Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus said, “But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for you neither go in yourselves, neither suffer you them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayer: therefore you shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, you make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Woe unto you, you blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! You fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold?”, and in chapter twenty-three and verse eighteen of his book, Matthew shared how Jesus makes a statement about, “the altar” and “the gift that is upon it” where we read:
And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing;
but whosoever swears by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
The verse reads, “And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing;”. Matthew began with the words, “and, whosoever” which means “and whatever person whether male or female who” “shall swear” or “will affirm, promise and invoke with an oath” “by the altar” which means “through the altar of incense which stood in the sanctuary or the Holy Place”, “it is nothing” or “it is of no worth or value”. Matthew shared how Jesus declared the “scribes and Pharisees'” rule about “swearing” by the “altar” within the temple.
The verse goes on to say, “but whosoever swears by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.” Matthew continued with the words, “but whosoever” which means “moreover and whatever person whether male or female who” “swears” which means “affirms, promises and invokes with an oath” “by the gift” or “through the presents and sacrifices offered in expression of honor ” “that is upon it” which means “that sits on the altar”, “he is guilty” or “that person is indebted, bound and obligated”. Matthew shared how Jesus said the “scribes and Pharisees” made a distinction when “swearing” by the “altar” and “the sacrifice” upon the altar.
When we meditate upon Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Jesus once again addressed these “religious” man made rules concerning “swearing”. This time they distinguished between the “altar” in the temple of God and the “sacrifices” which were presented upon the “altar”. God desires for people to be “truthful” without having to “swear” by something greater than themselves. These rules were meant to create “escape” clauses for those who were making vows and oaths, and Jesus exposed their “hypocrisy”. Everyone who yields their lives to Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord” shall be saved from their sins and receive everlasting life with God, and there is no need to “swear” by any inanimate object to validate their word.
Next time we see Matthew write how Jesus makes a statement about, “the gift” and “the altar”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
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