Witnesses
In Scripture, witnesses are people who testify truthfully about what they have seen, heard, or know. The term can refer to legal witnesses, those who bear testimony to God's acts, and believers who testify about Christ.
At a Glance
In Scripture, witnesses are people who testify truthfully about what they have seen, heard, or know. The term can refer to legal witnesses, those who bear testimony to God's acts, and believers who testify about Christ.
Description
In biblical usage, witnesses are persons who testify to the truth of a matter based on what they know, whether in legal proceedings, covenant confirmation, or public declaration of God's works. The Old Testament often speaks of witnesses in judicial contexts, where truthful testimony is essential to justice, while also using the idea more broadly for those who attest God's dealings with His people. In the New Testament, this theme reaches special importance in relation to Jesus Christ: the apostles are witnesses of His ministry and resurrection, and believers are called to bear witness to the gospel. Scripture treats faithful witness as a serious moral duty, while condemning false witness as sin. Because the term has several related uses, the safest definition is broad: witnesses are those who testify truthfully to what is real, especially concerning God's acts and the truth of Christ.