Matthew 5:35 (DRB)

Passage

Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool: nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king:

Nearby Context

Matthew 5:33 Again you have heard that it was said to them of old, thou shalt not forswear thyself: but thou shalt perform thy oaths to the Lord.

Matthew 5:34 But I say to you not to swear at all, neither by heaven for it is the throne of God:

Matthew 5:35 Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool: nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king:

Matthew 5:36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

Matthew 5:37 But let your speech be yea, yea: no, no: and that which is over and above these, is of evil.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "earth", "footstool", "jerusalem", "city", "great", and "king". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "earth" and "footstool", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 34's "But I say to you not to..." into verse 36's "Neither shalt thou swear by thy head...", so "earth" and "footstool" belong inside that flow. In Matthew context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "earth" and "footstool" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.