Annotation XXV

”But I say to you, not to swear at all.” — Matthew 5:34

Whether an oath is a sin.

Gen. 42.

The author of the Opus imperfectum, homily 12, interpreting this precept, teaches three things at variance with the common consensus of the theologians: first, that to swear rightly by God is a sin; second, that to swear rightly by creatures is a sin; third, that to swear rightly by creatures is a more execrable sin than to swear rightly by God. And he comprises these in these words: “Behold the fourth commandment, which the covetous think the least [important] — who do not think that to swear rightly is a sin, without which the mandate of the law cannot stand,” etc. And after he had discoursed much about the sin of oath-taking, he finally concluded: “These things are said of those who swear by God; but of those who swear by the elements, the iniquity is more execrable. For God created heaven and earth and the rest for his own service, not for men to swear by,” etc. — As for how the first and second of these propositions can be expounded, see the following Annotation. But the third proposition is to be understood of those who swear by creatures for this reason: because they believe them either to be gods, or that some [portion] of divinity is in them. For these sin most gravely, because they show to creatures the worship of latria, which befits God alone. But those who swear by creatures — not because they believe them gods, but because they see the divine truth shining forth in them — swear rightly, after the example of Joseph, who swore “by the safety [life] of Pharaoh”: venerating in Pharaoh (as Augustine says) nothing other than God, from whom Pharaoh’s power was.

Hilary, in canon 4 on Matthew, seems to forbid to Christians every oath whatsoever. See the following Annotation.

Jerome, in [his] commentary, has the same. See the following Annotation. — Chromatius, in [his] commentary, the same. Read the following Annotation. — Theophylact, in [his] commentary, the same. Consult the following Annotation. — Euthymius, in [his] commentary, the same. Read the following Annotation.