Jewish Law and Johannine Vocabulary: ἀληϑής 95 deliberately breaks the laws of the Torah34, e.g. the Sabbath laws (5,10; 9,14.16)35. Amongst ineligibles are relatives, who may testify neither for nor against each other. The Father’s testimony on behalf of Jesus (5,32.37) would hardly be admissible as such –no one gave credence to a voice from heaven– but this will not exclude the pair’s testifying (8,16. l8.29) on matter’s concerning the agency. See Is 43,10-11. If Z denies his part in the business mediated by Y both X and Y may be heard against Z. It may be argued that X’s and Y’s interests are identical, and their evidence excluded on that ground. However, the interests of a principal and his agent are not to be presumed to be identical. X has no suit at law against Y for defalcations, etc., but there are other measures at his disposal (Lk l6,2d,3). 4. Conclusion John has neologized. Ἀληθής in these cases means “legally admissible, legitimate” (representing šarîra’): the transaction is valid and cannot be impugned. Both in testimony and in agency it corresponds to qayyām. Testimony may be ne’emān worthy of belief, but that is another aspect of the matter. Neither actually means “true-as-fact”. The testimony which is “valid” is valid in the same sense as the Law of Moses (9,29; Bab. Talm., Šab. 30a), divine words. No one disputed the validity of the Law of Moses until the European Enlightenment. In classical Greek ἀληθής can mean “unerring” (Aeschylus, Theb. 710, 944) but this is rare. John’s real precedent was the rather unusual Heb. word nākôn36, “established”. One notes Gen 41,32 (LXX ἀληθές); Dt 13,15 (ἀληθής); 17,4 (ἀληθές); also Job 42,7-8 (ἀληθές); Ps 5,10(9) (ἀλήθεια). There is 1 Sam 25,4; and perhaps 2Cor 6,8 is similar (see also Jn 10,4l). At Jn 5,32; 6,55; 7,28; 8,26 (cf. 18,37) the word means “truthful”, and ἀλήθεια at 8,44 and 18,38 must be “truth”. John works the position through. The motive for the agency is that everyone should be saved, with everlasting life37. The means is the hearers’ faith in Jesus, i.e. in God, since Jesus follows God’s instructions (12,44). His teaching is God’s teaching38. The will of the Father dominates (4,34; Maimonides, x,2-4. 34 Maimonides, xii,1. 35 Noted by H. Cremer, Biblico-theological Lexicon of New Testament Greek (EV; Edin- 36 burgh 1872) 61. Bovati, Re-establishing Justice, 252-3. Jn 3,15-17.36; 5,24.34.40; 6,40. 37 Jn 3,34; 7,16; 12,49-50. 38