João 8:17

It is also written in your law ,.... The law of Moses, which was given unto them, and they boasted of; the passage referred to is in Deuteronomy 19:15 ; see also Deuteronomy 17:6 ; where though what follows is not to be found in so many words, yet the sense is there expressed:

that the testimony of two men is true : concerning which the Jewish writers say F25 Maimon. Hilchot Eduth. c. 5. sect. 1. ,

"they used not to determine any judiciary matter by the mouth of one witness, neither pecuniary causes, nor causes of life and death, as it is said, Deuteronomy 17:6 . It is asked F26 Misn. Maccot. c. 1. sect. 7. in their oral law, if the testimony of two men stand, why does the Scripture particularly mention three? (for no other reason) but to compare or equal three with two, that as three convict two of a falsehood, two may also convict three.'

On which one of their commentators F1 Bartenora in ib. has this observation, taking notice of Deuteronomy 19:18 , which speaks of a single witness;

"Mar (a doctor) says, wherever it is said a "witness", it is to be understood of two, unless the Scripture particularly specifies one.'

In the case of a wife suspected of adultery, and in the business of striking off the neck of the heifer in case of murder, they admitted of one witness F2 Maimon. Hilchot Eduth, ib. sect. 2. .