Why Do We Need Further Witnesses? - Luke 22:71

Luke the beloved physician wrote how, “the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him. And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote you? And many other things blasphemously spoke they against him. And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, saying, Are you the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe: And if I also ask you, you will not answer me, nor let me go. Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God. Then said they all, Are you then the Son of God? And he said unto them, You say that I am”, and in chapter twenty-two and verse seventy-one of his book Luke shared how the religious leaders say, “What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth” where we read:

And they said, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.

The verse reads, “And they said, What need we any further witness?” Luke began with the words, “and they said” or “and the religious leaders in the Sanhedrin uttered, declared and proclaimed”, “what need we” which means “what else do we, the religious leaders have as necessary” “any further witness” or “more or increase of testimony”? Luke shared how the religious leaders in the Sanhedrin concluded that no additional “testimony” was necessary concerning Jesus.

The verse continues, “for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.” Luke added the words, “for we ourselves” which means “because, since and on account that we, the religious leaders of the Sanhedrin their own selves” “have heard” or “have been given the capacity of hearing, perceiving and understanding” “of his own mouth” which means “from and out of his, Jesus', own physical mouth” that He is the Christ. Luke shared how Jesus the religious leaders determined that Jesus indited Himself because He told them He was the Christ.

When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we see how these religious leaders jumped at the opportunity to condemn Jesus. Because Jesus answered their question concerning Him being the Son of God, they convicted Him. God the Father allowed and permitted all these things because His Son Jesus was purposed and determined to bring “salvation” to mankind. God loves everyone, and He knew His Son would suffer and die on behalf of them. Those who are wise will believe and trust in Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord” and never seek to align with those who desire to “condemn” Jesus.

Next time we begin a new chapter and see Luke share how, “the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate”, 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".