Mark 14:56

56 For many bore false witness against him, and their testimony did not agree.

Mark 14:56 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 14:56

For many bare false witness against him
The word "false", is not expressed in the Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions: which only signify, that they bore witness against him, accused him of, and laid many things to his charge:

but their witness agreed not together;
which showed it to be false, and so not to be admitted; for witnesses were to be as one in their testimony, or not to be received: the, rules concerning them with the Jews, are these ^F12;

``the tradition is, for ever let not their testimony be joined together, unless they both see, (dxak) , "as one": says R. Joshua ben Korcha, even one after another; and their testimony is not ratified in the council, until they both witness "as one".''

Though this is not much the sense of the passage here; it was not the falsehood of their testimony, which this council was unconcerned about, or the contradiction that was in it, which does not appear; but their testimonies were not, (isai) , "equal", or answerable to the wishes of the council; they were not sufficient to prove a capital crime upon him, in order to, put him to death, which was what they wanted: they only respected some light and trivial matters, and did not amount to a charge of blasphemy, or sedition.

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 30. 1. Maimon. Hilch. Eduth, c. 4. sect. 1.

Mark 14:56 In-Context

54 And Peter followed him at a distance, till [he was] within the court of the high priest's palace; and he was sitting with the officers and warming himself in the light [of the fire].

55 And the chief priests and the whole sanhedrim sought testimony against Jesus to cause him to be put to death, and did not find [any].

56 For many bore false witness against him, and their testimony did not agree.

57 And certain persons rose up and bore false witness against him, saying,

58 *We* heard him saying, *I* will destroy this temple which is made with hands, and in the course of three days I will build another not made with hands.