The Non-Agreeing Witnesses - Mark 14:59

Mark wrote how those who captured Jesus led Him, “away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire. And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none. For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands”, and in chapter fourteen and verse fifty-nine of his book, Mark shared, “neither so did their witness agree, where we read:

But neither so did their witness agree together.

The verse reads, “But neither so did their witness ...”. Mark began with the words, “but neither so did” which means “however, nevertheless, notwithstanding, moreover and not and in no way was” “their witness” or “the testimony of those who stood against Jesus”. Mark shared how the “testimony” of those who came against Jesus was in no way according to that which Mark will share next.

The verse continues, “...agree together.” Mark added the words, “agree” which means “equal, in likeness and similar” “together” or “to each other”. Mark shared how the “testimonies” of those who came forward in opposition to Jesus were not alike nor were they similar in any way to one another.

When we consider Mark's words in this verse, we see the frailty of people who attempted to bring “testimony” against Jesus. None of them brought “witness” against Jesus that “agreed” with each other. One person said one thing, and another said something in contrast to that testimony. Jesus was not guilty, sinless and without any fault, but they attempted to indite Him anyway. Can we imagine such vitriol? These “religious leaders” hated Jesus because He could work miracles which they could not, and His popularity among the people made them jealous and angry. They wanted Jesus dead, and many people today would rather have Jesus gone than to deal with their “sinful” lives. God allowed these things to happen to His Son Jesus so people would believe and trust in Him as their personal “Savior and Lord”. These “false witnesses” did not know Jesus and attempted to rid themselves of Him so they could continue to live their lives according to their own ways rather than God's .

Next time Mark shares how “the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answer you nothing?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".