Matthew 5:33-36 vs Matthew 23:16-22

[Christian2]

Matthew 5: 33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ 34 But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Matthew 23: 16 “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22 And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.

Is Jesus contradicting Himself?

What were the teachers of the Law doing that Jesus takes exception to in Matthew 23?

Thank you.

[B. W.]

Matthew 5:33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ 34 But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Matthew 23:16 “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22 And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.

Is Jesus contradicting Himself?

What were the teachers of the Law doing that Jesus takes exception to in Matthew 23?

Thank you.

Please look at the context:

Matthew 5:33 refers making an swear oath to God... basically as a threat to someone else – I swear by this and that to get revenge, get money, make her a wife…

Gill in his Commentary puts it like this for the 5:33

Matthew 5:34 But I say unto you, swear not at all,.... Which must not be understood in the strictest sense, as though it was not lawful to take an oath upon any occasion, in an affair of moment, in a solemn serious manner, and in the name of God; which may be safely done: but of rash swearing, about trivial matters, and by the creatures; as appears by what follows… From Gill’s Commentary

Next, Matthew 23:16 is also referring to making a vow – make a payment to the temple – someone vows to give so much was bound by Pharisaic interpretation of the law to kept the vow. That is the type of vow Jesus is referring too here. The context, Matthew 23:2-15, has Jesus rebuking the Pharisees for being the enforcers – Masters – Matthew 23:10 – to interpret the law and bind oaths and cause people to make oaths to the temple’s gold or whatever. This would bind people to fulfill oaths forced (manipulated) upon them by the Pharisees to fulfill

Mathew 23:16 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! NKJV

Blind guides – masters were telling the people they were debtors to fulfill their vows or else suffer the wrath of the Pharisee’s. In other words these Pharisees were causing the people to sin in different ways – give to manipulate God to get.. please read the whole chapter in context and let us know what you see.

[Christian2]

Hi BW. Thanks for your reply.

What do I see?

Re: Matthew 33. It is better not to take an oath because we can be mistaken. If we swear by God, that oath is binding.

James agrees:

James 5:12
Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned.

You will be condemned if you break your vow.

Matthew 23:

I see the Jewish religious leaders trying to get out of keeping their vows -- they swear by the Temple and the gold, in order to get around keeping their vows because they do not consider it swearing by God. Jesus disagrees:

Matthew 23: 16 “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22 And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.

Backed up by:

Exodus 29:37
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
37 For seven days make atonement for the altar and consecrate it. Then the altar will be most holy, and whatever touches it will be holy.

Jewish law regarding taking oaths:

Vows, Oaths and Swearing

That a man should fulfill whatever he has uttered (Deut. 23:24) (CCA39).
Not to swear needlessly (Ex. 20:7) (CCN29).
Not to violate an oath or swear falsely (Lev. 19:12) (CCN31).
To decide in cases of annulment of vows, according to the rules set forth in the Torah (Num. 30:2-17) (CCA40).
Not to break a vow (Num. 30:3) (CCN184).
To swear by His name truly (Deut. 10:20) (affirmative).
Not to delay in fulfilling vows or bringing vowed or free-will offerings (Deut. 23:22) (CCN185).