Charles Ellicott Commentary Matthew 5:34-35

"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)

In verses 34-35, Jesus addresses oaths like, “Neither by heaven... nor by the earth... neither by Jerusalem.” Other forms of oaths are found in Matthew 23:16-22 and James 5:12.

It is not easy at first to understand the thinking behind these ways of speaking. When people swear by God, or by the name of the LORD, there is an implied appeal to the Supreme Ruler. We invoke Him to help and bless us according to our truthfulness, or to punish us if we speak falsely. But to swear by a thing that has no power or life seems almost unintelligible, unless the object being invoked is thought to possess a mysterious holiness and a power to bless or curse.

Once these oaths were in use, it was natural for people in systems like ancient Israel—or even in Christendom—to use them as convenient symbols for strengthening a statement. This was often done without involving the speaker in the guilt of perjury or the profane use of God's name.

Our Lord addresses all such forms of oaths in the same way. He argues that if they have any force at all, it is because they imply a reference to the Eternal God. Heaven is God's throne and the earth is His footstool (a direct quote from Isaiah 66:1), and Jerusalem is the city of the great King.

Therefore, to use these oaths lightly is to profane the holy name they implicitly invoke. People do not protect themselves from either irreverence or perjury by using such expedients.