John 8

John 8:1

In the last verse of chapter 7, we read that, following the Feast of Tabernacles, every man went unto his own house. Not having a house, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane, nestled on the slope of the Mount of Olives, in order to commune with His Father. So frequently did Jesus do this, Judas would later know right where to find Him at the time of his betrayal.

John 8:2

The morning after the conclusion of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus was in the temple, ready to meet with any who might seek Him. “I love them that love Me,” declares the Lord, “and those that seek Me early shall find Me” (Pro_8:17).

John 8:3

Caught in the act of adultery, the woman was brought, perhaps naked, to the Rabbi from Galilee.

John 8:5

While Leviticus 20 and Deuteronomy 22 both declare adultery to be a capital offense punishable by death, due to the severity of the sentence, there were safeguards to protect the innocent. That is, there could be no doubt about any of the details. The evidence had to be conclusive and unmistakable. In fact, there had to be a number of witnesses to the actual act of immorality. And their stories had to collaborate perfectly. History tells us that one couple was set free simply because the witnesses who observed their adulterous act couldn’t name the tree under which it took place. Consequently, the Jewish historian Josephus tells us adultery would be punished on the average of only once every seven years. If Jesus said, “Stone her,” He would jeopardize His position as Friend of Sinners. Prostitutes and publicans, tax collectors and street people would no longer feel comfortable around Him, knowing He had sentenced one of their own to death. If, on the other hand, He said, “Let her go,” He would be dishonoring the very Word of God He had come to fulfill (Mat_5:17).

John 8:6

Had these scribes and Pharisees been truly interested in justice, why didn’t they bring the man along with the woman? Most scholars believe it was because it was a setup to entrap Jesus and that the man himself was in collusion with them. It was the finger of God that wrote, “Thou shalt not commit adultery” in tablets of stone (see Exo_31:18). Two thousand years later, we see the finger of God once morethis time on the hand of Jesus Christ, writing in the dust of the earth.

John 8:7

In defense of the woman, the Rock of Ages stood up to the men who held rocks in their hands. Commentator J. Allen Blair properly translates Jesus’ statement as: “Let he who is without the same sin cast the first stone.”

John 8:8

What did Jesus write that would cause the men to become so heavily convicted? I suggest what He wrote was in fulfillment of Jer_17:13, where Jeremiah prophesied that the names of all who forsook the Lord would be written in the earth. I suggest He wrote the names of those who held rocks in their handsand by each one a female name, a date, a place, or some other reminder of something in their past that they themselves may have long ago forgotten. Am I suggesting that all of the scribes and Pharisees present had committed adultery or that they were all involved in immorality? All I know is this: Jesus said if a man looked on a woman with lust in his heart, he was guilty (Mat_5:28). Therefore, the words Jesus wrote on the ground were, very possibly, reminders that, because none of them was without sin, none of them was qualified to cast a stone.

John 8:10

Finally, when all her accusers were gone, Jesus lifted up His eyes and spoke to the woman. Notice He didn’t call her, “harlot” or “sinner”. He called her gune, or “woman"the same title with which He had addressed His mother (Joh_2:4).

John 8:11

The scribes and Pharisees called Jesus “Master” or “Rabbi.” The woman called Him “Lord.” In the strictest sense of the word, Jesus couldn’t have condemned her because the Law of Moses specifically states that it took a minimum of two witnesses to condemn someone (Deu_19:15). Therefore, in dismissing the scribes and Pharisees who had witnessed her sin, Jesus relinquished His opportunity to condemn her. Jesus didn’t say, “I won’t condemn you this time, but if it happens once more, you’re toast.” No, He said, “Go your way, free to sin no more.”

John 8:12

How I love the serenity and tranquility of our Lord. He never was and never is uptight. He had every reason to object to the rude intrusion of the keyhole-peeping, sin-sniffing, self-righteous Pharisees (verse Joh_8:1). But He didn’t. He simply used their interruption as an illustration. And just as a jeweler most effectively displays the radiance of his gems against a background of black, so the next statement Jesus would make would be seen all the more vividly when placed against the backdrop of the blackness and darkness of what had preceded it. During the years of the wilderness wanderings, the tabernacle was lit by the shekinah glory of God (Exo_40:34). Later, the temple was also filled with the glory of God (2Ch_7:1). But because the people chose to live in darkness, there came a point when the tangible, visible presence of the light of God departed (Eze_10:18). Consequently, the people of God had to light candles and trim lamps in the temple because the shekinah, the true light, had long since departed. Now, here stands Jesus, perhaps right in front of one of the candlesticks in the temple, saying, “I am the Light of lifethe shekinah, the glory. I’m back.” And I suggest He made this declaration with a smile on His face and His arms outstretched as He offered Himself to them.

John 8:13

After one thousand years, the glory returned in the Person of Jesus Christ. Yet what did the Pharisees do? They questioned Him, rejected Him, and, finally, extinguished Him.

John 8:14

Jesus said this not to defend Himself but to condemn those who declared His words invalid on the grounds that He lacked a second witness (Deu_19:15). Jesus’ second witness was His Father, who validated Jesus’ mission and position when He said, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased,” on the day of His baptism (Mat_3:17).

John 8:20

The word “he” is italicized in your Bible because the original manuscript reads “for if ye believe not that I am, ye shall die in your sins.” The singular issue of salvation is one of believing that Jesus is I AM, that Jesus is God. It’s not enough to believe Jesus is a good guy, a great guru, or even the Son of God. The Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Moonies and cults down the line are all damned in their teachings because they deny this most essential, basic truth of salvation in denying that Jesus is God. “Here’s the fire, and here’s the wood, but where’s the sacrifice?” Isaac asked Abraham on Mount Moriah, which today is known as Calvary. “God shall provide Himself a lamb,” Abraham answered prophetically (see Gen_22:8). Abraham didn’t say, “God shall provide for Himself a lamb.” He said, “God will Himself be the Lamb.” Therefore, if I say God did not Himself become a Lamb, if God Himself did not take on my sin but instead created a Son to die, I diminish what God did for me. And this is the great hinge of salvation that separates us from the cults. Every single cult robs Jesus Christ of deity. Some will say He’s God’s Son. Some will say He died for the sins of the world. Some will even say He rose again. But look a cultist in the eye and ask him if Jesus Christ is God, and he’ll say, “He’s God’s Son,” at best. And in so doing, he destroys what God did redemptively on his behalf.

John 8:25

It has been rightly said that the art of eloquence is knowing when not to speak. This is nowhere demonstrated more beautifully than in Jesus. As the Jews continue to badger Him, Jesus says, “There is so much I could say. But I only speak those things the Father instructs Me to say.”

John 8:27

The lifting up of the Son of Man speaks of the Cross. “When you see Me on the Cross, you’re going to know I AM,” declares Jesus. “When the sky is dark and the earth shakes; when the graves open and the veil is rent, you will at last understand that I AM.” It’s proof of His purity that not one of Jesus’ contemporaries raised an objection to this statement, that not one ever saw Him do anything that would not please God. On the contrary, even as He made this claim, many believed on Him.

John 8:31

The word “disciple” means “disciplined one.” Who are Jesus’ disciples, His disciplined ones? Those who continue in, take heed to, and make a high priority of His Word. And it is as they comprehend the truth of the Word that they are freereally, truly free. Really Set Free A Topical Study of Joh_8:32 After committing adultery with Bathsheba and then murdering her husband, David was sitting in his palace when Nathan the prophet came to him, saying, “There’s a poor man who lives next door to a wealthy man. The wealthy man threw a party and needed a lamb to serve his guests. Instead of taking one from his own flock, however, the wealthy man went to his neighbor’s house and took his only sheepthe family pet.” “What?!” said an enraged David. “That man shall surely die” (see 2Sa_12:5). That’s always the way it is when we sin. You see, Old Testament law prescribed restoration and restitution for such an offensenot the death penalty. But indignation and harsh judgment are always the result of the failure of sinners to see their own sin. How Sinners Treat Sinners Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man’s wife go aside, and commit a trespass against him, and a man lie with her carnally, and it be hid from the eyes of her husband…and the spirit of jealousy [suspicion] come upon him…then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest…and the priest shall bring her near, and set her before the LORD: And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water: And the priest shall charge her by an oath, and say unto the woman, If no man have lain with thee, and if thou hast not gone aside to uncleanness with another instead of thy husband, be thou free from this bitter water that causeth the curse: But if thou hast gone aside to another instead of thy husband, and if thou be defiled, and some man have lain with thee beside thine husband…the LORD make thee a curse and an oath among thy people, when the LORD doth make thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to swell; and this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot: And the woman shall say, Amen, amen. And when he hath made her to drink the water, then it shall come to pass, that, if she be defiled…the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter, and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot: and the woman shall be a curse among her people.Num_5:12-27 If you, as an Old Testament husband, suspected your wife was unfaithful, you would take her to the tabernacle or temple, where the priest would pour holy water into an earthen vessel, add dust from the floor, and give it to your wife to drink. If she was guilty, her belly would swell, her legs would trembleand she would be a curse among her people. Although they didn’t know it, this is exactly what was taking place as the scribes and Pharisees brought the woman taken in adultery to Jesus. You see, Israel being the wife of Jehovah (Ezekiel 16; Hosea 2), it was not the woman taken in adultery, but the nation of Israel who was already on trial. Think with me. Just as the Old Testament priest was to pour holy water into an earthen vessel, the water of the Word (Ephesians 5) was spoken through an earthen vesselJesus Christ. Just as the Old Testament priest was to add dust from the floor of the temple, so Jesus wrote in the dust of the floor of the temple. They thought they were bringing a woman caught in adultery, but in reality, the Jews themselves were on trial in the temple before the great High Priest, Jesus Christ. But they didn’t see it. They couldn’t understand it.

They missed the point because that’s what sin does. When you are caught up in sin, when you are enslaved by sin, you will not see the need you have personally. You’ll say, “I’m free. I’m okay. It’s them; it’s him; it’s her who’s in sin,” as you point your finger, find fault with, put blame on everyone else. Sinners treat sinners brutally.

It’s true. I will lash out at you most strongly for that sin that is most tempting to me. If you’re trying to prove you’re more deserving of blessing because you’re more righteous than the person sitting next to you, like the Pharisees, you’ll be a rock-thrower. Sin-sniffing, fault-finding, and keyhole-peeping always take place in the lives of those who do not understand the grace or goodness of Jesus. But if you realize you’re a sinner saved only by grace, you’ll see how far you are from what you could and should be in the Lord. And you’ll lose your interest in throwing rocks. How the Law Treats Sinners If there ever was a standard that would bring salvation, it would be the Old Testament law. It’s perfect (Psa_19:7). The problem is, we can’t live up to it. That is why I believe that in the midst of the accusations by the self-righteous Pharisees concerning the woman taken in adultery, Jesus wrote on the ground twice (Joh_8:8). You see, after Moses had received the law on Mount Sinai, he returned to the people only to find them worshiping the golden calf. In anger, he threw the tablets to the ground, where they shattereda picture physically of what the people had already done to the law spiritually (Exo_32:19). Moses returned to the Lord and was given a second copy of the law. This time, the tablets were not smashed, but carefully placed inside the ark of the covenant, covered by the mercy seat upon which blood was sprinkledwhich speaks of the only way the law can be kept. The ark speaks of Jesus Christ. He kept the law perfectlyand guess where you are. If you’re a Christian, you are in Christ (2Co_5:17) just as surely as the law was in the ark. Therefore, when the Father looks on you, He doesn’t see your sins and mistakes, your rebellion and iniquity. He sees His Son. Positionally, you are perfect because you are in Him. In Romans 7, Paul declares that we who are believers are dead to the law. This is the glory of biblical Christianityfor although the rules and regulations are still in effect, they no longer have jurisdiction over us because no court of law tries dead men. How the Savior Treats Sinners Having captured the ark of the covenant, the Philistines placed it in the temple of their fish god, Dagon (1Sa_5:2). The next morning, they entered the temple to find Dagon facedown before the ark of the covenant. The Philistines helped their god uponly to return the next day to find him prostrate before the ark once morethis time with head and hands cut off. “Something’s gotta go,” said the Philistines, so they sent the ark back to the Jews. The ark is a picture of Jesus Christ. What was in the ark? The tablets of stone, the Word of God. You might have some Dagon in your life right nowsome addiction, some habit, some problem you’ve been trying to get rid of, to push over. But the harder you try, the more frustrated you become. The key, gang, is not to deal with Dagon. The key is to bring in the ark. Bring in the Word. Stay in the Word. Study the Word. Obey the Word. And watch Dagon fall. “How shall a young man cleanse his way?” asked the psalmist. “By taking heed according to thy Word,” was his answer (see Psa_119:9). “Go your way and sin no more,” Jesus said to the woman taken in adultery. And by virtue of the very fact that the Lord said this, she would be free to sin no more. She didn’t need a syllabus. She didn’t need ten steps. She didn’t need a counseling appointment or a discussion group. She needed only the Truth to set her free. Precious people, God’s commandments are God’s “enablements.” Therefore, when He tells you to rejoice evermore (1Th_5:16), don’t say, “I can’t because I’m hurting.” When He tells you to love one another (Joh_15:12), don’t say, “Impossible. You don’t know my husband.” No, when the Lord speaks, there is power in the very commandment He gives. It’s so simple. If you just do what He says, you will find Him meeting you at that point, empowering you to keep His command. Nowhere in the New Testament will you find any other model than that of a simple command given, with the choice being either to reject it and walk away, or to believe it and obey. If you simply say, “Thank You, Lord. I choose this day to receive Your grace and obey Your command,” you will find you will be free. And he whom the Son sets free is free indeed.

John 8:33

“What do you mean be made free?” protested the Jews. “We’re the people of Israel. We’ve never been in bondage to any man.” Really? What about when they were in bondage to Pharaoh for four hundred years, baking bricks in the brutal, burning Egyptian sun century after century? What about the three-hundred-five-year period chronicled in the Book of Judges when they were in bondage to seven different nations? What about the year 722 B.C. when the Assyriansa people so cruel that merely upon hearing they were coming, many nations would commit mass suicideused fishhooks in the mouths of the Jews to lead them captive to Assyria? What about the Babylonians who, in 586 B.C., destroyed not only the temple, but the entire city of Jerusalem? What about the fact that even as they spoke these words, the Jews were in submission to Rome? Truly, their rejection of Jesus rendered these scribes and Pharisees incapable both of viewing their history correctly and discerning their situation presently.

John 8:34

The one who practices sin becomes enslaved to that sin. Nowhere is this truth more plainly illustrated than in the life of Samson. Samson took a Nazarite vow that forbade three things: touching dead bodies, drinking wine, and cutting his hair. Yet he touched dead carcasses (Jdg_14:8-9), and no doubt drank wine at the Philistine parties he attended. Therefore, when Delilah cut his hair, I’m convinced he thought nothing would happen because nothing had happened when he touched the carcass and drank the wine. But when Delilah said, “Samson, the Philistines are upon thee,” the third time, Samson was bound and taken captive to grind like an ox in prison because no one beats the rap. No one gets away indefinitely with sin and compromise.

John 8:35

The one who continually sins becomes enslaved to sin. And sin is a cruel master indeed. By offering pleasure for a season (Heb_11:25), it is initially comfortable to serve in the household of sin. But sooner than later, sin eventually throws everyone out on the street. “I know you are Abraham’s seed,” Jesus says in verse Joh_8:37. “You are not Abraham’s children,” He says in verse Joh_8:39. Is this a contradiction? No. Abraham’s seed and Abraham’s children are two separate entitiesan important distinction to make in understanding prophecy. The term “Abraham’s seed” refers to the physical offspring of Abrahamthe people of Israel. “Abraham’s children” refers to all who believe God (Rom_4:1). If you don’t understand this point, you’ll be confused when people say, “The church is equivalent to Israel. Therefore the promises of the Old Testament do not speak to a literal, physical restoration of Israel, but to the church,” as they misinterpret prophecy to conform to this foundational error. “I know you’re Israelites. I know you’re Jews physically and racially,” Jesus said. “But you’re not Abraham’s children because you don’t believe in Me.”

John 8:41

The Pharisees respond by striking at Mary, raising the question of the legitimacy of Jesus’ birth. Anyone who says, “We love Jehovah. We love the God of the Bible. We love the God of Israel. But we don’t love Jesus Christ as God"doesn’t really love God.

John 8:43

“You can’t understand what I’m saying because we’re speaking two different languages,” said Jesus. “You’re talking about worldly stuff, and I’m speaking of the eternal.”

John 8:44

Scripture declares the wounds of a friend to be faithful (Pro_27:6) because only a friend cares enough to tell the truth. Jesus is not being vindictive here. On the contrary, His words prove His faithfulness. He’s using strong language because nothing less would get through to these men.

John 8:45

“Why don’t you believe Me? What wrong have I done in your sight?” Jesus asks.

John 8:47

Jesus’ point is so well taken, His logic so irrefutable, that the Pharisees’ only recourse is to resort to name-calling.

John 8:49

Pleading with the Pharisees, Jesus says, “If you’ll simply receive and embrace what I’m saying, you’ll never see death.” The same is true for us. You see, for those who know Jesus, death is neither annihilation nor termination. Death is transformation because the moment we close our eyes in the final minute of this life, we’ll see Jesus (2Co_5:8). And in seeing Him, we’ll become like Him (1Jn_3:2).

John 8:52

When did Abraham see Jesus? I believe this reference is to the story in Genesis 14 when, after rescuing his nephew, Abraham was greeted by a man named Melchizedek. “Melchizedek” means “King of Righteousness.” Melchizedek was from Salem. Salem means “Peace.” Melchizedek had no mother or father, no beginning or end (Heb_7:3). He offered bread and wine to Abraham and accepted a tithe from himall of which point to the distinct possibility that Melchizedek was a Christophany, an earthly appearance of Jesus before He came as the Babe of Bethlehem.

John 8:57

This interests me because, at this point, Jesus was only in His early thirties. Yet the Pharisees used fifty years as a reference to His age. Perhaps as the Man of Sorrows who carried the burden of a sinful world, He looked older than His age.

John 8:58

So clear was Jesus’ claim to deity that those who heard these words were ready to stone Him on the spot. After being absent one thousand years, the shekinah glory reappeared in the Person of Jesus Christ. But because the people rejected Him, the Light departed once again from the temple. Where did Jesus go? In the next chapter, we’ll see exactly where He went: He found a blind man. He found me.