What is the meaning of Matthew 5:35? or by the earth, for it is His footstool Jesus has just forbidden swearing “by heaven,” and now He widens the scope to the planet beneath our feet. When people in His day wanted to sound convincing, they would invoke something grand yet seemingly less sacred than God’s own name. The earth felt safe for that purpose—common, visible, tangible. Jesus overturns that idea. – The earth belongs entirely to God; it is “His footstool” (Isaiah 66:1; Acts 7:49). We cannot treat it as a neutral object detached from Him. – Swearing by the earth is, in effect, swearing by the sovereign Owner of the earth. That strips away any supposed loophole. – The image of a footstool speaks of absolute authority. If the Lord places His feet on the earth, where does that leave any human claim of independence? (Psalm 24:1). – By reminding listeners of God’s ownership, Jesus presses home that any oath made on earthly things still obligates the speaker before the Lord who hears every word (Matthew 12:36). or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King Next Jesus addresses an oath formula tied to Jerusalem, the spiritual and national heartbeat of Israel. The city’s sacred aura tempted people to use it as collateral for their promises—yet again, while trying to avoid direct mention of God. – Jerusalem carries God’s name and presence. Psalm 48:1-2 calls it “the city of our God” and “the city of the great King.” To invoke Jerusalem is, therefore, to invoke God’s throne-city. – The “great King” is ultimately the Lord Himself (Psalm 47:2; Zechariah 14:9). Even earthly kings who ruled from Jerusalem did so only under His authority (2 Chronicles 9:8). – If someone swears “by Jerusalem,” he draws God into the agreement whether he intends to or not. There is no lesser, safer category when the place chosen is God’s own dwelling (1 Kings 11:36). – Jesus exposes the heart issue: honesty must flow from integrity, not from manipulating religious language (Matthew 5:37; James 5:12). summary By forbidding oaths “by the earth” and “by Jerusalem,” Jesus shows that every corner of creation and every sacred place fall under God’s absolute rule. No clever wording can separate an oath from the One who hears it. The only fitting response is simple, truthful speech that reflects a heart surrendered to the great King who owns the earth and reigns from Zion. |
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