Matthew 26:60-61

“…at last two false witnesses came forward and said ‘This fellow said “I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.” ’ ”

The chief priests and the elders were in a fix because they needed to condemn Jesus, but they couldn’t get any real evidence against Him. They were determined to carry out their wicked agenda, but they needed a legitimate reason to do it. And finally, these false witnesses came forward to clinch the deal by presenting Jesus’ exact words, but they quoted Him completely out of context. Yes indeed, Jesus did utter those words but He was referring to the temple of His body and not the physical temple.

Don’t be surprised when people quote you out of context so that they can give you a bad name. They did it to Jesus and they will do it to us. What we need to be careful about is to ensure that we don’t quote people out of context. If we must refer to what people say, we must ensure that it fits in logically with the context or framework in which it was originally spoken. Don’t be a false witness. Remember, once the story context is misrepresented, we have become false witnesses.

“In the excitement of the moment, I have caught myself telling a story but not within the right context. Forgive me Lord for this sin and grant me the discipline to control my tongue. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”