Matthew 23:22

22 And someone who swears by heaven swears by God's throne and the One who sits on it.

Matthew 23:22 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 23:22

And he that shall swear by heaven
As the Jews were wont to do in common, but did not look upon such an oath as obligatory on them; (See Gill on Matthew 5:34), though such an one

sweareth by the throne of God;
for heaven is God's throne, where he sits, and, in an eminent manner, displays the glory of his majesty:

and by him that sitteth thereon,
by God himself. Thus swearing by anything that has any relation to God, is implicitly swearing by him; and therefore ought to be considered as binding, as if he was expressed in it; since an appeal cannot be made to things inanimate, nor indeed to any creature, but to God, the searcher of hearts.

Matthew 23:22 In-Context

20 So someone who swears by the altar swears by it and everything on it.
21 And someone who swears by the Temple swears by it and the One who lives in it
22 And someone who swears by heaven swears by God's throne and the One who sits on it.
23 "Woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P'rushim! You pay your tithes of mint, dill and cumin; but you have neglected the weightier matters of the Torah -- justice, mercy, trust. These are the things you should have attended to -- without neglecting the others!
24 Blind guides! -- straining out a gnat, meanwhile swallowing a camel!
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.