Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 23:21
Whoso shall swear by the temple - Perhaps it is to this custom of swearing by the temple, that Martial alludes, lib. xi. epist. 95. Ecce negas, jurasque mihi per templa Tonantis; Non credo; jura, Verpe, per Anchialum . "Behold, thou deniest, and swearest to me by the temples of Jupiter; I will not credit thee: swear, O Jew, by the temple of Jehovah." This word probably comes from יה היכל heical Yah , the temple of Jehovah. This seems a better derivation than אלהים חי אם im... read more
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 23:20
Whoso - shall swear by the altar - As an oath always supposes a person who witnesses it, and will punish perjury; therefore, whether they swore by the temple or the gold, ( Matthew 23:16 ;), or by the altar or the gift laid on it, ( Matthew 23:18 ;), the oath necessarily supposes the God of the temple, of the altar, and of the gifts, who witnessed the whole, and would, even in their exempt cases, punish the perjury. read more