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Mat_5:33. Πάλιν ] as in Mat_4:7.
οὐκ ἐπιορκήσεις ] Doctrinal precept, according to Exo_20:7; Lev_19:12. It is not to the eighth commandment that Jesus refers (Keim, following an artificially formed scheme), but the second commandment forms the fundamental prohibition of perjury.
The Pharisaic tradition made arbitrary distinctions between oaths that were binding (by Jehovah) and those that were not binding (comp. also Philo, de Spec. Legg. p. 770 A). See Lightfoot, p. 280; Eisenmenger, II. p. 490; Wetstein on Mat_5:36; Michaelis, Mos. Recht, V. p. 141 ff., upon their loose principles regarding this matter. The second half of the precept quoted (formulated after Num_30:3; Deu_33:22) was so weakened by them, that special emphasis was laid upon the words τῷ κυρίῳ , and other oaths were deprived of their obligatory powers.