Tyndale Open Study NotesJohn 8

It is likely that someone added this story to John's Gospel later, since it is not in the earliest Greek manuscripts. However, it is likely a true story from the life of Jesus.

The scribes and Pharisees: The teachers of religious law were Jewish scholars. They specialized in the Old Testament law and oral traditions that explained it.

The form of the Greek sentence emphasizes the legal claim against the woman. She had been caught while committing the sin of adultery. The law required two witnesses and carefully outlined what evidence was needed.

• In the Law Moses commanded us to stone: This suggests the woman was engaged or married (Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:23–24). The law also indicates that the man who sinned with her must die as well. But these Jewish religious leaders ignored that part of the law.

• They could have dealt with the situation privately to avoid shaming her. But their real intention was to condemn Jesus instead. They asked him, So what do you say?

  Would he neglect the law since he had a reputation for mercy? Or would he ignore the woman’s tragedy?

We cannot know what Jesus wrote in the dust. Some scholars suggest he wrote down the sins of those who were accusing the woman.

The answer Jesus gave did not mean that someone who makes an accusation must be morally perfect to make legal claims. He referred to him who is without sin to point to the motives of those accusing her.

they began to go away one by one: One of the people accusing her left, then another, followed by several people who had been standing there watching what was happening.

neither do I: Jesus spoke words of assurance, but this did not suggest that the woman was innocent. Jesus takes sin and judgment seriously, but he shows grace and forgiveness to those overcome by sin.

The debate about whether Jesus is the Messiah continues from 7:52. Jesus remained at the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. During the feast, the conflicts Jesus encountered in chapter 7 continued and intensified.

During the Festival of Tabernacles, people filled 16 gold bowls in the temple's inner courts with oil and lit them. Jesus stood under these lights in the temple and said that he was now the source of the light of the world (8:20). The light of Jesus brings salvation to both Israel and the world, regardless of race or location.

The Pharisees argued that what Jesus was saying about himself was not valid because Jewish law requires more than one witness (Deuteronomy 19:15; compare John 5:31–32; see 8:17).

Jesus responded to the Pharisees' accusations. He said he could make these claims about himself because he knew both his origin and his destination were heaven. He then said the most important witness for his case was his Father who sent him (8:16).

Throughout the feast, those listening to Jesus proved they were in darkness as they misunderstood him. They wanted to meet the father of Jesus, who is God. Since they did not truly know God, they were unable to understand Jesus.

• The treasury was in the section of the temple called the Court of the Women. Jesus often taught there so both men and women could listen (Mark 12:41).

• His hour: See notes on John 2:4; 12:23.

In the earlier debate at the feast, people questioned where Jesus came from (7:27). Here, Jesus talked about returning to where he came from (heaven). However, once again, his words were misunderstood by the people listening.

Jesus told his listeners that they were from below, while he was from above (3:31; see study note on 3:3).

From below refers to human life limited to this world. From above refers to heaven and to God’s realm.

Because they were thinking only in earthly terms, they could not understand what Jesus meant. His origin and authority came from God.

• unless you believe that I am He: Jesus used God's divine name (see 4:26; Exodus 3:14). His listeners did not fully understand the meaning of his words (John 8:25).

• die in your sins: Jesus is the light who has come into the world. His presence offers the only way of salvation. If people reject him, they remain in darkness and do not receive life.

Who are you?: Later, they understood what he was claiming about himself. They believed he was showing dishonor toward God. Because of this, they tried to stone him (8:59).

The Synoptic Gospels describe Jesus as predicting his death three times (for example, Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:33–34).

The Gospel of John presents this theme in a different way. Jesus speaks about being lifted up (John 3:14; 8:28; 12:33–34). This phrase refers to his crucifixion and also to his glory. The Father directs the course of events. The death of Jesus did not happen by accident, but according to God’s plan.

Once again, the crowd at the feast was divided. Earlier, the discussion had ended with plans to arrest Jesus (8:20). Now many people believed in him. They were persuaded that he was speaking the truth.

However, when Jesus spoke more clearly about who he really was, their faith was tested. As his full identity became known, some struggled to accept his words (8:31–59).

• Discipleship involves more than just knowing who Jesus is. It also requires obeying his teachings (3:36; 14:15, 21, 23; 15:10).

• Because Jesus is the truth, knowing him helps a person understand what is true and what is false (14:6).

• set you free: The truth frees a person from darkness, lies, and sin.

• Jesus challenged a common belief about Israel as God’s chosen people. Many thought that being descendants of Abraham gave them special privilege and protection.

  Instead of seeing this heritage as a responsibility to obey God, some treated it as a guarantee of safety. However, the prophets had warned that privilege brings accountability (compare Amos 3:1–15).

• The people did not understand what Jesus meant by set free. He was not talking about freedom from human slavery. He meant freedom from spiritual slavery to sin (John 8:34).

  True freedom comes through the truth. It does not come from family history or religious background (8:32; Romans 6:17; 8:2; 1 John 3:4, 8, 9).

Jesus explained his argument: If Israel is a spiritual slave, it has the same insecurity as any slave in a household. Family members are secure, but slaves are not. Only Jesus can change the status of those in spiritual slavery, making them free and secure.

The leaders' plan to kill Jesus revealed their true identity (5:18). They were part of a different spiritual family, and their spiritual father was not Jesus's Father. They were relying on the fact that their ancestral father was Abraham, but Jesus challenged their spiritual heritage.

The most important part of his challenge comes in 8:44.

• your father: Jesus knew who controlled them.

• We are not illegitimate children: This statement acted as both a defense and an attack. The Greek text emphasizes the pronoun we. In other words, “We [in contrast to you] are not illegitimate.” They are suggesting that Jesus was illegitimate (see Matthew 1:18–25).

Since the unbelieving people did not love Jesus (8:42; 1 John 5:1), they were not children of the Father in heaven who sent his beloved Son (John 8:47). Their desire to kill God’s Son showed their true spiritual heritage. This was the work of the devil, who brought death to the world (see Genesis 3:1–20; Romans 5:12–14).

By calling Jesus a Samaritan with a demon, his opponents used a racial insult to dismiss his accusations (see study note on 4:4–6). They claimed Jesus was demon-possessed to counter his claim that they belonged to Satan (also 7:20; 8:52; 10:20; 8:44).

Jesus rightly replied that these words were deeply offensive. In fact, it was a serious and unforgivable offense (Mark 3:22–29).

Who do You claim to be?: This question was hostile and aggressive. However, if Jesus is immortal, ruling over life and death, then he is greater than Abraham, the prophets, or any of the greatest people in Israel’s history (8:58).

Like his opponents, Jesus appealed to Abraham. Rabbis taught that God had given Abraham prophetic insight, teaching him about the coming age of the Messiah.

You are not yet fifty years old: The Jewish leaders misunderstood Jesus. Jesus was not talking about his physical age. He was speaking about his divine pre-existence (his existence before he was born as a human).

• before Abraham was born, I am!: The life of Jesus spans the past from before creation and continues forever (1:1–2).

• I am: This title recalls the name of God revealed to Moses at Mount Sinai (Exodus 3:14; compare John 4:26; Isaiah 43:11–13; 48:12).

• Those listening to Jesus finally understood his claim to be God (8:58). Because of this, they became very angry. They believed they had heard blasphemy (words that dishonored God) and picked up stones to throw at him, which was the proper legal response (Leviticus 24:16).

• Jesus was hidden from them because God had chosen a different time for his death (see study note on John 12:23; see also 7:30, 44; Luke 4:29–30).