King James Version

What Does Matthew 23:18 Mean?

Matthew 23:18 in the King James Version says “And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty... — study this verse from Matthew chapter 23 with commentary, cross-references, and original Greek word analysis.

And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. guilty: or, debtor, or, bound

Matthew 23:18 · KJV


Context

16

Woe unto you, ye 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!

17

Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

18

And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. guilty: or, debtor, or, bound

19

Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

20

Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon .


Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty—the phrase ouden estin (οὐδέν ἐστιν, it is nothing) reflects Pharisaic teaching that such oaths were non-binding, while opheilei (ὀφείλει, he owes/is bound) indicates binding obligation. Jesus exposes a legalistic system designed to permit oath-breaking while appearing religious.

The Pharisees considered the gift (dōron, δῶρον, sacrificial offering) more binding than the altar itself—another materialistic inversion. By this reasoning, one could swear by God's altar with mental reservation, planning to break the oath, yet claim technical innocence. This casuistry allowed them to deceive while maintaining religious credibility. Jesus's teaching on oaths was revolutionary: Let your yes be yes, and your no be no (Matthew 5:37)—simple integrity, not legalistic evasion.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Ancient oath-taking invoked supernatural witnesses to guarantee truthfulness, with varying degrees of solemnity. Pharisaic tradition created a hierarchy of oaths, some binding and others not, based on arbitrary distinctions. This system appealed to human desire for escape clauses—making promises without real commitment.

Reflection Questions

  1. How do modern Christians use religious language to evade straightforward honesty?
  2. What does Jesus's rejection of oath hierarchies teach about the nature of truth-telling?
  3. Why does legalism always create loopholes rather than promoting genuine integrity?

Original Language Analysis

Greek · 20 words
καί,1 of 20

And

G2532

and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words

ὃς2 of 20

Whosoever

G3739

the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that

ἐὰν3 of 20
G1437

a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.; often used in connection with other particles to denote indefiniteness or uncertainty

ὀμόσῃ4 of 20

shall swear

G3660

to swear, i.e., take (or declare on) oath

ἐν5 of 20

by

G1722

"in," at, (up-)on, by, etc

τῷ6 of 20
G3588

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

θυσιαστηρίῳ7 of 20

the altar

G2379

a place of sacrifice, i.e., an altar (special or genitive case, literal or figurative)

οὐδέν8 of 20

nothing

G3762

not even one (man, woman or thing), i.e., none, nobody, nothing

ἐστιν·9 of 20

it is

G2076

he (she or it) is; also (with neuter plural) they are

ὃς10 of 20

Whosoever

G3739

the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that

δ'11 of 20

but

G1161

but, and, etc

ἂν12 of 20

whosoever

G302

whatsoever

ὀμόσῃ13 of 20

shall swear

G3660

to swear, i.e., take (or declare on) oath

ἐν14 of 20

by

G1722

"in," at, (up-)on, by, etc

τῷ15 of 20
G3588

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

δώρῳ16 of 20

the gift

G1435

a present; specially, a sacrifice

τῷ17 of 20
G3588

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

ἐπάνω18 of 20

that is upon

G1883

up above, i.e., over or on (of place, amount, rank, etc.)

αὐτοῦ19 of 20

it

G846

the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons

ὀφείλει20 of 20

he is guilty

G3784

to owe (pecuniarily); figuratively, to be under obligation (ought, must, should); morally, to fail in duty


Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Matthew. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Matthew 23:18 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

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