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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
Next he adds also the reason of the threat, that it is on good grounds, that it is just; for this contributes to confidence, when we show that it is just. For, he says, "He that hath despised Moses' law dies without mercy, under two or three witnesses." "Without mercy," he says; so that there is no pardon, no pity there although the law is of Moses; for he ordained the most of it. What is "under two or three"? If two or three bore witness, he means, they immediately suffered punishment.
Theophylact of Ohrid
From the lesser he proves the justice of the future punishment, so that his word too would have more credibility. He calls the Law Mosaic because Moses established much of it. The connection of the speech is as follows: if someone rejected the law of Moses, then in the presence of two or three witnesses "he is punished by death without mercy," that is, if it were declared by two or three witnesses that he had violated the law.
Oecumenius
"Anyone who has rejected Moses' law." A comparison is made from the lesser. For he wishes to show the destruction by fire justly inflicted against the adversaries. However, he speaks of the law to Moses (Lev. 4:26), because he commanded many things that are contained in the law. "on the testimony of two or three witnesses."If two or three had testified, there was no longer a place for mercy or pardon, but he would die. …
Western Saints
Thomas Aquinas
519. – Then (v. 28) he proves what he had said about the terror of the judgment: first, by arguing from the lesser; secondly, by an authority (v. 30). He takes the first from the Law. For a person deserves a greater punishment to the degree that he scorns a more sacred thing. Therefore, since the Old Testament is not as sacred as the New, but a transgressor of the Old was punished very severely, it follows that a transgressor of the New should be punished even more severely. …
Bonaventure
When someone is worthy of eternal life, through sin he makes himself worthy of eternal death. Such a one must be greatly punished. Whence the Apostle to the Hebrews: "He who makes void the Law of Moses dies without any mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. …
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