Sermon on Mount, law and fulfillment, visible and hidden, vows and debts, continues a neither...nor" begun in Matthew 5:35.
Matthew 5:36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
Matthew 5:36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.
Matthew 5:36 Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black.
Nor might you take an oath on that head of yours because you do not have the power to make a single hair light or dark.
Not might you take an oath on your completing [it], because you do not have the power to cause the smalled thing to be plain or obscure.
We should not make guarantees that create debts based on our own abilities because we do not even control our own health.
Jesus changes from addressing the audience to addressing an individual. Unlike the symmetry of the "throne...footstool" comparison in the previous verse's "either...or," this "either...or" statement contrasts "city" with "head," which is the contrast between social and personal debts. The change of number from plural to singular makes sense.
Jesus uses "one hair" because it is a metaphor for the smallest possible thing. In English, we talk about a "hair's breadth." In Greek, it meant "next to nothing." For example, being a hair from death means being virtually dead. Since one aspect of vows is creating debt, the inference is the smallest possible debt.
The contrast between "white" and "black" is not what it appears in translation. The word "white" means "light" so the most likely sense is gray hair. The contrast regarding swearing is between "clear/plain" and "murky" rather than "white and black." These two words are not directly contrasted, however. This "white" appears before the verb, "make/turn," and the "or black" after it. This clearly seems to be a punchline.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "shalt" does not mean the future tense but a probability.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "head" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "can" is not a helper verb by the primary verb meaning "have power.
- WV - Wrong Voice - The verb is in the middle voice requiring the concept of "yourself" as its object.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "make" is not an active verb but an infinitive, "to make."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "and" doesn't exist in the source.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "do" should be "should."
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "not" should be "nor."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "head" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "can" is not a helper verb by the primary verb meaning "have power.
- WV - Wrong Voice - The verb is in the middle voice requiring the concept of "yourself" as its object.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "make" is not an active verb but an infinitive, "to make."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "and" doesn't exist in the source.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "do" should be "should."
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "not" should be "nor."
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "say" should be "swear."
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "my" should be "your."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "head" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "can" is not a helper verb by the primary verb meaning "have power.
- WV - Wrong Voice - The verb is in the middle voice requiring the concept of "yourself" as its object.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "turn" should be "make."
- WF - Wrong Form - The "turn" is not an active verb but an infinitive, "to make."
Neither -- This Greek word translated as "nor" means "neither," "nor,"and not." It is used mostly double as a "neither...nor."
shalt -- (CW) This helping verb "shalt" does not indicate the future tense, but that the verb describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice. A "might" or "should" in English is more appropriate, but is assumed in an "if" or "when" clause. Helping verbs are not needed in Greek since the main verb carries this information in its form.
thou -- This is from the second-person, singular form of the verb.
swear -- The word translated here as "swear" means "to swear on a thing" and "to promise one will". The command is singular, that is, a singular you. This follows the form of the commands given earlier in the verse. This is the same verb as "swear/swear an oath/make vows" in Matthew 5:34 but it is not in the middle voice indicating the subject acting on himself.
by -- The Greek word translated as "by" also means "in" and "on."
thy -- The word translated as "thy" is the possessive form of the second person pronoun. This pronoun follows the noun so "of yours."
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, "the." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
head, -- The term translated as "head", it means "head" and "top" but also the completion of a thing (as we say, "bringing it to a head"). It is also a metaphor for life ("losing your head" in Greek doesn't mean losing emotional control but losing your life).
because -- The word translated as "because" introduces a statement of fact or cause, "for what", "because", "since," and "wherefore."
thou -- This is from the second-person, singular form of the verb.
canst -- (CW) The word translated as "canst" means having the power or possibly a desire to accomplish something. Often, in English, "can" is a helper verb, indicating a possibility. In Greek, it indicates ability or power. The form is either passive or the middle form where the subject acts on themselves.
missing "by/for yourself"-- (WV) A phrase is necessary because the form of the word is a middle voice, which means that the subject is to act "for yourself" or "by yourself."
not -- The negative used here is the Greek negative of a subjective opinion, commands, and requests. The sense is that "you don't want" to do something, not that it isn't done or don't think something that might be true. If it wasn't done or wasn't true, the objective negative of fact would be used. With the verb "to be," the sense is "doesn't seem." When a negative precedes the verb, it affects the whole clause. When it precedes other words, its force is limited to those words.
make -- (WF) The Greek word translated as "make" has the primary meaning of "making" or producing" something or "causing" or "performing" as service. It describes a productive action. It is not as broad a word as the English "do", which covers all actions, productive or not. The form is an infinitive.
one -- The Greek word translated as "one " means "one" (as opposed to other numbers), "single," and "one and the same."As in English, it can be used as a pronoun, meaning a single person.
hair -- "Hair" is the Greek word for both the hair of humans and animals.
white -- "White" is is a word that means "light", "bright", "clear", "brilliant," and the colors "white" and "pale gold." It is a metaphor for "clear", "distinct," and "plain."
or -- -- "Or" is translated from a Greek word that means primarily "or." The "or" here appears after the verb before the word translated as "black". this is not the normal "and-or" structure for Greek or English. The only explanation is that this sets up a punchline.
black. The Greek terms translated as "black" means "dark." It is a metaphor for murky and obscure.
And -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "and" in the Greek source.
do -- (WW) This helping verb "do" is used for a command, but this verb is not a command, but a verb that describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice. A "might" or "should" in English is more appropriate.
not -- (WW) This Greek word translated as "not" means "neither," "nor,"and not." It is used mostly double as a "neither...nor."
swear -- The word translated here as "swear" means "to swear on a thing" and "to promise one will". The command is singular, that is, a singular you. This follows the form of the commands given earlier in the verse. This is the same verb as "swear/swear an oath/make vows" in Matthew 5:34 but it is not in the middle voice indicating the subject acting on himself
by -- The Greek word translated as "by" also means "in" and "on."
your -- The word translated as "your" is the possessive form of the second person pronoun. This pronoun follows the noun so "of yours."
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, "the." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
head, -- The term translated as "head", it means "head" and "top" but also the completion of a thing (as we say, "bringing it to a head"). It is also a metaphor for life ("losing your head" in Greek doesn't mean losing emotional control but losing your life).
for -- The word translated as "for" introduces a statement of fact or cause, "for what", "because", "since," and "wherefore."
you-- This is from the second-person, singular form of the verb.
can-- -- (CW) The word translated as "canst" means having the power or possibly a desire to accomplish something. Often, in English, "can" is a helper verb, indicating a possibility. In Greek, it indicates ability or power. The form is either passive or the middle form where the subject acts on themselves.
missing "by/for yourself"-- (WV) A phrase is necessary because the form of the word is a middle voice, which means that the subject is to act "for yourself" or "by yourself."
not -- The negative used here is the Greek negative of a subjective opinion, commands, and requests. The sense is that "you don't want" to do something, not that it isn't done or don't think something that might be true. If it wasn't done or wasn't true, the objective negative of fact would be used. With the verb "to be," the sense is "doesn't seem." When a negative precedes the verb, it affects the whole clause. When it precedes other words, its force is limited to those words.
make -- (WF) The Greek word translated as "make" has the primary meaning of "making" or producing" something or "causing" or "performing" as service. It describes a productive action. It is not as broad a word as the English "do", which covers all actions, productive or not. The form is an infinitive.
one -- The Greek word translated as "one " means "one" (as opposed to other numbers), "single," and "one and the same."As in English, it can be used as a pronoun, meaning a single person.
hair -- "Hair" is the Greek word for both the hair of humans and animals.
white -- "White" is is a word that means "light", "bright", "clear", "brilliant," and the colors "white" and "pale gold." It is a metaphor for "clear", "distinct," and "plain."
or -- -- "Or" is translated from a Greek word that means primarily "or." The "or" here appears after the verb before the word translated as "black". this is not the normal "and-or" structure for Greek or English. The only explanation is that this sets up a punchline.
black. The Greek terms translated as "black" means "dark." It is a metaphor for murky and obscure.
And -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "and" in the Greek source.
Do -- (WW) This helping verb "do" is used for a command, but this verb is not a command, but a verb that describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice. A "might" or "should" in English is more appropriate.
not -- (WW) This Greek word translated as "not" means "neither," "nor,"and not." It is used mostly double as a "neither...nor."
even -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "even" in the Greek source.
say -- (WW) The word translated here as "say" means "to swear on a thing" and "to promise one will". The command is singular, that is, a singular you. This follows the form of the commands given earlier in the verse. This is the same verb as "swear/swear an oath/make vows" in Matthew 5:34 but it is not in the middle voice indicating the subject acting on himself
By -- The Greek word translated as "by" also means "in" and "on."
my -- (WW) The word translated as "my" is the possessive form of the second person pronoun. This pronoun follows the noun so "of yours.",
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, "the." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
head, -- The term translated as "head", it means "head" and "top" but also the completion of a thing (as we say, "bringing it to a head"). It is also a metaphor for life ("losing your head" in Greek doesn't mean losing emotional control but losing your life).
for -- The word translated as "for" introduces a statement of fact or cause, "for what", "because", "since," and "wherefore."
you-- This is from the second-person, singular form of the verb.
can- -- (CW) The word translated as "canst" means having the power or possibly a desire to accomplish something. Often, in English, "can" is a helper verb, indicating a possibility. In Greek, it indicates ability or power. The form is either passive or the middle form where the subject acts on themselves.
missing "by/for yourself"-- (WV) A phrase is necessary because the form of the word is a middle voice, which means that the subject is to act "for yourself" or "by yourself."
n't -- The negative used here is the Greek negative of a subjective opinion, commands, and requests. The sense is that "you don't want" to do something, not that it isn't done or don't think something that might be true. If it wasn't done or wasn't true, the objective negative of fact would be used. With the verb "to be," the sense is "doesn't seem." When a negative precedes the verb, it affects the whole clause. When it precedes other words, its force is limited to those words.
turn-- (WW, WF) The Greek word translated as "turn" has the primary meaning of "making" or producing" something or "causing" or "performing" as service. It describes a productive action. It is not as broad a word as the English "do", which covers all actions, productive or not. The form is an infinitive.
one -- The Greek word translated as "one " means "one" (as opposed to other numbers), "single," and "one and the same."As in English, it can be used as a pronoun, meaning a single person.
hair -- "Hair" is the Greek word for both the hair of humans and animals.
white -- "White" is is a word that means "light", "bright", "clear", "brilliant," and the colors "white" and "pale gold." It is a metaphor for "clear", "distinct," and "plain."
or -- -- "Or" is translated from a Greek word that means primarily "or." The "or" here appears after the verb before the word translated as "black". this is not the normal "and-or" structure for Greek or English. The only explanation is that this sets up a punchline.
black. The Greek terms translated as "black" means "dark." It is a metaphor for murky and obscure.
μήτε (partic) "Neither" is from mete, which means "and not" and "either...or." It is used mostly double. A variation on mede.
ἐν (prep) "By" is from en, which means "in", "on", "at", "by", "among", "within", "surrounded by", "in one's hands", "in one's power," and "with".
τῇ (article sg fem dat) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). --
κεφαλῇ (noun sg fem dat) "Head" is from kephalê (kephale), which means "head of a man or beast", "an extremity", "the top", "the capital (top) of a pillar", "the coping of a wall", "the source of a rivalry," and, metaphorically the "crowning" or "completion" of a thing.
σου (adj sg masc gen ) "Thy" is from sou which means "you" and "your."
ὀμόσῃς, [7 verses](2nd sg aor subj act) "Swear" is from omnyo, which means "to swear to a thing", "to take an oath", "to promise one will", "give word of honor", "swear by," and "affirm or confirm by oath." This word appears 155 times in the Septuagint. The Hebrew word is שָׁבַע shaba.
ὅτι (adv) "That" is from hoti, which introduces a statement of fact "with regard to the fact that", "seeing that," and acts as a causal adverb meaning "for what", "because", "since," and "wherefore."
οὐ "Not" is from ou which is the negative adverb for facts and statements, negating both single words and sentences. The other negative adverb, μή applies to will and thought; οὐ denies, μή rejects; οὐ is absolute, μή relative; οὐ objective, μή subjective.
δύνασαι (verb 2nd sg pres ind mp) "Can" is from dynamai, which means "to have power by virtue of your own capabilities", "to be able", "to be strong enough to do", "to enjoy a legal right", "to be equivalent to", "to signify [of words]", "to mean [or words]" "to be worth [of money]", "powerful", "mighty", "having power," and "having influence."
μίαν (adj sg fem acc) "One" is from heis, which means "one", "single," and "one and the same." This adjective is irregular, having a number of forms depending on sex, number, and case: heis, henos, heni, hen, hena, mia, mias, miai, mian; hen, henos, hen. The form here is mia, feminine singular.
τρίχα [5 verses](noun sg fem acc) "Hair" is from thrix, which means "human hair", "a single hair", "a horses mane", "sheep's wool", "pig bristles," "a hair's breadth,"
λευκὴν (adj sg fem acc) "White" is from leukos, which means "light", "bright", "clear", "brilliant," and the colors "white" and "pale gold." It is a metaphor for "clear", "distinct," and "plain."
ποιῆσαι (aor inf act ) "Make" is from poieo, which means "to make", "to produce", "to create", "to bring into existence", "to bring about", "to cause", "to render", "to consider", "to prepare", "to make ready," and "to do."
ἢ (adv) "Or" is from e which is a particle meaning "either", "or," or "than."
μέλαιναν. (adj sg fem acc) "Black" is from melas, which means "black", "dark", "murky", "swarthy", "indistinct [of a voice]", "obscure", "enigmatic," and "malignant [of character]."
A play on the sense of the head being the completion of something, a hair being the smallest thing, and light and dark being what is plain and what is obscure.
A keyword here, "black" comes at the end of the sentence, which indicates this line is humorous since the normal word order puts key words first.
The issue is what we really control about our own bodies. One one level, this verse equate our heads and therefore our bodies or minds as not our own or, more precisely, nor under our control. We talk about our bodies as our own, but we control nothing about how our body works. If it required our understanding to digest food, we would quickly starve to death. Fortunately, our bodies work on "their own," which is just another way of saying that they, like the skies and the ground of the two previous verses (Matthew 5:34, Matthew 5:35) fall under the control of the divine.
The metaphorical sense of this phrase is the we cannot bring anything to completion by our own powers since we cannot control or even understand the smallest things. In all ancient civilizations, a line was drawn between heaven (the realm of the gods and the eternal) and the earth (the realm of humans and the temporal). People would make their vows and contracts based on the gods, heaven, and the eternal, since they recognized that those promises carried more weight. Since Jews were forbidden from swearing on the name of God, they moved to other areas: the earth, (the source of their sustenance) their cities (the source of their social pride), and even their own bodies. All of these were more important that mere words and so they became the basis of contracts and oaths.
“So when we guarantee something for our own benefit, it only fall on our own heads?” Ezra asked, thinking he was just rephrasing the point the Master was making. He was surprised to discover that he was wrong.
The Master shook his head “no,” and gestured for Ezra to come up to him in the speaking area.
As Ezra made his way through the crowd, the Master pointed at the old man’s head.
“Nor on that head of yours,” the Teacher explained, speaking to Ezra directly, “should you swear.”
Ezra looked confused as he came up next to the Nazarene.
“Because you don’t have the power to make a single hair,” the Teacher explained to him lightheartedly with a warm smile.
“Light...” he said, indicating Ezra’s gray hair, “or dark!” indicating his own dark hair.