Gods Plan For Justice in Court and in Life (Deuteronomy 19: 15-21)

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Episode Notes: "God’s Plan For Justice in Court and in Life"

Scripture Reference:

• Deuteronomy 19:15-21

Key Points:

1. The Importance of Multiple Witnesses:
   • Verse 15: Emphasizes that one witness is not enough to convict someone of a crime; a matter must be established by two or three witnesses. This principle safeguards against false accusations and ensures a higher standard of evidence and objectivity in judicial proceedings.
2. Dealing with False Witnesses:
   • Verses 16-17: If a malicious witness falsely accuses someone, both parties must stand before the Lord and the judges. This brings the dispute to the highest level of spiritual and judicial scrutiny, akin to a modern-day high court.
3. Investigating and Punishing False Witnesses:
   • Verses 18-19: Judges must conduct a thorough investigation. If a witness is found to be lying, they receive the punishment intended for the accused. This deters false testimony and upholds the integrity of the justice system.
4. Deterrence Through Justice:
   • Verse 20: The punishment of false witnesses serves as a deterrent to prevent similar wrongdoing. This highlights the principle that just punishment helps maintain societal order and deters future crimes.
5. Proportional Justice:
   • Verse 21: "Life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot" establishes a principle of proportional justice. It sets an upper limit on punishment, ensuring it is commensurate with the crime committed.

Modern Applications:

• Safeguarding Against False Accusations: The principle of requiring multiple witnesses can be seen in modern legal standards for evidence and corroboration.
• Judicial Thoroughness: The necessity for a thorough investigation before convicting someone resonates with current practices in legal systems that prioritize due process.
• Proportional Punishment: The idea of punishment fitting the crime is a cornerstone of contemporary justice systems, ensuring fairness and preventing excessive penalties.

Personal Applications:

• Integrity and Honesty: Upholding truth in personal interactions prevents harm and builds trust within communities.
• Accountability: Being accountable for one's words and actions fosters a culture of honesty and integrity.
• Justice and Compassion: Balancing justice with compassion, ensuring that while wrongdoers are held accountable, the punishment is fair and just.

Conclusion:

These verses from Deuteronomy remind us of the enduring wisdom in God’s laws, emphasizing the importance of truth, integrity, and justice. As Christians, we are called to embody these principles in our daily lives, contributing to a society that values and upholds justice. Remember, God's justice aims not only to punish but also to restore and

Transcript

"God’s Plan For Justice in Court and in Life."  (Deuteronomy 19: 15-21)

Full Transcript. 

Good morning/afternoon/evening Pod people! I hope you’re all wide awake and ready for another dose of divine wisdom on the issue of justice.

Today we look at the foundation of what will become one of the bedrocks of all legal and justice systems around the world to this day.

You know, it’s not every day that we get to dive into the world of ancient Israelite justice systems, but today is that day! How can I make that interesting, AGAIN.

Imagine for a moment that you’re back in ancient Israel. Picture yourself settling a dispute with your neighbour. He accuses you of something and you accuse him right back again.  But instead of calling your lawyer, you’re thinking, "Man, I really hope I have at least two reliable witnesses, or this is going to get awkward real fast."

This is what Deuteronomy 19:15-21 is all about.

It's a passage where God lays down the law about calling witnesses, dealing with false witnesses and the importance of truth-telling. Spoiler alert: If you’re caught lying, it’s not just you’re in danger of your pants catching fire—you’re in some serious trouble, under this ancient Israelite justice system!

So, sit up and pay attention as we explore what happens when witnesses go rogue, and how God’s justice still prevails, and why honesty really is the best policy—even when some are tempted to stretch the truth just a little. 

Welcome to The Bible Project daily Podcast.

Let’s jump in straight aways and see what this 3500 year old ancient passage has to say about truth, justice, and how it might play out in the earliest equivalent of a courtroom drama!

What plays out for us today relates primarily to when events have descended to such a point that it all needs to be taken to court

Let’s begin at verse 15:

One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

(Deuteronomy 19: 15)

Very simple—you’ve got to have proof, and you need witness’s plural. 

Now, we talked about manslaughter, murder, and stealing yesterday, and who knows what other kinds of crimes, and he's saying if you accuse somebody of any crime you’ve got to have proof.

One person saying it is not proof; you’ve got to have two or three witnesses.

One commentator I read said this principle was to act as a safeguard against false witnesses who might bring an untruthful charge against a fellow Israelite because of a quarrel they were having or out of some other impure motive. 

By requiring more than one witness, at least two or even three, greater accuracy and objectivity was required. So, you’ve got to have proof of at least two or three witnesses.

Now, look at verse 16:

If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse someone of a crime, the two people involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the Lord before the priests and the judges who are in office at the time.

(Deuteronomy 19: 16-17)

What he's saying is this: If there’s a squabble out in the countryside and there’s a false witness, so somebody has been accused, then you haul him into the Tabernacle and judge them before the priests and the judges there, that’s what this means.

Drag him before the Lord, who was at that time was dwelling in the Tabernacle, and place him before the priests, and the judges there.

In other words, you’re going to have to take him to the equivalent of the High Court, or the Supreme court.

The point of this being that it is before the Lord in the Tabernacle but yet that the person remains innocent until proven guilty. You’ve got to have two or three witnesses because one might lie. So, the fellow being accused is still what we would call today, ‘Innocent until proven guilty’.

Look at verse 18:

The judges must make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against a fellow Israelite, 19 then do to the false witness as that witness intended to do to the other party. You must purge the evil from among you.

(Deuteronomy 19: 18-19)

If you are a false witness and you accuse somebody falsely, whatever the punishment for the crime you falsely accused them of, you pay with that punishment.

This is similar todays as suing somebody, and the judge ends up making you pay for the other person's lawyer if the case doesn’t go your way?

At any rate, the false witness receives the very punishment they sought to bring upon the person who they falsely accused.

He then says in verse 20:

The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid, and never again will such an evil thing be done among you.

(Deuteronomy 19: 20)

In other words, this is intended to be a deterrent.

Now, some people today argue that punishment doesn’t deter crime, but it does when it was practiced correctly in those days it probably did.

In those days, if you lived in a small town and someone’s relative was killed, or a crime like a theft was committed, you would immediately know about it, news would spread quickly, and justice was always swift.

Finally, verse 21:

Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

(Deuteronomy 19: 21)

So if the person is found guilty then the children of Israel were not to have compassion on the guilty; they were to demand life for life. 

However, when it says, "hand for hand, foot for foot," it sounds brutal to us today it sounds like you’re going to mutilate someone, so this needs to be commented on, I can’t avoid it.

I found it helpful to interpret this when I read a commentator who pointed out that this is not so much a license to do such a thing but was in as to be setting an upper limit of punishment that no one could go beyond. 

Let me explain. In the ancient world, prior to the Levitical law if you committed a crime like stealing, you could be killed for that. God through Moses is setting a limit her: if someone steals, you’re not allowed to kill the person, the highest level punishment at most is cutting off their offending hand. 

There is to be punishment, but it’s limited. And only to the immediate felon, not their family

Now, beyond that it’s worth noting there is no indication in the whole of the Old Testament that they ever did enact this level of punishment in ancient Israel. This lays down the possibility, but there’s no case in the Bible we see of it actually ever being done. 

The point of these verses is set a limit so that only the punishment that is deserved can be given. Don’t go above that, and don’t confuse compassion with leniency toward dealing with crime the guilty still need to be punished in some way.

This is as relevant as today's newspaper. 

Right now, there's an argument that we should have compassion on criminals. I've literally heard some people argue that the criminal is really the victim—because they grew up poor, or uneducated, so they are in fact a victim of his environment and society.

Let me tell you, this is relevant stuff. It’s two very different views of the world. 

The biblical view is that regardless of your background, when you commit a crime, you are responsible and that is what this passage is teaching.

There is a culture war going on today on this very issue because the other worldview is that your problem is not your depravity, but your environment. 

You had some misfortunes in life which is why you have become a criminal. Well, if that's the case, why don’t all people who have misfortune end up as criminals? That argument isn’t even logical. 

As I said this is really relevant stuff. We are not to have false compassion on those who commit crime , if they are proven guilty then society decides the punishment and we should not confuse compassion with undue leniency.

The summary of all this is simple: Anyone serving on a jury or called to dispense justice should keep in mind that the accused are innocent until proven guilty, and that the evidence of guilt should be convincing, and the punishment should be commensurate with the crime, and that justice properly enacted serves as a deterrent.

I went through that awfully fast. I'm going to repeat this because it’s very important. 

Number one, embedded in this passage is the principle that you are innocent until proven guilty. 

How do we establish that? One witness won’t do; you’ve got to have two or three.

Number two, the evidence of guilt must be convincing. We could have a false witness, so we’ve got to have proof. They’ve got to go investigate—careful inquiry, as the text says. So, you’ve got to have evidence.

Then thirdly, the punishment should be commensurate with the crime, and it should serve as a deterrent. 

Our whole modern judicial systems are built on these concepts.

When we talk about Western civilization being built on Judeo-Christian values, this is a lot of what we’re talking about. These are the very things I just mentioned: you are innocent until proven guilty, and witnesses are required to convict anybody.

I want to tell you, in uncivilized countries, you’re very often guilty unless you can prove yourself innocent. 

One of the really horrible things going on today is that people are being accused and automatically crucified in public opinion before they are ever given a chance to go before a court where someone can do a careful inquiry to see if they’re really guilty or not. 

We are moving further away from this principle every day, and that is a sad state of affairs.

So, we need to make the presumption of innocence sure there’s evidence, and then there needs to be punishment commensurate with the crime. You can over-punish people…. 

As a matter of fact, it has occurred to me—and I don’t remember any preacher ever talking about this but did you ever notice there are no jails talked about in the Bible, except those of the occupying Roman authorities or other authoritarian regimes.

Let me say that another way: there were no jails in the Mosaic Law. The law never calls for someone to be put in jail, but there were cities of refuge, and cities of refuge were different from jails.

The biblical solution to crime, if it’s murder under the Old Testament it was capital punishment in some cases. If it was robbery, the thief had to pay the person back, sometimes fourfold. So, there was execution, but no jails—just cities of refuge. 

One other thing a want to say about all this is that I think these principles apply outside of court in everyday life as well.

We practice these principles still today in our modern judicial systems. Our whole judicial system is supposed to be built on these principles. But I think there are also things here that we need to take note of in our personal lives.

So, what I’m going to do is read an article by someone who, in a short space, has said this more eloquently than I. In 1967, Dr Mike DeHaan, who was a medical doctor turned pastor, wrote an article on this passage, and here is what he said:

"Moses, under inspiration, warns against one of the greatest evils in the world: condemning a man upon insufficient evidence. To establish an accusation, it must be attested to by at least two or three authentic witnesses. It must not be hearsay, but factual knowledge. No court in the land will accept hearsay testimony or convict a man until both sides have been heard. Yet among Christians, the admonition of the Bible is so often forgotten. We should never receive an accusation or charge against anyone unless it has been proven by at least two or three eyewitnesses. If someone comes to you today with a subdued voice and says, 'Did you hear about Brother So-and-So?' or 'I was told that So-and-So did such-and-such,' you should refuse to listen. Instead, you should ask, 'Do you know this to be true for a fact?' Irresponsible gossip and unsupported rumours are the cause of more trouble in the world than any other factor. It would be wise for us as Christians to follow the custom of the courts. Before taking the witness stand, the clerk always asks you to raise your hand and swear that you will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. What headaches, sorrow, distress, and ruin are caused by telling only half of the truth. Beware, for one of the most subtle of all lies is called a half-truth. Remember, you may be hearing the wrong half."

This is wise counsel. 

As we conclude our study of the closing verses of Deuteronomy 19 we are reminded of the wisdom and justice embedded in God's laws from the beginning. But what do these verses tell us today about how we should live are lives as Christian believers.

Well, these verses, focused on the principles of truth and justice, the teach us about the importance of integrity, honesty, and accountability in our lives.

God's requirement for multiple witnesses before acting against someone accused of wrongdoing is a testament to His commitment to justice. It underscores the necessity of thoroughness and fairness in judgment, protecting individuals from false accusations and ensuring that the truth prevails.

In a world where misinformation and quick judgments can often lead to unjust consequences, this principle is a beacon of God's enduring wisdom still against a background today of trial by social media

But also, these verses highlight the importance of accountability.

The warning against false witnesses is clear: those who bear false testimony are to receive the punishment intended for the accused. This principle not only deters dishonesty but also upholds the sanctity of truth in our communities. It calls us as Christians to be people of integrity, whose words can be trusted and who seek to build up rather than tear down.

We are called to be fair, honest, and just in all our dealings. We are called to uphold the truth, to be diligent in our judgments, and to stand against falsehood and deceit. By doing so, we reflect God's character and contribute to a society that values justice and integrity.

So be encouraged to live out these principles daily. And also always remain vigilant in seeking the truth, and be courageous in standing up for justice, and be compassionate in our dealings with others. 

By embodying these values, we become instruments of God's justice and mercy in the world.

Remember, God’s justice is not just about punishment but about restoration and righteousness. May we, through our individual actions, bring His light into the world, fostering communities where truth, justice, and love prevail.