tells his followers that swearing upon heaven or the earth is the same as swearing upon God because heaven and earth are the throne and footstool of God. In this verse Jesus makes clear that even swearing by one's own head is the equivalent of swearing by God because one's head is also under God's dominion since an individual cannot change the color of their hair. Schweizer notes that this passage does not take into account hair dye, which was a common and well known practice even in this era. Harrington disagrees, and believes this is an ironic reference to hair dye. While a person may change the color of the surface of their hair, underneath it remains unchanged. Just as one can change ones outward behavior, but it means nothing if the interior beliefs are not also changed. Nolland believes the reference to white hair may be linked to the honored state of elders in the society, and that dyeing hair white was thus an attempt to dissemble such a status. L.L. Welborn notes several parallel accounts of oath taking contemporaneous with the New Testament, particularly with Philo. References 05:35 Oaths