John 8:1-20

 Presented in 2009, I presented this commentary by David Guzik to my class using some of his insights to spring-board into our own class discussion/Bible study.
David Guzik is an outstanding teacher as well as being a pastor he is also a former missionary and currently pastors a church in California.

I encourage everyone reading this to not only to read and regard this as someone else’s take or observations, but as in all of the studies on this blog, to use these scriptural references as the starting or “take off” point for your own study .

As always make sure everything you study or hear lines up with Scripture (including your own study). Scripture is indeed the one true standard on which every statement, observation, attitude or teaching can be judged.
The comments in green bold italics are mine as prepared for this blog. There are other comments of mine contained in this blog post that were not differentiated at the time this study was presented the jail Bible study class. 

 An adulteress is brought before Jesus for judgment.
1.    Textual questions on John 7:53 through 8:11.
a.     From manuscript current evidence, it seems unlikely that this portion (7:53-8:11) was part of the original text of John’s gospel, or at least in this place.
b.    The majority of ancient Greek manuscripts omit this section
c.    Many later manuscripts mark this section with asterisks
d.    One group of manuscripts inserts it after Luke 21:38
e.    A few have this section after John 21:24, and one has it after John 7:36
·     
    All this shows that ancient scribes were unsure of its exact position, but were anxious to retain it in the gospel records – they knew it fit somewhere.. They didn’t exactly know where though. Some ancient Christians (like Augustine and Ambrose) omitted this account, not so much because of the textual evidence, but because they thought it made Jesus appear to condone sexual immorality.

It is very important to realize that Jesus WAS NOT CONDONING HER SIN! He was pointing out the fact that the religious leaders were showing their hypocrisy as well as using this woman’s sin to try to trap Him.
We all know that if we are going to help sinners we must go where they are, but in so doing, Jesus DID NOT ONCE participate in anyone’s sin. He told the woman in this account to “go and sin no more”.
·      
   At the same time, the character of the story makes it seem obvious that it is genuine, and most scholars note that it is historical and factual. Early Christian writers mention this event as soon as the early second century (100 a.d.). We have every reason to believe that this actually happened, and that John really wrote this.

2. (7:53-8:6a) A woman is brought to Jesus, caught in the act of adultery.
And everyone went to his own house. But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?" This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him.

a.    Brought to Him a woman caught in adultery: They set a trap for Jesus. If Jesus says, "Let her go," then it seems that He breaks the Mosaic Law. If he says, "Execute her for the crime of adultery," then Jesus seems harsh and He breaks Roman law, because the Romans had taken away the right of Jews to officially execute people for religious offenses.

b.     Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned: Did they really execute people for adultery in Israel? It is true that adultery was a capital offense under Jewish law, but the rules for evidence in capital cases were extremely strict. The actual act had to be observed by multiple witnesses who agreed exactly in their testimony. So, as a practical matter, virtually no one was executed for adultery, since this is a private sin.

c.     This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him: These wretched men used this woman as a weapon against Jesus.
·         They cared nothing for true righteousness, for it is evident that they set her up. They claim that this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act - yet they do not bring the guilty man before Jesus. It’s possible that the man was one of their own number, and was simply setting the woman up as a pawn in their conflict with Jesus.

Then, as today, the Middle East very patriarchal - women are property. For this reason, whether a practical matter or not, women WERE executed for adultery but not often. The problem the Jews had as far as execution went was with the Romans who took that power away from the Jews.  It was not very hard to get two witnesses to agree exactly in their testimony as required under Jewish law.

They see clearly see the sin in others, but are blind to the sin in themselves
Great conflict with Jesus – He was spoiling their gig...The Jewish leaders, with the Jewish people supporting them were the reason Jesus was crucified. They got Pilot’s approval to crucify Jesus by basically blackmail

The law could always be circumvented. Paul was stoned. Jewish religious leaders were going to try to stone Jesus in the last verse of this chapter. This woman was being used to get at Jesus.
J
ews mostly used social isolation in this situation or what we would call excommunication. This was and is very effective.

3. (6b) Jesus ignores them, as if He never heard them.
But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.

a.       As though He did not hear: Why did Jesus ignore them? Some think it was because He despised them; others say that He was embarrassed for the woman’s sake. Still others say that He was horrified at what these men did to her.

b.      I don’t believe Jesus was “horrified at all. I think He was disgusted with them but fully expected this attitude. I think He was figuratively rolling His eyes as he was preparing His lesson to them and us.

c.        I know He is very patient with us “not getting it” and I believe that although He was disgusted with the religious leaders of that time, just like now, He still won’t and didn’t give up on them or us.

Wrote on the ground with His finger:

a.       What did Jesus write? No one can know for certain. He may have listed their names or their sins; or simply doodled; He may have followed Roman judicial practice and wrote out His sentence before He pronounced it.

b.      Or, He may have written out a passage like Exodus 23:1: Do not put your hand with the wicked to be an. unrighteous witness

c.       We can only guess what He wrote We can guess and study out our speculation, but for now at least,  let’s use our time for something besides speculation.

d.      Regarding speculation on this point, He could have written everything mentioned.

4. (7-9) Jesus passes sentence upon the woman - and her accusers.
So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And 

Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

a.    In Jewish law, witnesses to the capital offense began the stoning. When Jesus said, He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first, He was really said, "All right, let’s execute her. But let’s do it right. One of the witnesses has to have a hand in her execution. So who among you is the one who witnessed this crime, but only brought to Me the woman, not the man?"

b.    Jesus makes it plain - whoever the witness is, whoever the one who has the right to cast the first stone is, he is as guilty as the woman taken in adultery, because of his hypocrisy.

c.  Jewish law required two or more witnesses.

d.     Went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last: Why did they leave in this order? Perhaps the oldest left first because they most easily understood that Jesus was talking about them.

e.     Or, others think that Jesus was writing on the ground an account of their own sins, beginning from the oldest to the youngest, and this explains the order of their departure.

f.     Being convicted by their conscience: The embarrassment was no longer His, but theirs. If anyone tries to embarrass Jesus, they will instead find themselves put to shame. – Jesus, being the light of the world was a master and is a master at exposing darkness.

5. (10-11) Jesus challenges the woman to sin no more. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."

a.    Has no one condemned you? With her accusers gone, there was no one left to condemn the woman, and Jesus Himself did not condemn her. In the same way, there is no condemnation for those who are in Jesus (Romans 8:1).

a·         Some debate whether or not Jesus actually forgave the woman. It’s probably a pointless angle to discuss, because Jesus certainly showed the woman mercy and He called her to repentance (go and sin no more).

b.    Neither do I condemn you: If the law of Moses condemned the woman, what right did Jesus have to show her mercy? Was His display of mercy against the righteousness of God? Not at all - Jesus’ mercy on the woman was righteous, because though she did in fact sin, she was only a pawn in a larger scheme against Jesus.
6.(12) Jesus, the light of the world. Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

a. I am the light of the world: Light was an important symbol in the Feast of Tabernacles. During the feast, many emblems and ceremonies remembered the pillar of fire that gave light to Israel during the Exodus. Now, Jesus takes this important symbol and simply applies it to Himself: I am the light of the world.

b.    He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness: Jesus, being the light of the world, brings light to those who follow Him. If we are not abiding in Jesus, we are not in the light. – 

Remember the pillar of fire and cloud leading the Israelites in the wilderness? (Ex 13:21, 14:9, 16:10) – the Light leads us. Jesus is The Word (Jn 1:1) – it leads us. Jesus is The Light (John 1:7….)

c·         The other important picture of light in the Bible relates it to God’s Word: Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Psalm 119:105). Oh, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me (Psalm 43:3).

d·         ii. Since Jesus is the Word (John 1:1), it makes perfect sense that He is also the light. Heb 1:3 tells us Jesus is God’s EXACT image. Leading=Leading, Light=Light, Glory=Glory