Euthymius Zigabenus, On Oaths

Euthymius Zigabenus, On Oaths

Byzantine author from the early 12th Century.

Commentary on Psalm 14:4

Euthymius paraphrases Basil of Caesarea's (4th Cent.) commentary on the same verse (Basil, 1Hom. Ps. 14, 5)

Source: Zigabenus Psalter Commentary Parallel Text. p. 80. Trans.: John Raffan. 2017. Available online at: https://www.academia.edu/25967928/Zigabenus_Psalter_Commentary_Parallel_Text

He swears an oath to his neighbour and does not renege.

The people of old take ‘to swear an oath’ in the sense of ‘to make a strong affirmation’, for an oath is nothing other thaν an affirmation through speech invoking God as witness. To be sure, in the ancient law a true oath sworn by God was permissible so that they might not be taken prey by swearing by the idols, but the law of the Gospels, legislating more perfectly for the more perfect, barred the oath completely. There are some formulae that have the form of oaths while not being oaths but are rather a gesture of deference towards the listeners: we find, By the health of Pharaoh! and writing to the Corinthians the Apostle says, By my boasting of you! The divinely voiced Paul left a model of oaths for Christians, saying: God is my witness, whom I worship, and again, I call on God as witness, and suchlike.

Commentary on Matthew 5:33-37

Translation: from William Penn, A treatise of oaths containing several weighty reasons why the people call'd Qvakers refuse to swear : and those confirmed by numerous testimonies out of Gentiles, Jews and Christians, both fathers, doctors and martyrs : presented to the King and great council of England, assembled in Parliament. [London 1695]. Revised and edited for AwaywiththeAtheists by Baelor Breakwind, 2021. Text from Migne PG 129 given below. Penn’s unedited text found here: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A70779.0001.001/1:4.3.3.47?rgn=div4;view=fulltext

 

Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, Do not forswear, &c. but I say unto you, Swear not at all, &c.

Now the old Law says, “Thou shalt not forswear, but shalt offer to the Lord thine oaths;” which he added that he might put fear into the swearer, that he should not forswear, knowing that God, which knows all things, undertakes the oath.

But I say unto you, Do not swear at all

For he that easily swears, sometimes perchance may forswear, by the custom of swearing; but he that swears by no means, will never forswear. Besides, you that swear, so be you do not forswear, you observe the worship of god; but swearing by no means, you promote it: And the other is the part of mean and imperfect philosophy; but this of that which is the highest and perfect. 

The one, Do not forswear, is written in the book of Exodus; but this, Perform to the Lord your oaths, in the book of Deuteronomy, but in other words: Now he commanded this, lest they should swear by Gods of a false name.

Again, not to swear, and not to demand an oath, comes to the same thing: For, how can you induce your brother unto that, which you avoid yourself; if so, be that you are a lover of your brother, and not rather of money?

Nor by Heaven; for it is the Throne of God, &c.

Lest they should think, that he forbade to swear by God only, in saying, By God, he adds also other kind of oaths, by which then the Jews did swear; for he that swears by these things, swears again by God, who fills these things, and rules them; for they have these things in Honour for him, and not for themselves; for he said by the Prophet, Heaven is my Throne, and the Earth is my Foot-stool; the Prophet manifesting by this, that God fills all things: Do not I fill Heaven and Earth? David also said, The City of the Great King.

Neither by your Head.

Therefore you should not swear even the cheapest or most common of oaths; I say, even by your own head, lest you proceed to greater, or by any other manner; for the creature is also the possession of God; And again, the oath is made by God, who has it (the creature) in his power; for, although it (the head) be made yours, yet it is not your work, which is manifest from this, That you can not make one hair white or black.

But let your Words be Yea, Yea; Nay, Nay, &c.

Let your speech be when you affirm, Yea; and when you deny, Nay; and use only these for, or instead of, oaths to confirmation, and no other then Yea and Nay; what is adjoined besides these, he calls an oath.

But if an oath be of the Devil, how did the old Law permit?

Because the sacrifices of living creatures were also of evil, and by the deceit of idols; yet the Law permitted them, because of the infirmity of the Hebrews: For, whereas they were gluttons and they loved the sacrifices of idols; and whereas also they were unbelieving, they also loved an oath: And that they should not afterwards either sacrifice to idols, or swear by idols, the Law permitted them to sacrifice and to swear; and if there were any thing else of that kind, they transferred all unto God. Now it was to come to pass, that in process of time, he would cut off these things also, by a more sublime Law to be brought in; because it is good for infants to be suckled; but for men it is very unfit: There we allow this to them that live after the manner of infants; but we withdraw or prohibit them that are manly from it.

What then is to be done, if any require an oath, yea, compel to swear?

Let the Fear of God be more forcible than this compulsion or necessity; and choose rather to suffer all things, than to transgress the command, since in every precept force and violent danger will often meet with you: And unless you esteem the command of God every where more forcible, all things will depart from you void and unperformed. In the following passages the Lord said, The Kingdom of Heaven suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.

---

Source: PG 129: 217-220