Witnesses are very important in legal matters or in judicial proceedings, for their testimony can help the judge identify the offender and the extent of his offense. However, sometimes, the testimony of a witness may be false – that is, he willingly and knowingly gives false information. That false testimony can obstruct justice or it can mislead the judiciary to condemn the innocent and justify the guilty.
Meaning of False testimony
False Testimony means untrue testimony. False testimony could be defined as any false information given as a testimony for or against in a judicial proceeding. Testimony will be false if it is untrue when it was deliberately given and the witness or person giving it knew it to be untrue.
Examples of false testimony in the Bible.
Aside from Jesus, many a good man of old such as Stephen, Naboth, etc. were also victims of false testimony and the end thereof was very sorrowful. Setting innocent people up with false testimony has been there since. Biblical accounts give a lot of examples of false testimony and the results thereof:
False testimony against Jesus
When Jesus was arrested, He was brought to the palace of the high priest, where all the religious leaders of the Jews had met. The chief priests and the whole council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but they found none. For though many bore false witness against him, their testimony did not agree. Some people stood up and bore false witness against him, saying, “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’” Yet even about this, their testimony did not agree (Mark 14:55-59). also Matthew 26:59-62
False testimony against Stephen
After the ascension of Jesus, His disciples took up the mantle of preaching salvation, healing, etc. One of such disciples was Stephen. Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Then some Jews who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen, and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.
Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon Stephen and seized him and brought him before the council of Jewish religious leaders, and they set up false witnesses who said,
“This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.”
Though Stephen responded to their false charges and false testimony, being led by the Spirit to talk at length, he was dragged by a mob of angry Jews outside the city and stoned to death. Reference Acts 6:8-15
False testimony against Naboth
7 And Jezebel his wife said to him, “Do you now govern Israel? Arise and eat bread and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.” 8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal, and she sent the letters to the elders and the leaders who lived with Naboth in his city. 9 And she wrote in the letters, “Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth at the head of the people. 10 And set two worthless men opposite him, and let them bring a charge against him, saying, ‘You have cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”
11 And the men of his city, the elders and the leaders who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them. As it was written in the letters that she had sent to them, 12 they proclaimed a fast and set Naboth at the head of the people. 13 And the two worthless men came in and sat opposite him. And the worthless men brought a charge against Naboth in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones. 14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned; he is dead.” Reference 1 Kings 21:7-14
False testimony against Paul
And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a spokesman, one Tertullus. They laid before the governor their case against Paul. 2 And when he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying:
“Since through you we enjoy much peace, and since by your foresight, most excellent Felix, reforms are being made for this nation, 3 in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude. 4 But, to detain you no further, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly. 5 For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 6 He even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him. 8 By examining him yourself you will be able to find out from him about everything of which we accuse him.” 9 The Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that all these things were so. Reference Acts 24:1-9