False Witness

Stephen, filled with grace and power, was working great wonders and signs among the people. Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen, Cyreneans, and Alexandrians, and people from Cilicia and Asia, came forward and debated with Stephen, but they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. 

Then they instigated some men to say, "We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God." They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, accosted him, seized him, and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They presented false witnesses who testified, "This man never stops saying things against this holy place and the law. For we have heard him claim that this Jesus the Nazorean will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us." All those who sat in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel. (Acts 6:8-15)

What’s wrong with bearing false witness?  Refer to Exodus 20:16 with one of the 10 Commandments prescribed by God: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 

How about Deuteronomy 19:16-20 where we read:  If a hostile witness rises against someone to accuse that person of wrongdoing, the two parties in the dispute shall appear in the presence of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and judges in office at that time, and the judges must investigate it thoroughly. If the witness is a false witness and has falsely accused the other, you shall do to the false witness just as that false witness planned to do to the other. Thus, shall you purge the evil from your midst. The rest shall hear and be afraid, and never again do such an evil thing as this in your midst. 

Then there is Proverbs 19:5 that reads: The false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever utters lies will not escape. 

So, there is a lot wrong with bearing false witness – lying!  Stephen was filled with grace and power and worked great wonders and signs among the people. Nevertheless, some members of the Synagogue of Freedmen, Cyreneans, and Alexandrians, and people from Cilicia and Asia bore false witness against Stephen.  The result is described in Acts 7:54-60. 

When they heard this, they were infuriated, and they ground their teeth at him. But he [Stephen], filled with the holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. 

“But they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears, and rushed upon him together. They threw him out of the city and began to stone him. The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them;” and when he said this, he fell asleep. 

Stephen was the first deacon, and he spoke like Jesus.  He was martyred.  Lies caused his death characterized by Luke as sleep meaning Stephen would awaken some day through resurrection.

Our lies cause the “deaths” of those against whom we bear false witness.  Social media is one important way to do evil and “kill” those who we target.  Too many of us believe false witness when it suits our needs to be part of some crowd scapegoating an innocent.  Bearing false witness will be punished, and whoever utters lies will not escape, so says the proverb and God as specially highlighted in one of the ten.

Deacon David Pierce