Eusebius of Caesarea on Swearing

Eusebius of Caesarea on Swearing

_______________________

Demonstratio Evangelica

Written c. 311 CE.

D.E. 3. 2 

Source: Eusebius of Caesarea. 2001. The Proof of the Gospel; Two Volumes in One, p. 108. Translated by W.J. Ferrar. Eugene, OR, USA: Wipf and Stock Publishers.

Moses again legislates saying: "Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not forswear thyself."

But our Saviour, extending the law, not only forbids to kill, but also to be angry: instead of "Thou shalt not commit adultery," He forbids to look on a woman with unbridled lust. Instead of "Thou shalt not steal," He enjoins that we should give what is our own to the needy. And transcending the law against false swearing, He lays down the rule of not swearing at all.

D.E. 3.3

Source: Eusebius of Caesarea. 2001. The Proof of the Gospel; Two Volumes in One, p. 118. Translated by W.J. Ferrar. Eugene, OR, USA: Wipf and Stock Publishers.

He dissuaded from everything false, and exhorted men to honour truth before all, so that so far from swearing false oaths, they should abstain even from true ones. "For let your Yea be yea, and your Nay, nay." How could He be justly called a deceiver? And why need I say more, since it may be known from what I have already said what kind of ideal of conduct He has shed forth (b) on life, from which all lovers of truth would agree that He was no deceiver, but in truth something divine, and the author of a holy and divine philosophy, and not one of the common vulgar type?

D.E. 3.5

Source: Eusebius of Caesarea. 2001. The Proof of the Gospel; Two Volumes in One, p.127. Translated by W.J. Ferrar. Eugene, OR, USA: Wipf and Stock Publishers.

But why should I collect everything that He taught and that they learned? He commanded them besides all this to hold so fast to truth, that so far from swearing falsely they should not need to swear at all, and to contrive to exhibit a life more faithful than any oath, going so far only as Yea and Nay, and using the words with truth.

Praeparatio Evangelica

Written c. 315

P.E. 1.4

Source: Eusebius of Caesarea. 2005. The Preparation for the Gospel, p.29. Translated by E.H. Gifford. Reprint (Original 1903). Silverthorne Systems Co.

What also of the fact that men, far from perjuring themselves, have no need even of a truthful oath because of learning from Him to 'swear not at all,' but in all things to be guileless and true, so as to be satisfied with 'yea' and 'nay,' making their purpose to be stronger than any oath?

P.E. 13.13

Source: Eusebius of Caesarea. 2005. The Preparation for the Gospel, p. 454. Translated by E.H. Gifford. Reprint (Original 1903). Silverthorne Systems Co.

 [Quoting Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 5,14]

'Again, with the Lord's saying, "Let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay," we must compare this: "But it is by no means right for me to admit a falsehood, and to suppress a truth." Also with the prohibition of swearing agrees this saying in the tenth [11^th, Plato] Book of the Laws: "Let there be no praising nor swearing about anything."

Historia Ecclesiastica 6.5.5

Finished c. 323 CE.

Source: Eusebius Pamphili of Caesarea. 2005. Ecclesiastical History, Books 6–10 (The Fathers of the Church, Volume 29), p.14. Translated by Roy J. Deferrari. Reprint (1955). CUA Press.

After no long time had passed, Basilides for some reason was asked by the soldiers to swear, and he strongly maintained that it was not at all possible for him to swear, for he was a Christian and he openly confessed this. At first for a time he was thought to be joking, but, when he steadfastly held to it, he was led away to the judge. When he confessed in his presence to his opposition [to the oath, he was committed to prison.