Matthew 5:33

33 "You have also heard that people were told in the past, "Do not break your promise, but do what you have vowed to the Lord to do.' ¹

Matthew 5:33 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 5:33

Again, ye have heard that it hath been said
Besides what has been observed, in ver. 21 and 27 you know it has also been said,

by, or to them of old time,
what is written in ( Leviticus 19:12 ) . "And ye shall not swear by my name falsely"; which seems to be referred to, when it is said, "thou shalt not forswear thyself": and is the law forbidding perjury, or false swearing; and was what the Jews were chiefly, if not only concerned about; little regarding the vanity, only the truth of an oath: for they took swearing vainly, to be the same as swearing falsely; wherefore so long as what they swore was truth, they were not careful whether it was of any importance or not: moreover, these men sinned, in that they swore by the creatures, which they thought they might do, and not sin; and when they had so done, were not under obligation to perform; because they made no use of the name of God, to whom only vows and oaths were to be performed, "but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths", ( Numbers 30:2 ) which they understood of vows only made to the Lord, and not to others; and of oaths, when in his name, and not by others; which they did do, and yet thought themselves not obliged by them.

Matthew 5:33 In-Context

31 "It was also said, "Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce.'

32 But now I tell you: if a man divorces his wife for any cause other than her unfaithfulness, then he is guilty of making her commit adultery if she marries again; and the man who marries her commits adultery also.

33 "You have also heard that people were told in the past, "Do not break your promise, but do what you have vowed to the Lord to do.'

34 But now I tell you: do not use any vow when you make a promise. Do not swear by heaven, for it is God's throne;

35 nor by earth, for it is the resting place for his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.

Cross References

• 1. 5.33 aLeviticus 19.12; bNumbers 30.2;Deuteronomy 23.21.