Later text
But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
Intertextuality Pair
Quotation
Later text
But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
Earlier text
A lone witness is not sufficient to establish any wrongdoing or sin against a man, regardless of what offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
Jesus applies Torah's witness requirement to church discipline, demonstrating continuity of God's judicial principles from old to new covenant communities. The requirement of two or three witnesses protects the accused from false charges while ensuring proper accountability for genuine sin. This shows that moral and judicial principles from Torah remain binding for the church. Jesus adapts Mosaic legal procedures to the new covenant context, establishing the church as a covenant community governed by God's righteous standards adapted for the new era.