John 8:17

“Your very law establishes that the testimony of two men is to be accepted as the truth.” John 8:17 EFP 

A couple of things jump out at me in this text. First, is Jesus referring to the “the law” as “your law.” Given the belief that nothing Jesus says is superfluous, it makes me wonder why he makes it a point to refer to the Law in such an almost dismissive manner. Does he mean to make a distinction between the law of God (as in the Decalogue or the “big two” commands of Deuteronomy 6:5 and 19:18) and the Law of Moses (ceremonial, civil, health, etc.)? If so, why does he do it?

Secondly, he uses the term “two men” when referencing the laws given to the children of Israel in the Books of the Law (Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15; Numbers 35:30) instead of “two witnesses” as it appears in the Old Testament text. Was it to point out that the testimony of two women was for all intents worthless in the man-centered world of Palestine? Was the Old Testament passage intended to be inclusive, whereas the application became restrictive?

In the end, the message I get is that at times I may be guilty of interpreting God’s counsel in ways that favor my personal position and yield to my personal advantage. That becomes “my law” in stark contrast to “his will” for me. It is not, as history teaches us, a wise position to take.