Matthew 5 36

Matthew 5:36 kjv

Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

Matthew 5:36 nkjv

Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.

Matthew 5:36 niv

And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.

Matthew 5:36 esv

And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.

Matthew 5:36 nlt

Do not even say, 'By my head!' for you can't turn one hair white or black.

Matthew 5 verses

Matthew 5 36 Meaning

Matthew 5:36 is a part of Jesus' teaching on oaths, where He forbids followers from swearing by their head. He grounds this prohibition in the fundamental truth that humans lack control over even the most minute aspects of their physical existence, such as the color of a single hair. This demonstrates the futility and implicit pride in making promises based on one's own perceived authority or power when ultimate control belongs to God alone. It underlines the necessity of speaking truth always, rendering oaths unnecessary for emphasis or validation, as all of life, including one's very being, is dependent on God.

Matthew 5 36 Context

Matthew 5:36 is part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), a pivotal teaching session revealing the deeper spiritual intent of God's Law beyond mere external observance. Specifically, this verse is embedded within Jesus' radical reinterpretation of oaths (Mt 5:33-37), which follows His teachings on anger, lust, and divorce. In the broader context of the Sermon, Jesus challenges the prevailing legalistic righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, emphasizing an internal transformation that yields true righteousness before God.

Historically and culturally, oath-taking was deeply ingrained in Jewish society as a means of validating promises or testimony. There were intricate rules differentiating between binding and non-binding oaths based on what was sworn by (e.g., heaven, earth, Jerusalem, the Temple, one's head). Jesus directly confronts this practice, especially the casual and manipulative use of oaths that sought to avoid accountability. By prohibiting swearing by one's head, He directly addresses a common form of personal vow, polemically demonstrating the ultimate powerlessness of humans to control even themselves, contrasting it with God's absolute sovereignty.

Matthew 5 36 Word analysis

• Nor shall you swear (μηδὲ ὀμόσῃς - mēde omosēs): "Nor" links this prohibition to the preceding one, emphasizing a complete cessation of casual swearing. The command uses a strong negative, not forbidding formal, truthful oaths in judicial contexts (see Heb 6:16), but the everyday, manipulative, or trivial use of oaths to underscore one's word. It promotes radical, constant honesty where one's "yes" is always "yes," and "no" is always "no."
• by your head (ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ σου - en tē kephalē sou): This was a common personal oath formula in the Jewish culture, invoking one's very life, person, or fate as collateral for a promise. The head symbolized one's identity and life force. By swearing by it, a person ostensibly placed their own being or well-being on the line.
• because (ὅτι - hoti): Introduces the reason for the prohibition, underscoring human limitations and lack of ultimate control.
• you cannot make (οὐ δύνασαι ποιῆσαι - ou dynasai poiēsai): Emphasizes absolute inability. "Cannot" highlights the inherent futility of relying on human agency when even a minor physical attribute is beyond one's deliberate control. This rhetorical question highlights a fundamental truth about human powerlessness.
• one hair (μίαν τρίχα - mian tricha): Jesus uses an exceedingly minute, seemingly insignificant detail to illustrate a profound spiritual and theological truth. Hair is a common, mundane aspect of human existence, yet even this small part of the body is not subject to personal will or command.
• white or black (λευκὴν ἢ μέλαιναν - leukēn ē melainan): Refers to the two basic colors of hair (youthful vs. aged, or naturally colored vs. grey/white). This specific contrast illustrates the inability to alter one's biological reality. While hair naturally changes color over time, humans cannot will a hair to change its pigment instantly or at will. It serves as an undeniable, self-evident truth, revealing the ultimate foolishness of swearing by one's own limited power.

• Nor shall you swear by your head: This phrase targets the hypocrisy of trying to authenticate one's words by invoking an aspect of oneself that is not truly under one's control. It’s a direct challenge to human arrogance in thinking they can guarantee anything apart from God's sovereignty.
• because you cannot make one hair white or black: This clause powerfully articulates human limitation. By using a seemingly trivial example, Jesus draws attention to the fact that if humanity lacks control over such a minute and non-consequential bodily function, how much less can they control life, death, future events, or their destiny? This rhetorical argument fundamentally undercuts any basis for swearing by oneself. It points instead to God as the sole master and upholder of all creation, thereby rendering human oaths based on personal agency as futile and irreverent.

Matthew 5 36 Bonus section

• Jesus' use of the "hair" example resonates strongly with other teachings where He emphasizes God's meticulous care over seemingly insignificant things (e.g., God knowing the number of hairs on one's head in Mt 10:30 and Lk 12:7). This further highlights the contrast: God's ultimate control versus human lack of control.
• The teaching exposes the flawed logic prevalent among Jewish legalists who sought loopholes in oaths by distinguishing what they swore by. Jesus removes such distinctions, demanding absolute truthfulness in all speech.
• This verse implicitly connects to the concept of the imago Dei (image of God), as it suggests that part of living as created beings in God's image involves recognizing our limitations and God's boundless power.

Matthew 5 36 Commentary

Matthew 5:36 is a concise yet potent declaration from Jesus about integrity and divine sovereignty. By forbidding the common practice of swearing by one's head, Jesus strikes at the heart of human pretense and self-reliance. The essence of the command is not a blanket prohibition against all oaths, but against the casual, manipulative, or everyday oaths used to give false credibility to one's words. The vivid illustration—the inability to change a single hair's color—serves as an undeniable, universally experienced proof of humanity's fundamental powerlessness over their own existence. If one cannot control something as minor as hair color, how can one promise or pledge based on their own being, let alone control future outcomes or fate? This statement redirects our focus from unreliable human assurance to God's ultimate control and unwavering truthfulness. Our words should carry inherent truth and weight simply because we are followers of the God of truth, eliminating the need for any additional oath or external validation.For example, instead of saying, "I swear by my life, I will meet you at 3 PM!" it means one should simply state, "I will meet you at 3 PM," and their integrity should make the statement trustworthy without any grander declaration. The focus shifts from the oath's power to the speaker's truthful character, acknowledging God as the only one capable of guaranteeing anything.