Albert Barnes Commentary


Albert Barnes Commentary
"but I say unto you, swear not at all; neither by the heaven, for it is the throne of God; nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King." — Matthew 5:34-35 (ASV)
Swear not at all. That is, in the manner which he proceeds to specify. Swear not in any of the common and profane ways customary at that time.
By Heaven; for it is God's throne. To swear by that was, if it meant anything, to swear by Him that sitteth thereon (Matthew 23:22).
The earth; for it is his footstool. Swearing by that, therefore, is really swearing by God. Or perhaps it means,
Jerusalem (Matthew 2:1).
City of the great King. That is, of God; called the great King because he was the King of the Israelites, and Jerusalem was the capital of the nation, and the place where he was especially honoured as King.