John 8
-Though some of
the early manuscripts that we have did not include the section from this
episode on the adulterous woman, I personally believe that these events
happened and are inspired by the Holy Spirit. Jesus had gone to the Mount of
Olives, just across the Kidron Valley on the eastern side of Jerusalem. This is
where He would spend much time praying, where He was betrayed, where He would
ascend post-resurrection, and where He will one day return to this earth
(Zechariah 14:4, Matthew 26:30-50, Luke 22:39-40, Acts 1:9-12). From there,
early in the morning, He came again into the Temple, and many people were
coming to Him. He sat down and began to teach the wisdom of the Kingdom. While
this was occurring, the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman who had been
caught in the very act of adultery. She was set in the center of the court, and
the religious leaders began to test Jesus with her to see what He would say in
regards to their laws. They wanted grounds to accuse Him, which I believe shows
their knowledge of His love and compassion for all people from the very
beginning of this incident. Instead of taking their bait, Jesus, in all His
supernatural wisdom, stooped down and with His Finger wrote on the ground. The
text is not specific as to what He wrote, though many men of God have
speculated on this through the millennia. No doubt He was seeking the LORD’s
will and desire in this matter with a perfect unity of purpose. The leaders
persisted in asking Him what He would do. With this, Jesus straightened up, and
said to them matter-of-factly and simply, “He who is without sin among you, let
him be the first to throw a stone at
her.” Then He went back to writing on the ground by stooping down again. When
those accusers heard this, they began to go away one-by-one beginning with the
older ones. Jesus was soon left alone with the woman in that courtyard.
Standing back up fully, Jesus asked, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn
you?” She responded, “No one, Lord.” Then He exclaimed, “I do not condemn you,
either, Go. From now on sin no more (John 8:1-11).”
-Then, Jesus continued His teaching by speaking to His
listeners, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in
darkness, but will have the Light of life.” The Pharisees, who were often there
observing, but seldom comprehending or believing, started an argument, “You are
testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true.” Jesus answered their
accusation, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is true, for I know
where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from
or where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone.
But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent
Me.” He then explained to them the details of the Law as far as the number of
witnesses to pronounce a testimony as true. He and His Father bearing witness
verified His testimony. So they wanted to know who His Father was. Jesus
answered this by stating, “You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me,
you would know My Father also.” Jesus spoke these words in the treasury as He
continued to teach in the Temple area, and no one seized Him because His time
had not yet come for incarceration (John 8:12-20).
-Then He reiterated, “I go away, and you will seek Me, and
will die in your sin; where I am going you cannot come.” The Jews thought He
might be speaking of suicide or something. So the Lord clarified, “You are from
below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.” Then He
taught that unless they believed in Him, in others words the Messiah, they
would die in their sins, thus not being allowed in His Kingdom’s presence. This
mystified these religious people. They questioned, “Who are You?” So Jesus
maintained, “What have I been saying to you from
the beginning? I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you, but He
who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to
the world.” They had not perceived that He had been speaking to them about
Yahweh, the Father. Therefore, just to make clear the point, Jesus let them
know that when they lifted Him up (a prophecy here), they would know that He
was the One that did nothing of His own initiative, but only taught the things
His Father taught Him. Then He maintained once more, “And He who sent Me is
with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing
to Him.” As these things were being spoken, many actually came to believe in
Him (John 8:21-30). God’s work was being accomplished even through much
adversity.
-*Application*- Our
witness will not always be met with open arms and acceptance. Often there is a
struggle between good and evil with the presentation of the supernatural ways
of a loving God. Many people will not understand, and even be antagonistic
towards the truth. Keep loving them with compassion and explaining the Father
to them anyway, just like Jesus did. When we do, we will see people come to
trust in the Lord.
-The Lord now addresses those who had believed in Him by
picking up on the theme of abiding in Him who was the truth, “If you abide in
My word, then you are truly disciples
of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
These to whom He spoke thought of themselves as free already, so Jesus had to teach
them about how sin makes humanity slaves. Real freedom comes only from the Son
who releases His children from the bondage of sin and depravity (Romans 7:14-8:16).
Then, He revealed the hearts of some of those who wanted to kill Him, “I know
that you are Abraham’s offspring; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has
no place in you.” After that, He restated His position with the Father in doing
the things He has seen with Him. Then, He rebuked those whose father was the
enemy and told them if they were really Abraham’s children to do the deeds of
their ancestor. Seeking to kill a Man of truth who was from God is not what
Abraham was about. Christ plainly revealed that they were under the dominion of
another father, Satan, or the devil. They pronounced that they were not born of
fornication (possibly a slight on Christ’s character here with His reputation
of being Mary’s illegitimate Son), and that God was their Father. But, Jesus
told them that if this were so, they would love Him because He proceeded forth
from the Father, not of His own initiative, but as a Man who was sent. He
wondered why they did not understand what He was saying, and then concluded
that it was because they could not hear His word since their father was the
devil and they wanted to do his desires. He, Satan, was a murderer from the get
go and does not stand in the truth. In other words, the devil is a liar and the
father of all lies. That is his nature, but because Jesus was proclaiming the
truth, He was not believed by this deceived bunch. Jesus boldly makes a
concluding statement, “Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth,
why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears the words of God; for this
reason you do not hear them, because
you are not of God.” The angered Jews retorted, “Do we not say rightly that You
are a Samaritan and have a demon?” This underhanded, half-breed, insult did not
deter the Messiah, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor
Me. But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges. Truly,
truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.” Taken
back by this comment, the Jews now thought even more that He was demon
possessed. They knew that Abraham and the prophets, as great as they were, all
died and tasted death. They wondered aloud who Jesus made Himself out to be. Jesus
answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who
glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’; and you have not come to know
Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I shall be a liar
like you, but I do know Him, and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to
see My day, and he saw it and was
glad.” Offended, the Jews purported, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have
You seen Abraham?” Jesus then spoke in Messianic language they could all
understand, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM
(emphasis mine).” Because they perceived this to be a blasphemous statement as
He equated Himself with the LORD, they picked up stones to hurl at Him, but
Jesus was able to hide Himself and escaped out of the Temple (John 8:31-59).
-*Application*- The
truth is what sets us free, not some man-made traditions and complications.
These Jews were counting on ancestry to save them, not a Messiah, which had
clearly been revealed by Abraham and the prophets of the Old Testament. This is
a reminder that we are all born in sin and have a deceptive nature apart from
coming to the Savior and making His truth our truth. His freedom is freedom
indeed because it breaks us from the bondage of sin. And, it is the only way to
eternal life. Accept His word and don’t deny it like many of these Jews did
that Jesus was trying to reach with the gospel.
Verses to Memorize:
John 8:12, 36, 42, 44, 58
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