Matthew 5:35 Meaning: Why Jesus Prohibits Swearing by Earth and Jerusalem
nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
nor by the earth, because it is His footstool, nor by Jerusalem, because it is a city of a great king,
nor by the earth, because it is [the] footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, because it is [the] city of the great King.
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus forbids swearing by earth and Jerusalem because they belong to God: earth is His footstool, Jerusalem His city.
Context
Jesus is teaching on a mountainside, and he has just told his followers that their righteousness must surpass the scribes and Pharisees. Now he turns to the subject of oaths. In the Old Testament, God's people were told not to swear falsely, but over time, Jewish teachers allowed swearing by created things as a way to avoid using God's name directly. Jesus rejects this practice entirely. He says do not swear at all, and he gives four examples: heaven, earth, Jerusalem, and your own head. Each example shows that whatever you try to swear by is actually connected to God. The earth is his footstool. Jerusalem is the city of the great King. There is no loophole. By listing these, Jesus makes clear that all speech falls under God's authority. He will conclude with the simple rule: let your yes be yes, and your no be no.
Key Words
Two phrases carry the weight of this verse. The word for footstool, hupopodion, is drawn from Isaiah 66:1, where God says heaven is his throne and the earth is his footstool. It pictures a king whose feet rest on a stool, even the whole earth is something God places his feet on. That means swearing by the earth is, whether you mean it or not, swearing by the One who owns it. The second key phrase is “the city of the great King,” polis tou megalou basileōs. This comes straight from Psalm 48:2, where Mount Zion is celebrated as the joy of the whole earth because God dwells there. The Jews swore by Jerusalem thinking it was a lighter oath; Jesus says Jerusalem already belongs to the King. You cannot separate the city from the God who chose it. Both images point to the same truth: every part of creation is claimed by God, so no oath escapes him.
How Christians Read This Verse
Protestant commentators from the Reformation onward have read this as Jesus abolishing a casuistic system of oaths. Albert Barnes explains that swearing by earth is a real oath because earth belongs to God. Matthew Henry emphasizes the third commandment against taking God's name in vain, seeing Jesus intensifying the requirement. John Gill, drawing on Jewish writings, shows that rabbis allowed oaths by Jerusalem as a formula, and he notes the phrase “great King” refers to God, not David. Across traditions, the consistent point is that Jesus calls for simple truthfulness that makes oaths unnecessary.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is that Jesus is simply listing a few holy things you should not swear by, like the earth and Jerusalem. In fact, Jesus is making a theological point: every created thing belongs to God, so any oath by earth, Jerusalem, or heaven itself is an oath by God. The prohibition is not about avoiding certain words; it is about recognizing that you cannot distance your promise from the Creator.
Living This Out
This verse asks you to consider what you rely on when you make promises. Maybe you catch yourself saying “I swear to God” to make your words sound more believable. Or you hint at your good reputation to add weight to a statement. Jesus says your character should be enough. This week, before you add any extra words to a promise, stop and ask: can I just say “yes” and leave it at that? If someone does not trust your simple word, more oaths will not fix it. Let your integrity stand on its own.
Main takeaway: Because the whole earth belongs to God, our plain 'yes' or 'no' is already a promise made in his presence.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Jesus said we don't have to make big promises by pointing to things like the earth. Just say “yes” if you mean yes and “no” if you mean no. God is so big that even the whole world is like a little stool for his feet.
For ages 9, 12
You might hear people say “I swear to God” or “I promise on my life” when they really want you to believe them. Jesus says you don't need that. When you give your word, that should be enough. Even if you swear by the earth or Jerusalem, you're still swearing by God because everything belongs to him. So just say what you mean, and then do it.
Questions People Ask
Why does Jesus call the earth God's footstool?
Jesus is quoting Isaiah 66:1, where God says heaven is his throne and earth is his footstool. This image shows God's absolute authority over creation. The footstool is where a king rests his feet, so the earth is completely under his control. By swearing by the earth, you are invoking the God who owns it.
What is the 'city of the great King'?
It refers to Jerusalem, especially the temple where God's presence dwelled. Psalm 48:2 calls Zion 'the city of the great King.' Jesus uses this title to remind his listeners that Jerusalem is not just a human city, it belongs to God. So swearing by Jerusalem is still swearing by God.
Does Jesus forbid all oaths, including in court?
Christians have understood this differently. Some believe Jesus prohibits all voluntary oaths because a simple yes or no should be enough. Others, pointing to the fact that God himself swears in Scripture and that Paul sometimes invokes God as a witness, believe Jesus is condemning casual, evasive oaths, not legal oaths required by authorities. Both views seek to honor Jesus' call to truthfulness.
What was the Jewish practice of swearing by Jerusalem?
In Jesus' time, some Jewish teachers allowed people to swear by the temple, the altar, or Jerusalem, thinking these oaths were less binding than swearing by God's name. They used formulas like 'as Jerusalem' or 'by Jerusalem.' Jesus corrects this by saying those things are already God's, so you cannot escape the seriousness of an oath.
How does this verse apply to everyday speech?
Jesus calls for radical honesty. If your words need extra weight from oaths, your basic integrity may be lacking. Instead, let your yes be yes and your no be no. That means when you commit to something, follow through without needing to swear by anything. Your character should make oaths unnecessary.
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