John 8:17

17 That fulfills the conditions set down in God's Law: that you can count on the testimony of two witnesses.

John 8:17 Meaning and Commentary

John 8:17

It is also written in your law
The law of Moses, which was given unto them, and they boasted of; the passage referred to is in ( Deuteronomy 19:15 ) ; see also ( Deuteronomy 17:6 ) ; where though what follows is not to be found in so many words, yet the sense is there expressed:

that the testimony of two men is true:
concerning which the Jewish writers say F25,

``they used not to determine any judiciary matter by the mouth of one witness, neither pecuniary causes, nor causes of life and death, as it is said, ( Deuteronomy 17:6 ) . It is asked F26 in their oral law, if the testimony of two men stand, why does the Scripture particularly mention three? (for no other reason) but to compare or equal three with two, that as three convict two of a falsehood, two may also convict three.''

On which one of their commentators F1 has this observation, taking notice of ( Deuteronomy 19:18 ) , which speaks of a single witness;

``Mar (a doctor) says, wherever it is said a "witness", it is to be understood of two, unless the Scripture particularly specifies one.''

In the case of a wife suspected of adultery, and in the business of striking off the neck of the heifer in case of murder, they admitted of one witness F2.


FOOTNOTES:

F25 Maimon. Hilchot Eduth. c. 5. sect. 1.
F26 Misn. Maccot. c. 1. sect. 7.
F1 Bartenora in ib.
F2 Maimon. Hilchot Eduth, ib. sect. 2.

John 8:17 In-Context

15 You decide according to what you can see and touch. I don't make judgments like that.
16 But even if I did, my judgment would be true because I wouldn't make it out of the narrowness of my experience but in the largeness of the One who sent me, the Father.
17 That fulfills the conditions set down in God's Law: that you can count on the testimony of two witnesses.
18 And that is what you have: You have my word and you have the word of the Father who sent me."
19 They said, "Where is this so-called Father of yours?" Jesus said, "You're looking right at me and you don't see me. How do you expect to see the Father? If you knew me, you would at the same time know the Father."
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.