Were the Salem Witch Trials biblical?

However, the testimony of one witness would not be sufficient to pass a death sentence: there must be two or three witnesses (v.6). Also the witness would be required to be first in putting the offender to death (v.7). This would make people slow to witness if they were not persuaded fully of the guilt of the accused.

We do well to note carefully the stipulations of verse 14. The judgment was not to be executed until there had been inquiry and search and diligent asking for facts, so that the evil reported was certain and beyond all dispute. Hasty action might easily lead to a miscarriage of justice. If in the church of God today similar diligence and care were exercised, we should be made wise to salvation from some difficulties that endanger us.

Two or three witnesses are necessary as regards making a decision in any matter. One witness may be mistaken or prejudiced, or even dishonest. If two people have a controversy, they must stand before the judges and have the matter thoroughly investigated. If one testified falsely, he must suffer the judgment he desired against his opponent (vs.18-19). Under law there was no mercy -- eye for eye, tooth for tooth.

"If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God gives thee, man or woman, that has wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God, in transgressing his covenant, and has gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded; and it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and inquired diligently, behold, it be true and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel;" — something affecting the whole nation — "Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, to thy gates, even that man or woman, and shalt stone them with stones till they die. At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death. The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from among you" (Ver. 2-7.)

We have already had occasion to refer to the great principle laid down in the foregoing passage. It is one of immense importance, namely, the absolute necessity of having competent testimony ere forming a judgement in any case. It meets us constantly in scripture, indeed it is the invariable rule, in the divine government, and therefore it claims our attention. We may be sure it is a safe and wholesome rule, the neglect of which must always lead us astray. We should never allow ourselves to form, much less to express and act upon a judgement without the testimony of two or three witnesses. However trustworthy and morally reliable any one witness may be, it is not a sufficient basis for a conclusion. We may feel convinced in our minds that the thing is true because affirmed by one in whom we have confidence; but God is wiser than we. It may be that the one witness is thoroughly upright and truthful, that he would not, for worlds, tell an untruth or bear false witness against any one; all this may be true, but we must adhere to the divine rule, "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."

But this solemn acting was not to be from suspicion, however strong the grounds for it might be. The case must first be clearly manifested. If there were the least question about it, the priest was to shut the man up for seven days, and then look at him again the seventh day; if he is not then satisfied, he might shut him up for "seven days more," and the priest shall look on him again the seventh day, when he might expect the case to be made so clear as to be able to pronounce him clean or unclean. We find this principle of declining to act before sufficient and unquestionable evidence has been forthcoming, running through Scripture. On another matter we read: "Then shalt thou inquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and behold if it be truth, and the thing certain." (Deut. 13:14.) We read also, both in the Old and New Testaments, the importance of having the assured testimony of two or three witnesses. (Deut. 19:15; Matt. 18:16; 2 Cor. 13:1.) It need scarcely be added how important this principle of action is in dealing with cases in connection with the discipline of God's assembly. While diligent investigation and prayer to God to make manifest are to be commended, nothing can excuse haste in acting before the evil is most certainly made clear, rendering the person unfit for the assembly of God, until he shall be clean.

Now, in all such cases, we cannot be too strongly impressed with the necessity of having our judgement based on facts — all the facts, on both sides. We must not allow ourselves to be guided by our own impressions, for we all know that mere impressions are most untrustworthy. They may be correct; and they may be utterly false. Nothing is more easily received and conveyed than a false impression, and therefore any judgement based on mere impressions is worthless. We must have solid, clearly established facts — facts established by two or three witnesses, as scripture so distinctly enforces. (Deut. 17:6; Matt. 18:16; 2 Cor. 13:1; 1 Tim. 5:19.)

Deuteronomy 19:16-18.

The question concerning this scripture is whether the directions here given have, in principle, any application to Church discipline. A brief exposition of the passage will best prepare the way for an answer. It will be noted that the instructions of the chapter were given in view of the land into which the Lord was bringing His people. The priests and the judges will therefore represent the channels of the communication of the mind of God (the priests), and the governing authorities (the judges). From v. 15 onwards, the subject dealt with is what may be termed the law of evidence; and it is expressly enjoined that in no case should a man be condemned at the mouth of one witness; that no accusation against another must be accepted unless substantiated by at least two witnesses. The apostle Paul alludes to this, and affirms the principle (2 Cor. 13); and how much sorrow and confusion would have been avoided had saints everywhere accepted, and acted in accordance with it. The readiness, indeed, with which false reports and accusations are received and circulated, calls loudly for humiliation before God. Having dealt with what constitutes sufficient evidence, Moses next treats of the case of a false witness, and lays down most exactly the order of procedure to be observed. Both the witness and the man against whom he has brought a charge are to "stand before the Lord, before the priests, and the judges … and the judges shall make diligent inquisition." From Matthew 18 we learn that in case of personal trespass, which cannot be settled privately, the Church is the ultimate court of appeal. To stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges, in Deuteronomy, therefore, will entirely correspond with an assembly investigation now; and the responsibility of undertaking the examination, in both cases, lies upon those who are in the place of rule or government - that is, if we speak of the assembly, upon those who, in fellowship with their brethren, have the place of lead, and possess the confidence of the saints. Then, lastly, if it be proved that the witness has testified falsely, the punishment to be inflicted is specified. But this was under the legal dispensation; and hence, for a similar sin, on its being detected and exposed, the discipline to be meted out must be gleaned from the New Testament scriptures. There is no need, and in fact this would not be the place, to go into details. But it may be remarked that the character of the false testimony - whether unwittingly or wittingly brought - would have to be carefully enquired into before the suited discipline could be declared. Finally, it may be added that the Scriptures are all-sufficient for guidance; although the use and application of these can only be made in communion with the mind of God, in the power of the Holy Ghost. Suppose, for example, one guilty of false testimony should refuse to submit to the judgment of the assembly; the person sinned against is directed as to his attitude towards such a one in Matt. 18:17; in other cases, where 1 Cor. 5:13 has not been deemed applicable, Rom. 16:17, 2 Thess. 3:6, 14, 15, and similar scriptures, will furnish the requisite wisdom. But as to our own state of soul (if it be a case of sin against ourselves), let us never forget the searching word contained in Col. 3:13 and Eph. 4:32.

And be it remembered, that this great practical principle is not confined in its application to cases of discipline, or questions connected with an assembly of the Lord's people; it is of universal application. We should never allow ourselves to form a judgement or come to a conclusion without the divinely appointed measure of evidence; if that be not forthcoming, it is our plain duty to wait, and if it be needful for us judge in the case, God will, in due time, furnish needed evidence. We have known a case in which a man was falsely accused because the accuser based his charge upon the evidence of one of his senses; had he taken the trouble of getting the evidence of one or two more of his senses, he would not have made the charge.

It might occur in Israel that a report would reach the ears of anyone to the effect that a city has been influenced by corrupt men to adopt the practice of worshiping false gods (vs.12-13). Then those who hear the report become responsible to check on its accuracy. They must not judge unrighteously, nor on the basis of what they first hear, but must "inquire, search out, and ask diligently" (v.14). Only when the fact was established without question that such idol worship was practiced, then the city must be attacked with the edge of the sword, with everything in it devoted to destruction, not a thing taken even as plunder (vs.15-16).

In Deut. 18:10-11 there is a list of things bearing on our subject which were denounced by the Lord: