Matthew 23:22 kjv
And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
Matthew 23:22 nkjv
And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.
Matthew 23:22 niv
And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God's throne and by the one who sits on it.
Matthew 23:22 esv
And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.
Matthew 23:22 nlt
And when you swear 'by heaven,' you are swearing by the throne of God and by God, who sits on the throne.
Matthew 23 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 66:1 | Thus says the Lord: "Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool." | God's throne is in heaven. |
| Acts 7:49 | ‘Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool.’ | Stephen echoes Isa 66:1. |
| Psa 11:4 | The Lord is in His holy temple; The Lord’s throne is in heaven. | God reigns from His heavenly throne. |
| Psa 103:19 | The Lord has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all. | God's universal sovereignty. |
| Rev 4:2 | And immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. | God's throne and presence in heaven. |
| Matt 5:34 | But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne... | Jesus' earlier teaching on oaths. |
| Matt 5:35 | ...nor by the earth, for it is His footstool... | No part of creation is outside God's dominion. |
| Matt 5:37 | But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ | The standard for truthfulness. |
| Jam 5:12 | But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. | Affirmation against oath-taking. |
| Zech 8:17 | Let none of you in your heart devise evil against your neighbor; and do not love a false oath. | Against false oaths and dishonesty. |
| Lev 19:12 | You shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God. | God's name not to be profaned. |
| Ex 20:7 | You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain... | Third commandment: reverence for God's name. |
| Deut 6:13 | You shall fear the Lord your God and serve Him, and shall take oaths in His name. | Legitimate oath-taking in God's name. |
| Psa 24:4 | He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. | Truthfulness and purity of heart. |
| Prov 15:3 | The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good. | God's omnipresence. |
| Jer 23:24 | "Can anyone hide himself in secret places, so I shall not see him?" says the Lord. | God's inescapable knowledge. |
| 1 Kgs 8:27 | "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You." | God's transcendence and majesty. |
| Matt 23:16 | "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing...'" | Introduces the context of perverted oaths. |
| Matt 23:20 | Therefore he who swears by the altar swears by it and by all things on it. | Previous example of chain of connection. |
| Matt 23:21 | And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by Him who dwells in it. | Direct parallel to swearing by the temple. |
| Phil 2:10 | that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, | Jesus' ultimate authority. |
| Heb 4:13 | And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. | All open before God. |
Matthew 23 verses
Matthew 23 22 Meaning
Matthew 23:22 asserts that anyone who swears by heaven is not merely invoking a celestial entity but, in doing so, is ultimately invoking the very throne of God and, by direct extension, God Himself who sits upon that throne. Jesus exposes the religious leaders' flawed legalistic distinctions regarding oaths, emphasizing that God's authority and presence pervade all things, making every oath, no matter how indirectly phrased, an appeal to the sovereign Lord. The verse underscores God's omnipresence and absolute rule over all creation.
Matthew 23 22 Context
Matthew 23:22 is a critical part of Jesus' scathing condemnation of the scribes and Pharisees, a lengthy discourse known for its "Seven Woes." The specific section, verses 16-22, targets their corrupted system of oath-taking. These religious leaders had devised an elaborate casuistry, distinguishing between "binding" and "non-binding" oaths based on intricate and often self-serving rules (e.g., swearing by the altar was not binding, but swearing by the gift on the altar was). Their practice effectively allowed them to escape the moral weight of certain promises, thereby trivializing the act of an oath and, more importantly, the sacredness of truth itself. Jesus meticulously deconstructs their arguments, demonstrating that every oath, however indirectly framed, ultimately invokes God's presence and authority. This entire chapter exposes the deep-seated hypocrisy of those who externally appeared righteous but inwardly were full of greed, self-indulgence, and lawlessness, misrepresenting God to the people and hindering true faith. Historically, such distinctions were common in some rabbinic interpretations of the Mishnah's tractate Nedarim, aiming to create precise legal boundaries, but in doing so, they often lost the spirit of the Law.
Matthew 23 22 Word analysis
- And he who swears: (Greek: ho omnýōn) - The use of the present participle signifies a continuous action or a general principle: "the one who swears" or "whoever habitually swears." It points to the common practice of making oaths to confirm statements or commitments in that culture. An oath involves an appeal to a higher power, affirming the truth of a statement and inviting divine retribution if it is false.
- by heaven: (Greek: en tō ouranō) - This phrase, literally "in the heaven" or "by means of the heaven," refers to the visible sky. The Pharisees regarded an oath "by heaven" as less binding than swearing directly by God's name because it did not explicitly name God. They saw heaven as created and distinct from the Creator.
- swears by the throne of God: (Greek: omnýei en tō thrónō tou Theou) - Jesus clarifies the direct connection. The throne is a universal symbol of power, authority, kingship, and governance. In a biblical context, God's throne in heaven (Psa 11:4, Isa 66:1) represents His absolute sovereignty, His rightful rule over all creation, His majesty, and the seat of divine judgment. To swear by God's throne is to swear by the very center of His infinite power and eternal reign.
- and by him who sits on it: (Greek: kai en tō kathēmenō epánō autoû) - This explicit clarification directly identifies God Himself as the ultimate authority invoked by any oath referencing heaven or His throne. "The one sitting upon it" unequivocally refers to God, the sovereign Lord. This phrase directly dismantles the Pharisees' deceptive distinction, making it undeniable that an oath referencing heaven is a direct appeal to the Creator and His divine judgment.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "And he who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God": This phrase directly links the common, seemingly less significant oath "by heaven" to the ultimate symbol of divine authority, "the throne of God." Jesus demonstrates a direct chain of relationship: heaven is God's realm, the location of His throne, and therefore cannot be separated from His presence or rule. To swear by heaven is inherently to acknowledge God's universal dominion.
- "and by him who sits on it": This final addition leaves no room for evasion or legalistic loopholes. It clarifies beyond doubt that invoking any aspect of God's creation or domain (like heaven) is, in essence, an invocation of God Himself. It forces the oath-taker to confront the direct appeal to the omnipotent, omniscient God who reigns supreme and from whom nothing is hidden. Jesus emphasizes that sincerity and truthfulness in speech are paramount because God's oversight extends to all claims.
Matthew 23 22 Bonus section
- The deeper theological point in this verse is God's immanence and transcendence: He is distinct from creation (transcendent), yet intimately connected to and ruling over every aspect of it (immanent). The Pharisees tried to compartmentalize God, but Jesus showed He cannot be contained or bypassed.
- This passage underlines the sanctity of speech and truth in the Christian faith. It implies that honesty should not be contingent on explicit oaths but should be a consistent attribute of a believer's character, stemming from reverence for God's all-encompassing presence.
- For modern believers, this passage challenges casual speech that might unknowingly diminish the reverence due to God or His domain, such as certain exclamations or empty promises. It calls for a profound respect for the divine and for one's own words.
Matthew 23 22 Commentary
Matthew 23:22 is a profound indictment of spiritual deception and an affirmation of God's omnipresent sovereignty. Jesus systematically dismantled the Pharisees' casuistry concerning oaths, which allowed them to categorize oaths as binding or non-binding based on external associations, often prioritizing financial gain over spiritual integrity. Their system undermined truthfulness and diminished the sanctity of God's name. Here, Jesus emphatically declares that there is no part of creation, however seemingly remote or common, that is not intimately connected to God's presence and authority. If one swears by "heaven," they are swearing by God's own domain, where His majestic throne resides, and ultimately, by God Himself, the one who occupies that throne. There is no middle ground, no lesser oath; all oaths ultimately appeal to the Most High. This verse serves as a crucial reminder for all believers of the absolute importance of integrity and truth in our words, reflecting a profound reverence for God. It challenges any inclination to manipulate language or commitments, calling us to let our "Yes be Yes, and our No be No" (Matt 5:37), for all our speech ultimately stands before God.