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Objection 1: It would seem that it is not lawful to swear by
creatures. It is written (Mt. 5:34-36): "I say to you
not to swear at all, neither by heaven . . . nor by the earth . .
. nor by Jerusalem . . . nor by thy head": and Jerome,
expounding these words, says: "Observe that the Saviour does not
forbid swearing by God, but by heaven and earth," etc.
Objection 2: Further, punishment is not due save for a fault. Now
a punishment is appointed for one who swears by creatures: for it is
written (22, qu. i, can. Clericum): "If a cleric swears by
creatures he must be very severely rebuked: and if he shall persist in
this vicious habit we wish that he be excommunicated." Therefore it
is unlawful to swear by creatures.
Objection 3: Further, an oath is an act of religion, as stated
above (Article 4). But religious worship is not due to any
creature, according to Rm. 1:23,25. Therefore it is not
lawful to swear by a creature.
On the contrary, Joseph swore "by the health of Pharaoh" (Gn.
42:16). Moreover it is customary to swear by the Gospel, by
relics, and by the saints.
I answer that, As stated above (Article 1, ad 3), there are
two kinds of oath. One is uttered a simple contestation or calling
God as witness: and this kind of oath, like faith, is based on
God's truth. Now faith is essentially and chiefly about God Who is
the very truth, and secondarily about creatures in which God's truth
is reflected, as stated above (Question 1, Article 1). In like
manner an oath is chiefly referred to God Whose testimony is invoked;
and secondarily an appeal by oath is made to certain creatures
considered, not in themselves, but as reflecting the Divine truth.
Thus we swear by the Gospel, i.e. by God Whose truth is made
known in the Gospel; and by the saints who believed this truth and
kept it.
The other way of swearing is by cursing and in this kind of oath a
creature is adduced that the judgment of God may be wrought therein.
Thus a man is wont to swear by his head, or by his son, or by some
other thing that he loves, even as the Apostle swore (2 Cor.
1:23), saying: "I call God to witness upon my soul."
As to Joseph's oath by the health of Pharaoh this may be understood
in both ways: either by way of a curse, as though he pledged
Pharao's health to God; or by way of contestation, as though he
appealed to the truth of God's justice which the princes of the earth
are appointed to execute.
Reply to Objection 1: Our Lord forbade us to swear by creatures so
as to give them the reverence due to God. Hence Jerome adds that
"the Jews, through swearing by the angels and the like, worshipped
creatures with a Divine honor."
In the same sense a cleric is punished, according to the canons
(22, qu. i, can. Clericum, Objection 2), for swearing by a
creature, for this savors of the blasphemy of unbelief. Hence in the
next chapter, it is said: "If any one swears by God's hair or
head, or otherwise utter blasphemy against God, and he be in
ecclesiastical orders, let him be degraded."
This suffices for the Reply to the Second Objection.
Reply to Objection 3: Religious worship is shown to one whose
testimony is invoked by oath: hence the prohibition (Ex.
23:13): "By the name of strange gods you shall not swear."
But religious worship is not given to creatures employed in an oath in
the ways mentioned above.
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