws, by which they in their infirmity were led on to something better?
John Chrysostom, A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 10
26. The Anabaptists, not content with this moderate use of oaths, condemn all, without exception, on the ground of our Saviour’s general prohibition, “I say unto you, Swear not at all:” “Let your speech be Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil,” (Mt. 5:34; James 5:12). In this way, they inconsiderately make a stumbling-stone of Christ, setting him in opposition to the Father, as if he had descended into the world to annul his decrees. In the Law, the Almighty not only permits an oath as a thing that is lawful (this were amply sufficient), but, in a case of necessity, actually commands it (Exod. 22:11). … Will they make God contradict himself, by approving and commanding at one time, what he afterwards prohibits and condemns?
John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion II.8
The command "to swear by His Name" is not inconsistent with the Lord's injunction Mat 5:34, "Swear not at all." Moses refers to legal swearing, our Lord to swearing in common conversation.
Albert Barnes, Notes on the Bible Deuteronomy 6:10
But I say unto you, Swear not at all—That this was meant to condemn swearing of every kind and on every occasion—as the Society of Friends and some other ultra-moralists allege—is not for a moment to be thought. For even Jehovah is said once and again to have sworn by Himself; and our Lord certainly answered upon oath to a question put to Him by the high priest; and the apostle several times, and in the most solemn language, takes God to witness that he spoke and wrote the truth; and it is inconceivable that our Lord should here have quoted the precept about not forswearing ourselves, but performing to the Lord our oaths, only to give a precept of His own directly in the teeth of it. Evidently, it is swearing in common intercourse and on frivolous occasions that is here meant.
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Matthew 5
Seeing, then, that an oath is an act of worship; that it is enjoined on suitable occasions; that our Lord himself submitted to be put upon his oath; and that the Apostles did not hesitate to call God to witness to the truth of what they said; we cannot admit that Christ intended to pronounce all oaths unlawful, when he said, as recorded in Matthew v. 34, “Swear not at all.” This would be to suppose that Scripture can contradict Scripture, and that Christ’s conduct did not conform to his precepts. Nevertheless, his words are very explicit. They mean in Greek just what our version makes them mean. Our Lord did say, “Swear not at all.”
Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology III.19.7
More exactly "not to swear at all" (indirect command, and aorist infinitive). Certainly Jesus does not prohibit oaths in a court of justice for he himself answered Caiaphas on oath. Paul made solemn appeals to God (1Th 5:27; 1Co 15:31 ). Jesus prohibits all forms of profanity.
A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament 2.5
3 passages · 3 writers · 1200s to 1600s
Statements that Christians may swear when a magistrate or necessity requires it, and that vain oaths or oaths by creatures are sinful.
In this commandment our Lord commandeth in the gospel that thou shalt not swear by the heaven ne by earth ne by other creature. But for good cause and rightful a man may swear without sin, as in judgment or in requiring of truth, or without judgment in good and needful causes.
Jacobus de Voragine, The Golden Legend 25
As we confess that vain and rash Swearing is forbidden Christian men by our Lord Jesus Christ, and James his Apostle, so we judge, that Christian Religion doth not prohibit, but that a man may swear when the Magistrate requireth, in a cause of faith and charity, so it be done according to the Prophet’s teaching, in justice, judgement, and truth.
Thirty-Nine Articles, Thirty-Nine Articles 39
2. The name of God only is that by which men ought to swear, and therein it is to be used with all holy fear and reverence. Therefore, to swear vainly, or rashly, by that glorious and dreadful Name; or, to swear at all by any other thing, is sinful, and to be abhorred. Yet, as in matters of weight and moment, an oath is warranted by the Word of God, under the new testament as well as under the old; so a lawful oath, being imposed by lawful authority, in such matters, ought to be taken.
Westminster Assembly, Westminster Confession of Faith 22.2
1 passage · 1 writer · 100s
Writers cite or compare Jesus' words about oaths and the yea-yea saying.
Again, with the Lord’s saying, “Let your yea be yea, and your nay nay,” may be compared the following: “But to admit a falsehood, and destroy a truth, is in nowise lawful.” With the prohibition, also, against swearing agrees the saying in the tenth book of the Laws: “Let praise and an oath in everything be absent.”
Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, or Miscellanies 5.14
1 passage · 1 writer · 300s
Writers list refraining from oaths among the basic habits of the Christian life.
Now, though I would fain say nothing to disgust you, yet I beseech again and entreat you, imitate at least the little children’s diligence in these matters. For so they first learn the form of the letters, after that they practise themselves in distinguishing them put out of shape, and then at last in their reading they proceed orderly by means of them. Just so let us also do; let us divide virtue, and learn first not to swear, nor to forswear ourselves, nor to speak evil; then proceeding to another row, not to envy, not to lust, not to be gluttonous, not to be drunken, not fierce, not slothful, so that from these we may pass on again to the things of the Spirit, and practise continence, and neglect of the belly, temperance, righteousness, to be above glory, and gentle and contrite in mind; and let us join these one with another, and write them upon our soul.
John Chrysostom, The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 14
5 passages · 3 writers · 1500s to 1800s
Writers explain the Jewish background and the meaning of the oaths named in Matthew 5:34-36.
But when any one swears by heaven or the temple, and does not think that there is any divinity in the heavens or in the temple, it is the same as though he swore by God himself, as it appears from Matthew 23:20-22 ; and Christ, when he forbade us to swear by heaven or by the earth, did not condemn such modes of swearing as inconsistent with his word, but as only useless and vain. At the same time he showed that God’s name is profaned by such expressions: ‘They who swear by heaven, swear also by him who inhabits heaven; they who swear by the temple, swear also by him who is worshipped in the temple, and to whom sacrifices are offered.’
John Calvin, Commentary on Habakkuk, Zephaniah, and Haggai Zephaniah 1.5
Neither by heaven It is a mistake to explain these words as meaning, that such forms of swearing are condemned by Christ as faulty, on the ground that we ought to swear by God only. The reasons which he brings forward tend rather to the opposite view, that we swear by the name of God even when we name the heaven, and the earth: because there is no part of the world on which God has not engraved the marks of his glory. But this statement appears not to agree with the precept of the law, in which God expressly commands us to “swear by his name,” ( Deuteronomy 6:13 ;) and likewise with so many passages of Scripture, in which he complains, that injury is done to him, if we swear by creatures. I reply: It is a corruption allied to idolatry, when we appeal to them either as having a right to judge, or authority to prove testimony: for we must look at the object of swearing.
John Calvin, Harmony of the Evangelists, Vol. 1 5.48
Heaven is called in Scripture ( Isaiah 66:1 ) the throne of God: not that he dwells in heaven alone, but to teach men to raise their minds upwards, whenever they think of him, and not to form any low or earthly conceptions of him. Again, the earth is called his footstool, (v. 35,) to inform us, that he fills all things, and that no extent of space can contain him. … When men swear by their head, (v. 36,) they bring forward their life, which is a remarkable gift of God, as a pledge of their sincerity.
John Calvin, Harmony of the Evangelists, Vol. 1 5.48
[3.] If a man swears by heaven, he sins ( ch. v. 34 ); yet he shall not therefore be discharged from the obligation of his oath; no, God will make him know that the heaven he swears by, is his throne ( Isa. lxvi. 1 ); and he that swears by the throne, appeals to him that sits upon it; who, as he resents the affront done to him in the form of the oath, so he will certainly revenge the greater affront done to him by the violation of it. Christ will not countenance the evasion of a solemn oath, though ever so plausible.
Matthew Henry, Commentary on Matthew 23.2
The mode of swearing mentioned in verse 35 was very frequently adopted, in order to avoid pronouncing the Divine Name. Accordingly, they swore by the Covenant, by the Service of the Temple, or by the Temple. But perhaps the usual mode of swearing, which is attributed even to the Almighty, is ‘By thy life’ ({hebrew}). Lastly, as regards our Lord’s admonition, it is mentioned In the Midrash on Ruth iii. 18. as characteristic of the pious, that their ‘yea is yea,’ and their ‘nay nay.’
Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah 3.18
1 passage · 1 writer · 1700s
Writers connect Matthew 5:37 and James 5:12 to ordinary speech and habitual swearing.
1. Above all things, swear not; but how many are there who mind this the least of all things, and who make light of nothing so much as common profane swearing! But why above all things is swearing here forbidden? (1.) Because it strikes most directly at the honour of God and most expressly throws contempt upon his name and authority. (2.) Because this sin has, of all sins, the least temptation to it: it is not gain, nor pleasure, nor reputation, that can move men to it, but a wantonness in sinning, and a needless showing an enmity to God. … Because it is with most difficulty left off when once men are accustomed to it, therefore it should above all things be watched against.
Matthew Henry, Commentary on James 5.2
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