The Meaning of Matthew 23:21 Explained

Matthew 23:21

KJV: And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

YLT: and he who did swear by the sanctuary, doth swear by it, and by Him who is dwelling in it;

Darby: And he that swears by the temple swears by it and by him that dwells in it.

ASV: And he that sweareth by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  whoso shall swear  by  the temple,  sweareth  by  it,  and  by  him that dwelleth  therein. 

What does Matthew 23:21 Mean?

Context Summary

Matthew 23:13-26 - Woes For The False-Hearted
These repeated woes may be translated, Alas for you! Our Lord with unfailing accuracy indicates the inevitable doom which such conduct as that of the Pharisees and scribes must incur. He forewarned them that they could expect nothing in the dread future but the judgment of Gehenna-the metaphor being taken from the valley of Hinnom, south of Jerusalem, where fires were kept burning to consume rubbish and refuse.
Hypocrisy is hiding under a cloak of religion the sins which the ordinary moralist and worldling would condemn. It is very injurious, because it hinders men from entering the Kingdom, Matthew 23:13. It is punctilious in its exactions, because while it strains out gnats, it swallows camels, Matthew 23:23-24. It expends itself on outward ritual-the Pharisees would not enter Pilate's hall on the day before the Passover, but they murdered the holy Savior. Above all things, let us be true, professing to be no more than we are! [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 23

1  Jesus admonishes the people to follow good doctrine, not bad examples
5  His disciples must beware of their ambition
13  He denounces eight woes against their hypocrisy and blindness,
34  and prophesies of the destruction of Jerusalem

What do the individual words in Matthew 23:21 mean?

And the [one] having sworn by the temple swears it the [One] dwelling in it
καὶ ὀμόσας ἐν τῷ ναῷ ὀμνύει αὐτῷ τῷ κατοικοῦντι αὐτόν

  the  [one] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ὀμόσας  having  sworn 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ὄμνυμι 
Sense: to swear.
ναῷ  temple 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: ναός  
Sense: used of the temple at Jerusalem, but only of the sacred edifice (or sanctuary) itself, consisting of the Holy place and the Holy of Holies (in classical Greek it is used of the sanctuary or cell of the temple, where the image of gold was placed which is distinguished from the whole enclosure).
ὀμνύει  swears 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ὄμνυμι 
Sense: to swear.
τῷ  the  [One] 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
κατοικοῦντι  dwelling 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: κατοικέω 
Sense: to dwell, settle.
αὐτόν  in  it 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.