Monday, October 12, 2015
Deuteronomy 19:15 One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.
WITNESSES
We tend to take for granted the importance of witnesses when establishing the truth. This is largely due to the fact that we've been raised in a country that values the testimony of witnesses, especially in the judicial system. Not every culture or government has followed the same principles.
Witness testimony was a requirement that God commanded of the Israelites. In the context of this verse God speaks of determining the truth in a criminal case. However, the precedent of establishing the testimony of two or three had also a broader effect, specifically in the New Testament. Paul applied this same verse in matters of the church, as did the writer of the book of Hebrews.
When it comes to God's message of truth and salvation, the testimony of witnesses is indeed important. As modern day Christians, it is certainly comforting to know that we build upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus as the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). The great "cloud of witnesses" that have come before us gives us courage in the face of opposition (Hebrews 12:1).
In John 5, Jesus taught about His claim as the Messiah through four witnesses. We can't help but think that He might have been trying to reach the people through this long-standing principle from Deuteronomy, which they would have known well.
