Eznik of Kołb, Treatise on God, 406

Eznik of Kołb, Treatise on God, 406

Armenian work also known as "Against the Sects." Written c. 435 - 449 CE.  Section 358-431 against Marcionites.

Source: Blanchard, M. J., & Young, R. D. (1998). A Treatise on God Written in Armenian by Eznik of Kołb (floruit C. 430-c. 450), p. 202-203. Peeters Publishers.

"I did not come to abolish the laws or the prophets, but to fulfil them" (Matt 5:17)

So how is he in opposition to the Law, he who came to fulfil the law and the prophets? And he said to the leper whom he cleansed: "Go, make a sacrifice for the sake of your being purified as Moses commanded in that law." (Matt 8:4) And to the lawyer who questioned him: "What is to be done in order that I might inherit eternal life?" He said "Know the commandments of the Law." 

And a second time he was asked, "What commandments?" He said, "Do not commit adultery!" "Do not steal!" "Do not kill!" (Luke 10:25-27; 18-20) By which it is clear that he was not teaching in opposition to the laws but rather in agreement with them. Again, as for the not being angry, the not killing, it is not that there is any opposition, but rather assuredly they are in agreement. Because unless someone becomes angry, he does not consider the act of killing. Likewise, as for the not lusting, the not committing adultery, it is not that there is any opposition, but rather it is all the more alike. Because if a person does not lust, also he has no audacity for the deed of adultery. And as for the not swearing falsely, the not swearing [at all], it is not that there is any opposition, but rather they are very much in agreement. Because unless someone becomes accustomed to swearing at all times, he also does not swear falsely on occasion. There, because they swear on the names of idols, it says: "Render your swearing on the Lord." (cf. Ex 20: 7; Deut 23:22; cf. Matt 25:33) It says: "On me shall you swear, I who am alive, and not on the idols who are not alive." Indeed here because Christ will make his disciples perfect it says: "Above all, do not swear, but rather let your yes be yes and your no no. And whatever is more than this is from the Evil One." (Matt 35:47) And if whatever exceeds the yes and no is from evil, how much more that which is falsely sworn on a hideous name. 

Nonnus of Nisibis, Commentary on John, 7:19 [Monophysite/Miaphysite]

Nonnus of Nisibis, Commentary on John, 7:19 [Monophysite/Miaphysite]

Written in the mid-ninth century in Arabic. Only extant in Armenian manuscripts.

Source: Nonnus of Nisibis, Commentary on the Gospel of Saint John, p. 162. Trans: Robert W. Thomson. Society of Biblical Lit, 2014.

None of you keeps the law. Whay do you seek to kill me? (John 7:19)

What does this mean? He says, I did not come to destroy the Mosaic [law] but to complete it (Matt 5:17), for it prevented the committing of sin, whereas I separate you from Its very cause. For there he said not to commit adultery (Exod 20:14), whereas I prohibit looking with lust (Matt 5:28). He merely prevented swearing falsely (Exod 20:16), whereas I prohibit swearing at all (Matt 5:34). He suppressed stealing (Exod 20:15), but I command the dissemination to the needy of lawfully acquired possessions (Luke 18:22). There an eye for an eye and a death for a death (Exod 21:12.24), but I command to pray for enemies (Matt 5:44). So I do not destroy the laws of Moses but complete them. But you never keep the law, for although in many ways and examples (Heb 1:1) you have learned from the laws of Moses the testimonies that concern me, yet you have no zeal for that, but you seek to kill me. 

Catholicos Mar Isho'yahb I [Church of the East (Nestorian)], Letter to Bishop Jacob of Darai, Canon 10 [Syriac w/ French trans.]

Catholicos Mar Isho'yahb I [Church of the East (Nestorian)], Letter to Bishop Jacob of Darai, Canon 10 [Syriac w/ French trans.]

 
Written c. 585 CE. Awaiting English translation 2022, here: Text and Translation (degruyter.com)

Canon 10: Whether or not it is permissible for the faithful and the priests to swear.

Source: Chabot, Jean Baptiste, ed. Synodicon orientale ou recueil de synodes nestoriens (Vol. 1), p. 178-179. Paris: Imprimerie Nationale, 1902.

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Source: Chabot, Jean Baptiste, trans. Synodicon orientale ou recueil de synodes nestoriens (Vol. 2), p. 437-438. Paris: Imprimerie Nationale, 1902.

Canon X. — S’il est permis ou non aux fideles et aux prêtres de jurer.

Les anciens avaient coutume de résoudre par des serments leurs dissentiments portant sur des choses cachées aux yeux et à la science humaine. Le Christ, notre vivificateur, a exalté Ioeuvre évangélique de la perfection chrétienne au-dessus de l’oeuvre légale et puérile du judaïsme; il a fait voir que l'oeuvre céleste était désormais manifestée et proclamée; il ordonna dans sa législation que les disciples de sou évangile ne jurassent jamais, mais qu'ils confirmassent leurs paroles et résolussent leurs discussions par “oui” et “non”, comme des hommes parfaits qui méprisent le superflu, sans utilité pour ceux qui le possédent et n'en retirent pas l’usage des choses nécessaires, mais bien le péché qui torture. C'est ce qu’il enseigne aussi, dans sa prière, à la foule de ceux qui avaient adhéré ou adhéreraient à sa doctrine: “Donne-nous le pain dont nous avons besoin journellement.” Par là, il méprise le superflu qui fait pécher et n'a pas d'utilité, il permet l’usage des choses nécessaires sans lesquelles il n'y a point de repos (?) et qui n'est ni blàmable ni inconvenant puisqu'il peut être demandé à Dieu dans la prière.

De plus, quelques imprudents parmi les enfants de l'Église se sont servis et se servent des serments, non avec la permission des directeurs de l'Église, mais selon le bon plaisir de leur volonté, pour l'avantage de leur bourse. La permission de jurer ne leur avait point été donnée, et ils n'en reçurent aucunement l'autorisation des chefs de l'Église. Ce n'est pas qu'ils méprisassent la loi du Seigneur: à Dieu ne plaise! mais peut-être parce qu'ils y furent contraints au commencement par les païens et les infidéles, et cela fut (ensuite) considéré parmi eux comme un moyen de se délivrer de la fraude et de se libérer du mensonge, du péché et des vexations, parce qu'ils n'étaient point capables de se conduire selon la perfection et les lois du Seigneur. Les hommes vertueux et prudents ne jurent jamais. Le fidèle qui jure par habitude doit être interdit et séparé de l'assemblée des fidèles ses compagnons pendant un certain temps, alors même qu'il aurait juré la vérité; parce qu'il a préféré son intérêt pécuniaire à la bonne renommée qui convient aux fidéles. Les prêtres ne doivent jamais jurer. Si quelqu'un d'entre eux jure, à moins que ce ne soit par habitude involontaire, il n'exercera pas son ministère pendant un certain temps, alors même qu'il aurait juré la vérité, jusqu'à ce qu'il ait fait oublier son péché et l'ait couvert par sa pénitence; bien plus, alors même qu'il aurait eu la permission de son évêque, à cause de la contrainte des païens, il ne doit pas exercer son ministére pendant un certain temps. S'il a juré une chose mensongère, il ne l'exercera plus jamais; attendu que volontairement et sciemment il s'est condamné lui- même et a scandalisé beaucoup de gens.

Toutes ces choses sont laissées à la sage, juste et irrépréhensible discrétion de l’évêque qui est le chef de l'administration des choses ecclésiastiques de tout le pays qui lui est confié.

Dionysius bar Salibi, Commentary on The Gospels, Mt 5:33-37

Dionysius bar Salibi, Commentary on The Gospels, Mt 5:33-37

Written 12th Century.

Source: Dionysius bar Salibi (1906). Commentarii in Evangelia, eds. J. Sedlacek and JB Chabot (CSCO 2.98.1.1) p.222-223. Paris.

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Source: Dionysius bar Salibi (1906). Commentarii in Evangelia, Trans. J. Sedlacek and JB Chabot (CSCO 2.98.1.2) p.166-167. Rome.

V. 33) Persolves Domino iuramenta tua; h. e. fidelis sis dum iuras et persolve iuramenta tua, non dicens falsum.

V. 34) Non per caelum, quia tronus Dei est. Solebant Iudaei iurare per haec. Deus autem infinitus est et incorporeus, et non indiget trono et scabello; sed quia putabant Iudaei Deum esse corporalem, dixit: Si per haec non licitum est ut iurarent, neque per Ierusalem, neque per caput tuum, multo minus per Deum. — Quare nihil scriptum est de furto? h. e. quia negotium furti in hoc mendacii includitur, quia e furto nascitur mendacium. Quod autem non permisit eis iurare per caelum et cetera, h. e. ut cohiberet eos a iuramentis. Rursus, quia adhuc cultas idolorum multum vigebat, ne putarent Iudaei, sicut pagani, caelum et terram in se possidere maiestatem et pulcritudinem, indicat causam maiestatis eorum et pulcritudinis esse proximitatem ad Deum. 

V. 36) Neque per caput tuum iurabis; h. e. prohibet quin iuremus, ut abhorreamus a iuramentis, et ut indicet nos non posse mutare in crinibus capitis nostri pilum unum in nigrum vel in album. — Et si vi ducunt me ad iuramenta, quid faciam? Sit tibi praeceptum Dei pretiosius et validius omnibus necessitatibus, et cum viderit mentem tuam firmam omnino non iurandi, liberabit te; si autem praetextum ceperis, ne unum quidem praeceptum tenebis. — Et quomodo scriptum est : Iuravit Dominus et non mentietur, et-: Iuravi et statui…? Et dicimus: Illud iuravit Dominus pro “confirmavit” esse, vult Scriptura nos docere. Et illud rursus quod dixit: Abhinc in tres dies subvertetur Ninive, quasi in terrefactionem statuit hoc, ut converterentur ad paenitentiam.

V. 37) Sed erit sermo vester: Ita, ita, h. e. est, prout est; et : non, non, h, e. non est id, prout non est. — Quod haec excedit, a malo est ; h. e. mendacium a maligno, scilicet Satana, est. Ergo omnis qui mentitur, socius est Satanae. — Sancti Iohannis : Quod haec excedit iuramenta vocat, quia a maligno sunt. — Et si iuramenta a Satana sunt, cur praecepit lex ut iurarent? h. e. quia lac parvulis proficuum est, viris autem nocivum est, ita etiam iuramenta temporibus primis, quia homines erant pueriles, bona erant; tempore autem Christi mala sunt et a maligno, quia venit natura nostra ad perfectionem, et postulatur a nobis iustitia magis quam a scribis et Pharisaeis. Et “a malo” vocat haec iuramenta, quia potest una res esse bona et mala, alia et alia ratione, alio et alio tempore, verbi gratia occisio. Occisio enim Habel mala est, sed illa (manibus patrata) Eliae, et Phinees, bona est. Et fermentum quandoque sumitur de bono, quandoque de malo. Ita sunt res multae quae vocantur indifferentes; ita etiam iuramenta tempore legis bona erant, nunc vero noxia.

Regula Orientalis, 30

Regula Orientalis, 30

Monastic rule, written in the late 5^th century, likely in Italy or France.

Source: Havener, O. S. B., Carmela Vircillo Franklin, O. S. B. Francis, and J. Alcuin. Early monastic rules: The rules of the fathers and the Regula orientalis, p. 79. Liturgical press, 1982.

Among all the brothers this will be observed: that obeying their seniors and deferring to one another, they have patience, moderation, humility, charity and peace—without falsehood and hypocrisy, cursing, multiplicity of words, or the taking of an oath. So that no one may himself lay claim to anything nor take possession of anything as his own, let them hold all things in common.

Sedulius Scotus, Collectaneum in Mattheum (5:34)

Sedulius Scotus, Collectaneum in Mattheum (5:34)

Written c. 850 CE, by Irish monk, Sedulius Scotus. The commentary on the passage (Matt. 5:33-37) is largely a compilation and reworking of Patristic material. Sedulius opens (v. 33) with Jerome followed by Augustine. He uses Augustine for the main body of the passage (v. 34-36), and ends (v. 37) with Hilary followed by Augustine. In the conclusion to v. 34a ("Do not swear at all") Sedulius offers a small independent contribution within a re-purposed Augustinian argument on the use of a necessary oath, wherein he argues that "omnino" should be understood as "assidue" (continually; frequently; incessantly). This likely an allusion to Sir. 23:7-11 (Vulg).

Source: Bengt Löfstedt, ed. 1989. Sedulius Scottus: Kommentar Zum Evangelium Nach Matthäus Vol. 1 (1,1 - 11,1), p. 171. Verlag Herder. [Translation mine].

Therefore the Lord does not prohibit swearing if necessity demands it, as with the Apostle; he forbids to swear "omnino," that is continually ('assidue'), so that we do not fall into perjury by custom of swearing.  Swearing then, should not be understood as a good, but as something necessary. Refrain from it as much as you can, using only when needed, when men are slow to trust without an oath.

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Non ergo nos Dominus vetat iurare, si necessitas poposcerit, ut Apostolus iurauit, sed "omnino," hoc est 'assidue,' iurare prohibet, ne per consuetudinem iurandi in periurium incidamus. Quapropter qui intelligit non in bonus, sed in necessariis iurationem habendam, refrenet se quantum potest, ut non ea utatur nisi in necessitate, cum uiderit pigros esse homines ed credendum, nisi iuratione firmentur.