Topical Bible: Deceit: False Witnesses Use

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In the biblical context, deceit is often associated with the act of bearing false witness, a sin explicitly condemned in the Scriptures. The Ninth Commandment, as found in Exodus 20:16, states, "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor" . This command underscores the importance of truthfulness and integrity in human relationships and legal proceedings.

The use of deceit through false witnesses is a recurring theme in the Bible, illustrating the destructive power of lies and the moral corruption it brings. In the Old Testament, the account of Naboth's vineyard in 1 Kings 21 serves as a poignant example. King Ahab coveted Naboth's vineyard, and his wife Jezebel orchestrated a plot to acquire it by deceit. She arranged for false witnesses to accuse Naboth of cursing God and the king, leading to his unjust execution. This act of deceit not only resulted in Naboth's death but also brought divine judgment upon Ahab and his household.

Proverbs 6:16-19 lists "a false witness who pours out lies" among the seven things the Lord detests. This passage highlights the severity with which God views deceit and false testimony. The moral fabric of society is threatened when truth is compromised, and justice is perverted through lies.

In the New Testament, the trial of Jesus Christ provides a profound instance of false witnesses being used to achieve an unjust end. Mark 14:55-59 recounts how the chief priests and the Sanhedrin sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but their efforts were fraught with falsehoods and inconsistencies. Despite their attempts, they could not find any legitimate evidence, illustrating the futility and moral bankruptcy of deceit.

The Apostle Paul, in his epistles, also warns against deceit and falsehood. In Ephesians 4:25, he exhorts believers, "Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body" . This call to honesty reflects the transformative power of the Gospel, urging Christians to live in truth as a reflection of their new identity in Christ.

The Bible consistently portrays deceit, particularly through false witnesses, as a grave sin that disrupts justice and community harmony. It serves as a reminder of the importance of truthfulness and the destructive consequences of lies.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Proverbs 12:17
He that speaks truth shows forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Proverbs 14:5
A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Folly of Slander. Part 1.
... Luke, "they set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not ... wise man, "showeth
forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit." Deceiving is ...
/.../barrow/sermons on evil-speaking by isaac barrow/the folly of slander part.htm

The Way of Life and the Way of Death.
... shalt not speak obscenely, nor use wanton glances ... magic arts, witchcrafts, rapines,
false-witnesses, hypocrisies, double-heartedness, deceit, pride, malice ...
/.../various/constitutions of the holy apostles/sec i on the two ways.htm

On Daniel. vi. On Susannah.
... of the Church, desiring to suborn false witnesses against us ... says: "And that because
of false brethren unawares ... those who (call upon Him) in deceit and hypocrisy ...
/.../the extant works and fragments of hippolytus/on daniel vi on susannah.htm

Of Antichrist, and his Ruin: and of the Slaying the Witnesses.
... to the man whose eyes are open, but delusion and deceit! ... of, and maintaining a lying
and false belief of ... and faithful testimony of the two witnesses, quite fall ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/of antichrist and his ruin .htm

On the Words, and Rose Again from the Dead on the Third Day, and ...
... But tell us, and relate to us another deceit [1730 ... towards the east; thou hast also
for witnesses the Angels ... bloody rites, and the very names of the false gods. ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/lecture xiv on the words.htm

Enumeration of the Illustrious Men in the Church who in their ...
... I think so; for "at the mouth of two or three witnesses shall the ... of those who are
instructed in the word is filled with the deceit of false reasoning and ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/chapter xxix enumeration of the.htm

Treatise ix. On the Advantage of Patience.
... is counted among transgressors, and truth is oppressed with false witnesses. ... steps,
who did no sin, neither was deceit found in ... what tortures were put in use! ...
/.../cyprian/the treatises of cyprian/treatise ix on the advantage.htm

Hatred Without Cause
... even so was it with Jesus; he had no affectation, no deceit. ... could not do that; for
though they sought for false witnesses, yet their witnesses agreed not ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/hatred without cause.htm

Whether Religious and Prelates are in the State of Perfection?
... of lying, "which consists not only in false words, but ... confessed a good confession
before many witnesses," that is ... is not guilty of lying or deceit through not ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether religious and prelates are.htm

Selections from the Work against Heresies by Irenaeus, Bishop of ...
... of the Lord shows them all to be false witnesses when he ... who want to be some kind
of false prophets, but ... and likeness of God"not snatching by deceit what was ...
/.../richardson/early christian fathers/selections from the work against 2.htm