Matthew 5:36 (WEB)
Neither shall you swear by your head, for you can’t make one hair white or black.
Catechism · 1
“Going further, Christ asks his disciples to turn the other cheek, to love their enemies.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Mt 5:22-39; 5:44.
Fathers and councils · 21
John Chrysostom
““Neither by thy head,” saith He, “because thou canst not make one hair white or black.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 36.
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Tertullian
“In the next place proceeding to mendacity, the minister of covetousness (of false swearing I am silent, since even swearing is not lawful)—is trade adapted for a servant of God?” — editor's note: Matt. v. 34–37; Jas. v. 12.
Read the whole comment“But, however, God saith, “Which of you can make a white hair black, or out of a black a white?”” — editor's note: See Matt. v. 36.
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Cyprian of Carthage
“Your Lord says, “Thou canst not make one hair white or black;” and you, in order to overcome the word of your Lord, will be more mighty than He, and stain your hair with a daring endeavour and with profane contempt.” — editor's note: Matt. v. 36.
Read the whole comment“But let your discourse be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: (for whatever is fuller than these is of evil.”)” — editor's note: Matt. v. 34–37. All these passages are wanting in the Oxford text; [also in ed. Paris, 1574].
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Clement of Alexandria
““And none other,” says the Lord, “can make the hair white or black.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 36.
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Catena Aurea on Matthew
- Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
The Lord has hitherto taught to abstain from injuring our neighbour, forbidding anger with murder, lust with adultery, and the putting away a wife with a bill of divorce. He now proceeds to teach to abstain from…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
This was allowed under the Law, as to children; as they offered sacrifice to God, that they might not do it to idols, so they were permitted to swear by God; not that the thing was right, but that it were better done…
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
For no man can swear often, but he must sometimes forswear himself; as he who has a custom of much speaking will sometimes speak foolishly.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Inasmuch as the sin of perjury is a grievous sin, he must be further removed from it who uses no oath, than he who is ready to swear on every occasion, and the Lord would rather that we should not swear and keep…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
This precept also confirms the righteousness of the Pharisees, not to forswear; inasmuch as he who swears not at all cannot forswear himself. But as to call God to witness is to swear, does not the Apostle break this…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
But what we could not understand by mere words, from the conduct of the saints we may gather in what sense should be understood what might easily be drawn the contrary way, unless explained by example. The Apostle…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Therefore in his writings, as writing allows of greater circumspection, the Apostle is found to have used an oath in several places, that none might suppose that there is any direct sin in swearing what is true; but…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
Lastly, consider that the Saviour does not here forbid to swear by God, but by the Heaven, the Earth, by Jerusalem, by a man’s head. For this evil practice of swearing by the elements the Jews had always, and are…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or; It is added, “By the Heaven, &c.” because the Jews did not consider themselves bound when they swore by such things. As if He had said, When you swear by the Heaven and the Earth, think not that you do not owe…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Note how He exalts the elements of the world, not from their own nature, but from the respect which they have to God, so that there is opened no occasion of idolatry.
Read the whole comment - Rabanus MaurusCatena Aurea on Matthew
Having forbidden swearing, He instructs us how we ought to speak, “Let your speech be yea, yea; nay, nay.” That is, to affirm any thing it is sufficient to say, ‘It is so;’ to deny, to say, ‘It is not so.’ Or, “yea,…
Read the whole comment - Hilary of PoitiersCatena Aurea on Matthew
Otherwise; They who live in the simplicity of the faith have not need to swear, with them ever, what is is, what is not is not; by this their life and their conversation are ever preserved in truth.
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
Therefore Evangelic verity does not admit an oath, since the whole discourse of the faithful is instead of an oath.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
And he who has learned that an oath is to be reckoned not among things good, but among things necessary, will restrain himself as much as he may, not to use an oath without necessity, unless he sees men loth to…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or; “of evil,” that is, from their weakness to whom the Law permitted the use of an oath. Not that by this the old Law is signified to be from the Devil, but He leads us from the old imperfection to the new abundance.
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Cross-references · 12
Cited together in On the Apparel of Women II.5.
Cited together in On the Apparel of Women II.5.
Cited together in On Idolatry Chapter 11.
Cited together in On Idolatry Chapter 11.
Cited together in On Idolatry Chapter 11.
Cited together in On Idolatry Chapter 11.
Cited together in On Idolatry Chapter 11.
Cited together in Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews III.13.
Cited together in Glossa Ordinaria on Matthew 5:33–37 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Glossa Ordinaria on Matthew 5:33–37 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in On the Apparel of Women II.5.
Cited together in Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews III.13.