Didymus the Blind on Swearing

Didymus the Blind, Commentary on Zechariah, 8 :16-18

Source: Didymus the Blind. 2006. Fathers of the Church, Volume 111  : Didymus the Blind : Commentary on Zechariah, p. 189. Baltimore, MD, USA: Catholic University of America Press. 

Written c. 392 CE.

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After showing which directions must be put into practice, the Holy Spirit enunciates each in particular and in its category: the verse Speak the truth, each of you to your neighbor was written down for the purpose of its being put into practice. To clarify it, Paul in Christ recommends the observance of the commandment to the faithful, saying quite plainly, “Abandon falsehood and speak the truth, each of you to your neighbor.” And before the apostle, the savior gave instructions for telling the truth without oath-taking: “I tell you not to swear at all: let your word be Yes, Yes, or No, No.” 82 This is observed especially when all people speak the truth to their neighbors; in this way every false word and oath will disappear, the consequence being mutual regard of the most precise and perfect kind.

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Didymus the Blind, Commentary on Psalm 24:3-4 [Ps. 23:3-4 LXX] (Tura papyri Lectures)

Likely delivered orally as lectures in the late fourth century and transcribed by students.

Source: Geljon, A.K., 2011. Didymus the Blind: Commentary on Psalm 24 (23 LXX): Introduction, Translation and Commentary. Vigiliae Christianae, 65(1), pp.58-59.

Who shall ascend the mountain of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place? Guiltless in his hands and pure in his heart is he who does not lead his soul to vanity and does not swear deceitfully against his neighbour.

In the Decalogue it is said: ‘You shall not use the name of the Lord God in vain. The Lord will not purify him who uses his name in vain.’ (Deut 5:11). This should apply not only to insiders and those who have reached perfection, but also to novices and beginners. Actually, the new man who is prepared to accept the laws of God, ‘does not pledge himself at all’ (Matt 5:34). Therefore, he does not use the name of the Lord in vain. He does not misuse it for anything vain, but is satisfied with the expression ‘yes, yes’ and ‘no, no’ (cf. Matt 5:37). It is possible to say the following to the novices: one must not pledge oneself falsely. He who uses the name of the Lord falsely, insofar as it refers to His name, has used it in vain. If he is able to argue the case and provide proof to the litigant without taking an oath, he will pledge himself easily. Such proof given under oath is regarded as invalid. The pagan laws declare that if it is not possible for someone to provide proof—either by means of documents or witnesses—even then he should not push himself to take an oath. But it is the judges who, wishing to hear all evidence and not having heard it, finally resort to accepting this kind of proof.

Didymus the Blind, Fragment on 2 Corinthians 1:23

Source: PG 39:1688

Εἰδὼς τὸ εἰρημένον πρὸς τοῦ σωτῆρος ἐν εὐαγγελίῳ περὶ τοῦ μὴ δεῖν ὀμνύναι, ἀλλ' ἔχειν λόγον ἀκατάγνωστον περὶ τοῦ "ναὶ" ὡς ὄντος ναί, καὶ τοῦ "οὒ" ὡς οὕτως ἔχοντος, διαβεβαιούμενος ἐνταῦθα ὀμνύναι δοκεῖ. καὶ μάλα γε δικαίως· ἐπεὶ γὰρ διάθεσιν ἑαυτοῦ ἣν εἶχεν πρὸς Κορινθίους ἀπαγγέλλει, αὕτη δὲ ἐν διανοίᾳ καὶ καρδίᾳ τὸ εἶναι ἔχει, εἰκὸς δὲ ἦν τοὺς ἀγαπωμένους ἀμφιβάλλειν περὶ τῆς οὕτω πρὸς αὐτοὺς γνησίας ἀγάπης, μάρτυρα τῶν λεγομένων καλεῖ τὸν θεὸν ἐπὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχήν, ἐπιστάμενον καὶ τὰ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ ταύτης κείμενα. φησὶ γάρ· ἐπιδημῶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ποθῶν ὑμᾶς, καὶ ὅτε δὲ τοῦτο οὐ πράττω, πάλιν φειδοῖ τῇ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐπέχω· ἴστε γὰρ ὅτι πρότερον ἐλθὼν εἰς τὴν πόλιν ὑμῶν ὅλον ἐνιαυτὸν καὶ μῆνας ἓξ ἐπιδιέτριψα, χαίρων ἐν τῷ καθ ' ἡμέραν ὑμᾶς κατὰ Χριστὸν ὠφελουμένους προκόπτειν. ἀμέλει γοῦν πρὸς τῇ κοινῇ διδασκαλίᾳ καὶ μυστικὰς παραδόσεις παρέθηκα ὑμῖν· τοῦτο γὰρ ἐν τῇ πρὸ ταύτης ἐπιστολῇ ἐδήλωσα, διεγείρων κατασχεῖν ὑμᾶς ἃ παρειλήφατε. ἐπειδὴ δὲ νῦν ἀκριβῶς πέπεισμαι ὡς ψευδοδιδάσκαλοί τινες ἀπατῶσιν, ἀθετοῦντες τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνάστασιν καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ διαμονὴν τῆς ψυχῆς, ἔτι μὴν καὶ τὴν περὶ ἀδιαφόρων γνῶσιν διαστρέφοντες, τούτου χάριν ἐπέσχον νῦν πρὸ θεραπείας τινὸς διὰ γραμμάτων ὑπαρχθῆναι δυναμένης ἐπιδημῆσαι ὑμῖν. ταῦτα δὲ ἐπιστέλλω οὐ κύριον τῆς πίστεως ὑμῶν ἐμαυτὸν ἀναγορεύων – συνεργοῦμεν γὰρ εἰς τὸ πιστεύειν ὑμᾶς διὰ διδασκαλίας – καὶ ἐπεὶ ἐκ κατηχήσεως ἡμῶν τῇ πίστει προσεληλύθατε, ὥσπερ ἐδιδάξαμεν, οὕτω καὶ ὑπομιμνήσκομεν, ὅπως ἐμμένητε ᾗ κατωρθώσατε πίστει· κἂν γάρ τινες ἐκλονήθησαν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀπατεώνων, ἀλλ ' οὖν θαρρῶ ὡς ἑστήκατε ἐν ᾗ παρελάβετε πίστει, ὄντες ἐν αὐτῇ βέβαιοι.