Matthew 23 21

Matthew 23:21 kjv

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

Matthew 23:21 nkjv

He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it.

Matthew 23:21 niv

And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it.

Matthew 23:21 esv

And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it.

Matthew 23:21 nlt

And when you swear 'by the Temple,' you are swearing by it and by God, who lives in it.

Matthew 23 verses

Matthew 23 21 Meaning

This verse declares that when one swears an oath "by the temple," such an oath inherently extends to and involves God Himself, who resides within that temple. Jesus here dismantles the false distinctions and casuistry taught by the religious leaders, who attempted to create loopholes for avoiding binding oaths by differentiating between the temple and what was within it. It signifies that the sacredness of any religious object or place ultimately derives from God's presence, making any oath by them an oath before God.

Matthew 23 21 Context

Matthew 23 contains Jesus' strong rebuke, often referred to as the "Seven Woes," directed at the scribes and Pharisees. These religious leaders were highly respected in Jewish society for their perceived piety and strict adherence to the Law. However, Jesus consistently exposed their hypocrisy, their emphasis on outward appearances over inward righteousness, and their perversion of God's commands.

Verses 16-22 specifically address their convoluted system of oaths. The Pharisees taught that an oath sworn by the temple was not binding, but an oath sworn "by the gold of the temple" or "by the altar" was binding, implying that the gift or the offering held more sanctity than the sacred place itself. They established this casuistry to allow for easy deception, making oaths that sounded binding but were, by their internal rules, not. In this verse (23:21), Jesus corrects their spiritual blindness and sophistry, declaring that the sacredness of the temple (or any sacred object) derives directly from the presence of God within it, rendering any oath by it ultimately an oath sworn before God. This entire passage emphasizes Jesus' demand for true integrity and truthfulness, contrasting it with the duplicity of the Pharisees.

Matthew 23 21 Word analysis

• And whoever swears (καὶ ὁ ὀμόσας, kai ho omosas): The Greek participle emphasizes the specific act of taking an oath or vow. "Ὀμνύω (omnỳō)" implies a solemn declaration, often calling upon a deity or a sacred object as a witness or guarantor of truth. This highlights the seriousness and spiritual weight that Jesus attaches to such an act, directly contrasting the Pharisees' trivialization of certain oaths.
• by the temple (ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, en tō hierō): This refers to the hierón, which encompasses the entire sacred complex in Jerusalem—including the courtyards, colonnades, and surrounding buildings, not just the inner sanctuary (the naos). The Pharisees had made subtle distinctions even within the temple precincts. Jesus' use of hierón here covers any oath sworn in reference to the broader sacred space, correcting any attempt to declare an oath less binding because it did not explicitly mention the "holy of holies" or the offerings. Its sanctity, like everything sacred, originates from God.
• swears by it (ὀμνύει ἐν αὐτῷ, omnyei en autō): This is a deliberate repetition by Jesus, emphatically reiterating that the act of swearing by the temple itself, irrespective of Pharisaic distinctions, is already a complete and binding oath. It directly challenges their attempt to devalue such an oath.
• and by Him who dwells in it (καὶ ἐν τῷ ἐνοικοῦντι ἐν αὐτῷ, kai en tō enoikounti en autō):
  • Him: This directly refers to God, the implicit and ultimate subject. The temple's true holiness and authority are derived solely from His indwelling presence.
  • dwells (ἐνοικοῦντι, enoikounti): A present active participle of ἐνοικέω (enoikéō), meaning "to live in," "to reside within," or "to inhabit." This signifies God's continuous and active presence within the temple. This concept resonates deeply with the Old Testament understanding of the Tabernacle and Temple as the places where God's glorious presence (Shekinah) manifested among His people (Ex 40:34-35; 1 Ki 8:10-11). By stating this, Jesus highlights the true source of the temple's sanctity and definitively closes any perceived loophole in oath-taking.
  • in it: Referring back to the temple.

Words-group Analysis:

• "whoever swears by the temple, swears by it": This phrase directly confronts the casuistry of the Pharisees. They held that swearing by the temple itself was non-binding, while swearing by specific objects or money within the temple was binding (Mt 23:16). Jesus dismisses this hair-splitting logic, stating that an oath by the temple is indeed an oath by the temple, already binding on its own terms due to its sacred nature.
• "and by Him who dwells in it": This critical clause provides the theological foundation for the former assertion. Jesus immediately follows by clarifying why an oath by the temple is binding: not because of the building materials, but because of God's residing presence. This utterly demolishes the Pharisees' artificial distinctions, pointing to the ultimate authority in all oaths – God Himself. Any attempt to differentiate within a sacred sphere ignores the fundamental reality that God is the source of all holiness within that sphere.

Matthew 23 21 Bonus section

• This verse provides foundational context for Jesus' earlier command in the Sermon on the Mount: "do not swear at all" (Mt 5:34). If even an oath by a building is an oath to God because God dwells in it, then all oaths, whether direct or indirect, invoke His sacred name and authority. This underscores why complete integrity in speech is required, making formal oaths unnecessary for a believer whose "yes" means yes and "no" means no.
• The emphasis on God's indwelling presence (ἐνοικοῦντι) in the temple prefigures a New Testament truth: that God would not dwell exclusively in a physical structure but would come to dwell within His people through the Holy Spirit, making them His living temple (1 Cor 3:16; 6:19). This shift highlights that genuine worship and integrity now emanate from an internal reality, not external rituals or structures.
• The passage highlights a deeper spiritual problem beyond mere oath-taking: the Pharisees' core issue was a distorted view of God and holiness, leading to legalism that valued outward conformity over true heart transformation. Their desire for external justification enabled a system where God's truth could be manipulated for self-advantage, rather than upheld for His glory.

Matthew 23 21 Commentary

Matthew 23:21 is a succinct yet profound exposé of spiritual hypocrisy and perversion of truth. Jesus, in confronting the scribes and Pharisees, dismantles their intricate system of legalistic loopholes concerning oaths. They sought to retain an appearance of piety while allowing for deception, differentiating between binding and non-binding oaths based on arbitrary distinctions of perceived sanctity (e.g., gold in the temple vs. the temple itself).

Jesus corrects this by cutting straight to the theological core: the temple, and everything associated with it, derives its holiness and significance from the ultimate Divine Occupant. Swearing by the temple, by its very nature, is swearing by God who dwells in it. There is no legitimate separation or lesser degree of commitment. This truth renders their attempts at evasion meaningless and exposes their deceitful hearts.

This verse emphasizes God's sovereignty over all creation and underscores that any attempt to compartmentalize faith or ethics to permit untruthfulness is a direct affront to His nature. God demands absolute truthfulness and integrity, not only in what one says but also in the intentions of the heart.

Practically, this verse reminds believers that God's name is involved not just in direct utterances but in anything associated with the sacred and spiritual. It calls for genuine integrity in all speech, upholding the sanctity of truth not based on convoluted rules, but on reverence for God who sees and knows all.