Matthew 23:21 - He who swears by the temple, swears by it, and by him who has been living in it.
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What does "Matthew 23:21" mean?
This verse, Matthew 23:21, is part of Jesus's condemnation of the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of his time, specifically the Pharisees. He is addressing their practice of making oaths (swearing) and the distinctions they drew between different kinds of oaths.
To understand this verse, we need to see it in the context of the verses surrounding it:
Matthew 23:16-22: "Woe to you, blind guides! You say, 'If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? You also say, 'If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on the altar, he is bound by his oath.' You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it. And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by him who sits on it."
What it means:
Jesus is pointing out the absurdity and dishonesty of their system. They were trying to create loopholes in their oaths, making some oaths more binding than others based on what was being sworn by.
The deeper point: Jesus's point is that all oaths should be truthful and binding. Trying to wiggle out of an oath by focusing on the technicality of what you swore by is dishonest and shows a lack of integrity.
"He who swears by the temple, swears by it, and by him who has been living in it." This verse is a specific example. When someone swears by the temple, they are not just swearing by the physical building. They are also implicitly swearing by God, who dwells in the temple. The temple was considered God's dwelling place, the center of God's presence on earth (though Jesus later teaches that true worship is not limited to a physical location).
In essence, Jesus is saying:
You can't separate the physical object (temple) from its sacred significance and the divine presence associated with it.
Swearing by the temple is effectively swearing by God, because God has chosen to dwell there.
Trying to create loopholes by saying you only swore by the physical temple, and not by God, is a deceitful attempt to avoid the consequences of a broken oath.
Why this is important:
Jesus is challenging the Pharisees' superficial interpretation of the law. They were focusing on the letter of the law while missing the spirit of the law, which is about honesty, integrity, and genuine devotion to God. Jesus wanted them to understand that true religion is not about technicalities and loopholes, but about a genuine relationship with God that is reflected in honesty and integrity in all areas of life.
In contemporary terms, this verse highlights the importance of being truthful in our commitments and not seeking ways to evade our responsibilities. It also emphasizes that when we invoke something sacred, we should be mindful of the deeper meaning and significance attached to it.
Matthew 23:21 - He who swears by the temple, swears by it, and by him who has been living in it.
What does "Matthew 23:21" mean?
This verse, Matthew 23:21, is part of Jesus's condemnation of the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of his time, specifically the Pharisees. He is addressing their practice of making oaths (swearing) and the distinctions they drew between different kinds of oaths.
To understand this verse, we need to see it in the context of the verses surrounding it:
Matthew 23:16-22: "Woe to you, blind guides! You say, 'If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? You also say, 'If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on the altar, he is bound by his oath.' You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it. And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by him who sits on it."
What it means:
Jesus is pointing out the absurdity and dishonesty of their system. They were trying to create loopholes in their oaths, making some oaths more binding than others based on what was being sworn by.
The deeper point: Jesus's point is that all oaths should be truthful and binding. Trying to wiggle out of an oath by focusing on the technicality of what you swore by is dishonest and shows a lack of integrity.
"He who swears by the temple, swears by it, and by him who has been living in it." This verse is a specific example. When someone swears by the temple, they are not just swearing by the physical building. They are also implicitly swearing by God, who dwells in the temple. The temple was considered God's dwelling place, the center of God's presence on earth (though Jesus later teaches that true worship is not limited to a physical location).
In essence, Jesus is saying:
You can't separate the physical object (temple) from its sacred significance and the divine presence associated with it.
Swearing by the temple is effectively swearing by God, because God has chosen to dwell there.
Trying to create loopholes by saying you only swore by the physical temple, and not by God, is a deceitful attempt to avoid the consequences of a broken oath.
Why this is important:
Jesus is challenging the Pharisees' superficial interpretation of the law. They were focusing on the letter of the law while missing the spirit of the law, which is about honesty, integrity, and genuine devotion to God. Jesus wanted them to understand that true religion is not about technicalities and loopholes, but about a genuine relationship with God that is reflected in honesty and integrity in all areas of life.
In contemporary terms, this verse highlights the importance of being truthful in our commitments and not seeking ways to evade our responsibilities. It also emphasizes that when we invoke something sacred, we should be mindful of the deeper meaning and significance attached to it.