![]() The New Testament writers emphasize the historical facts which have been seen and heard and which were witnessed by many. Jesus said to the disciples "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1.8). Jesus' teaching "with authority" was another indication of who he was. baptize with the Holy Spirit" (Mark 1.7-8). So did John the Baptist: "One more powerful than I is coming. The works that Jesus performed, his miracles, witnessed to who he was. God called the prophets and all of Israel to be special witnesses. Jesus told Pilate that he came to witness to the truth "for this I came into the world" (John 18.37). God, therefore, is witness to Jesus and his mission. When Jesus was rebuked for calling God his own Father, making himself equal to God, Jesus responded: "There is another who testifies on my behalf and his testimony is true" (John 5.31). Every time we take an oath in court by swearing on a Bible, we are invoking God to be our witness. Paul (Romans 1.8) invokes God as the witness of his love for the people. Job (16.19) calls on God to be the witness of his innocence. God was called upon to be a witness from the beginning: "remember that God is witness between you and me" (Genesis 31.51) to the end where Christ is referred to as "the faithful witness" (Revelation 1.5). The word has a religious meaning as well. Early Christians followed the Jewish practice using witnesses. In the Old Testament, in serious cases, more than one witness was required, especially in serious cases. Generally speaking, a witness has some specific knowledge about the matter and gives evidence of it. One witnesses to, or gives testimony of, someone's good character. In the secular world, we have witnesses in trials and in settlement of disagreements. What does it really mean to be Christian witnesses? We hear the word "witness" or "witnessing" used often.
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