Bible Encyclopedias
Adjuration

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature

This is a solemn act or appeal, whereby one man, usually a person vested with natural or official authority, imposes upon another the obligation of speaking or acting as if under the solemnity of an oath. We have an example of this in the New Testament, when the high-priest thus calls upon Christ, 'I adjure thee by the living God, tell us'etc.—(Matthew 26:63; see also Mark 5:7; Acts 19:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:27). An oath, although thus imposed upon one without his consent, was not only binding, but solemn in the highest degree; and when connected with a question, an answer was compulsory, which answer being as upon oath, any falsehood in it would be perjury. Thus our Savior, who had previously disdained to reply to the charges brought against him, now felt himself bound to answer the question put to him.

 

 

 

 

Bibliography Information
Kitto, John, ed. Entry for 'Adjuration'. "Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature". https://www.studylight.org/​encyclopedias/​eng/​kbe/​a/adjuration.html.