Matthew 5:36

Wednesday, 11 December 2024

Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. Matthew 5:36

“Nor in your head shall you swear, for not you are able one hair - white or black - to make” (CG).

In the previous verses, Jesus told His disciples not to swear at all. He then said not to do so in heaven, nor in the earth, nor unto Jerusalem. Now, He finishes this immediate thought, saying, “Nor in your head shall you swear.”

Some scholars have noted that swearing by one’s head was a practice held by those in the past, both in Jewish society and among the Gentiles. But other than being able to think about God and pondering His ways, such a vow has no relationship to Him at all.

The head is a part of the body, and the body of man was fashioned by God. To swear by one’s own head is its own special form of idolatry. First, it raises the head in general to a level of importance comparable to one’s view of God.

Second, it elevates one’s own head to a level that calls out for acknowledgment that it is so. In other words, it is comparable to saying, “I swear by my head. As this is the epitome of importance, you can trust that my vow has all the binding authority of God Himself.”

When thought through, it is an arrogant display of self-exaltation. But humans often say things without thinking the substance of their words through. Quite often this is unintentional, but our words are what define us. As a reason for not swearing by one’s head, Jesus next says, “for not you are able one hair - white or black - to make.”

The Greek word is poieó, to do or to make. The Berean Strong’s Lexicon says it is a word “encompassing a wide range of actions from creating and producing to performing and executing. It is often used to describe God's creative acts, human actions, and the fulfillment of commands or duties.”

Most interpreters consider these words to mean that we are unable to change the color of even a single hair. That seems unlikely, though, because we actually can change the color of our hair. Bengel attempts to get around this, saying –

“The dye of human art is not real whiteness or blackness. Not merely is a single hair, but even the colour of a single hair, beyond the power of man.”

In other words, his thoughts are that when we dye our white hair black, it is still actually white. This is a possible explanation, but other than the person who does the dyeing, no one else may even know this, and so it somewhat defeats the intent of the thought that is being conveyed. What is probably the meaning is how the Lamsa Bible paraphrases these words –

“Neither shall you swear by your own head, because you cannot create in it a single black or white hair.”

This seems more likely. It aligns with Bengel’s intent, but it avoids the thought of dyeing the hair completely. Humans cannot create anything, even a single hair that is the color of our choosing. If we do not have the ability to create a single hair, either black or white, then we have no right to affirm an oath by swearing upon our heads.

Life application: As noted above, we often quote things without thinking through what we are actually saying. Rather, we simply repeat something that sounded bold, extravagant, or funny without considering how ridiculous the words actually are.

People will often say things like, “Oh my, this kitchen is to die for,” meaning that it is a really beautiful or well-laid-out kitchen. But if someone was willing to die to have a similar kitchen, then he or she would be dead. A dead person having a kitchen is quite pointless.

Likewise, people often say, “He has more money than God.” It sounds funny at first, but it is demeaning of God while being a completely ridiculous claim. God possesses all things, including the money that we make. To say such a thing elevates money above God.

We should consider the clichés we pick up and repeat. Even if they are intended to make a particular point about the subject that is bold or funny, the substance behind them may be foolish, ridiculous, or even blasphemous. As such, we should be careful what things we convey with our lips.

Lord God, give us wisdom in how we communicate our thoughts, knowing that even our words are being evaluated by You. We often speak before we think. From there, our words become ingrained in our conversations and we repeat things that we should not. Help us in this. May what we say always be glorifying of You. Amen.