The Integrity of Oaths and the Source of Blessing

Let the diligent catch good animals. But if these hunters are friends of virtue, they are said to be hunted from the sea so that they may come out of it, and in another way to be established upon the sea; for here they are established so that they may appear 'having been rooted and built up in love' (Eph 3:17). And 'upon the rivers' (Ps 46:4) of those flowing from the belly of the one having the Spirit, they are prepared, so that they may receive these rivers flowing from the belly of each believer. And the various gifts of the Spirit are the rivers.

For the one wishing to learn toward the one being examined: 'Who is he that ascends into the mountain of the Lord and stands in the holy place?' (Ps 24:3). An answer is brought: 'You seek who is ascending and standing? He who is innocent with his hands and pure in heart, who has not taken his soul in vain' (Ps 24:4).' This is the one ascending through progress. And progress is the ascent. And the standing is in the perfection. When someone becomes 'perfect as the Father in heaven' (Matt 5:48), he has stood in the holy place, unless indeed he surpasses the whole such state and takes the beginning of another; therefore also in the psalms it is said: 'I have seen the end of every completion' (Ps 37:36).

There are many ends, as it is in the learning of letters. One completes the task in the knowledge of the characters, and begins by syllabifying, and again, having attained the end of those, a different beginning becomes. For a circle, one cannot take either a beginning or an end. If, therefore, one recognizes from a sign the beginning of the circle, and completes the whole circle, he comes again to the beginning, as it is with the sun. In such things, ends are always brought according to the same pattern.

The Jews, therefore, perhaps say that 'to ascend to the mountain' means to ascend into the temple and to stand in it. The following things are gathered together by this thought. 3–4 Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place? Innocent with hands and pure in heart, who has not taken his soul in vain and has not sworn in vain to his neighbor. It lies in the Decalogue: 'You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain; for the Lord will not cleanse him who takes his name in vain' (Ex 20:7). This must be grasped inwardly, perfectly, introductory, and appropriately by those beginning. Chiefly the...

The young man, being ready to receive the laws of God, 'does not swear at all' (Matt 5:37); therefore he does not take the name of the Lord in vain. He receives it not in vain, being satisfied with 'yes, yes' and 'no, no' (Matt 5:37). It is possible for those introducing this to say: it is not necessary to swear falsely; for he who falsely invokes the name of the Lord, as far as it reaches him, has received it in vain; since he is able to demonstrate even faith to the one disputing, and easily brings him to the oath without an oath. This faith through an oath they call unprovable.

And the external laws, when it was not possible to demonstrate, not through writings, not through witnesses—then also he does not cast himself upon swearing, but the judges, desiring to find every proof and not finding it, flee to this last resort. 'Who did not take his soul in vain' (Ps 15:4). And immediately he joined: 'nor did he swear upon deceit' (Ps 15:4); for everyone swears 'upon deceit' perversely; for he does not think he is swearing perversely. It rarely happens through ignorance. Often someone, forgetting, swears, and again there is an accusation, as regarding sins committed while unheard.

I say: some do not blame those who are drinking while saying what should not be said, and doing what is not necessary, saying that drunkenness is an unconscious state by which these things which they are blamed for happen after drinking; but drunkenness itself is voluntary; for it was necessary not to get drunk.

This one shall receive a blessing from the Lord. Having outlined who is the one ascending the mountain and standing in a holy place, and what follows such a person, he says: according to the one who ascended, he is in the mountain of God and standing in a holy place. And after the ascent of the mountain, so that the summit of the mountain may be the holy place, he says that 'this one shall receive a blessing from the Lord', 'a spiritual blessing, the one in the heavens'; for it is said: 'for indeed the Lawgiver will give blessing'. And the Lawgiver gives not to those transgressing the law, but to those turning toward it in deed. And again: 'Behold, thus', he says, 'shall be blessed the man who fears the Lord' (Ps 128:1). The cause of the blessing is reverence, the fear toward the Lord; therefore it is said: 'The Lord shall bless you out of Zion' (Ps 128:5). If God blesses such a person from Zion, because of virtue having preceded him and right understanding for him...