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Matthew 23

Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:

All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!

Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,

And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.

Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:

That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

What does Matthew 23:22 mean?

Explanation

This verse, found in the Gospel of Matthew, addresses the issue of oaths or vows.

Jesus is speaking to the crowd and His disciples concerning the scribes and Pharisees and their practices.

The point He is making here is that to swear by heaven is, in effect, to swear by God's throne, and therefore by God Himself.

On a literal level, Jesus is criticizing the habit of making oaths by something other than God as a means of avoiding direct commitment.

Figuratively, he is teaching that everything is under God's dominion and that making distinctions between different oaths is futile and hypocritical because God is sovereign over all.

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Historical Context

The Gospel of Matthew was written in a Jewish environment that was heavily influenced by the Pharisaic interpretation of the Torah.

One of their practices involved the use of oaths, which they thought could be made binding or non-binding based on the particular wording used or the objects by which they swore.

Oaths were also a tool to maintain social contracts and a religious way to invoke divine witness to promises.

Theological Insights

In Christian theology, this verse is a reflection of the seriousness of oaths and the acknowledgment of God's omnipresence and omniscience.

There is an understanding that God's presence cannot be localized or limited to the temple or any other object by which one might swear.

The sovereign nature of God is a central theme this verse underscores.

It also suggests a call for sincerity in one's words, implying that Jesus favors honest communication without the need for oaths to reinforce truthfulness.

Practical Applications

In daily life, this verse can teach the importance of integrity in speech.

It suggests that instead of relying on oaths or extravagant promises, one's simple yes or no should be trustworthy and sufficient.

This has applications in all forms of communication, from legal declarations to everyday conversations, emphasizing the need for honesty and simplicity.

It encourages believers to reflect on the sanctity of their words and to avoid manipulating speech for deceptive purposes.

Cross-References

Matthew 5:34-37: "But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne..."
James 5:12: "But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation."

Language Study

The key words in the original Greek text for this verse include "ὀμνύων" (omnyon), which means "he that shall swear," and emphasizes the taking of an oath. "Οὐρανὸς" (ouranos), meaning "heaven," is used symbolically to represent God’s dwelling place, while "θρόνος" (thronos), or "throne," metaphorically accentuates God’s authority and the heavenly realm.

The phrase "κατ' αὐτοῦ" (kat' autou) refers to "by him that sitteth thereon," pointing directly to God’s sovereignty.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In the broader ancient world, oaths were common in many cultures as a means of invoking divine favor or testimony.

For instance, ancient Greeks took oaths in the names of their gods, while Romans could swear by the genius of the emperor.

In many cultures and religions, the breaking of an oath carried a curse or punishment by the invoked deity or deities.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientific perspectives might not directly connect with this verse since it deals with theological and ethical concerns rather than empirical claims.

However, modern research in psychology might explore the human tendency to make oaths and the psychological impact of breaking them. Trust, commitment, and honesty are areas of interest where scientific studies can intersect with the principles discussed in this verse.

Commentaries

Commentaries often delve deeper into the cultural issues of Jesus' time that shaped this verse. They point out that the scribes and Pharisees created a hierarchy of oaths, which Jesus refuted as hypocritical.

Many biblical scholars interpret this to mean that Jesus insisted on straightforward truthfulness.

They also emphasize that this teaching reflects a movement away from legalism and towards the spirit of the law – an internalization of morality and sincerity in one’s relationship with God and others.

Matthew 23

Matthew 23

What does Matthew 23:22 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Matthew 23:22 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?