Context: Chief priests and Pharisees (John 7:1–5, 44-46, 8:2)
- Time: Feast of the booths, early in the morning
- Place: Temple, Judea
- Context:
- Jesus is in the temple teaching
- Chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest Jesus
- But the officers couldn’t
- Because His hour had not yet come
- According to officers, no one ever spoke like Jesus
- But the officers couldn’t
- Nicodemus questioned how legal (Mosaic law) their actions were
- Don’t judge before personally hearing – and knowing what was done
- They question his allegiance – is he galilean too?
- Don’t judge before personally hearing – and knowing what was done
How did scribes and Pharisees try to accuse Jesus? (John 8:2-6, Levi 20:10, Deut 22:22)
- Tried to catch Jesus doing something wrong in interpreting / applying Mosaic law?
- We are not told what exactly they were expecting Jesus to do wrong
- Mosaic law against Roman law?
- Mosaic law calls out that both (man and woman) should be stoned
- But they only brought the woman
- We are not told what exactly they were expecting Jesus to do wrong
What was Jesus’ response and scribes and Pharisees reaction? (John 8:7-11, Ez 36:26-27)
- Stooped down to write on the ground – but we are not told what
- Asked the one who had no sin, to throw the first stone
- Convicted by their conscience went out one-by-one
- What we do know: God can change hearts.
- Olders even to the youngest
- Do some people find it easier to admit that they are sinners?
- 1 John 1:9 “… if we confess our sins …”
- Do some people fight against conscience and conviction?
- Can anyone resist God’s plan?
- Do some people find it easier to admit that they are sinners?
- Convicted by their conscience went out one-by-one
- Jesus was left alone along with the woman who was left in the middle of the temple
- Jesus could, but, didn’t condemn her. Told her not to sin anymore.
Why should Pharisees believe Jesus’s testimony? Why didn’t they?(John 8:12-17,25,47,58)
- Jesus is the Truth. What he testifies about Himself (He is the Light) is the Truth
- But Is He breaking Mosaic law? No.God the Father, also testifies about Jesus!
- Jesus is the Son of God.
- Jews, called God, Father. Yet, they were not of God and didn’t know his Son.
- Jesus is God. He responds to the Jews with a name they would recognize “I AM”
- They did and they wanted to stone him – but Jesus was hidden.
- Walked right through the middle of them and passed by!
- They did and they wanted to stone him – but Jesus was hidden.
- Pharisees didn’t believe because:
- They didn’t realize or refused to see who Jesus is and where He is from
- Jews start asking Jesus: “Who are you?”
- They didn’t realize or refused to see who Jesus is and where He is from
Conclusion / Application:
- How is my conscience doing? Are conviction and confession part of my life?
- Are we willing to listen and follow God’s Word? (James 1:23-25)
Main Passage John 8:2-18 – World English Bible (WEB)
2 Now very early in the morning, he came again into the temple, and all the people came to him. He sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman taken in adultery. Having set her in the middle, 4 they told him, “Teacher, we found this woman in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now in our law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. What then do you say about her?” 6 They said this testing him, that they might have something to accuse him of.
But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with his finger. 7 But when they continued asking him, he looked up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw the first stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground with his finger.
9 They, when they heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning from the oldest, even to the last. Jesus was left alone with the woman where she was, in the middle. 10 Jesus, standing up, saw her and said, “Woman, where are your accusers? Did no one condemn you?”
11 She said, “No one, Lord.”
Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way. From now on, sin no more.”
12 Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
13 The Pharisees therefore said to him, “You testify about yourself. Your testimony is not valid.”
14 Jesus answered them, “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from, and where I am going; but you don’t know where I came from, or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one. 16 Even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent me. 17 It’s also written in your law that the testimony of two people is valid. 18 I am one who testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me.”
Notes / Cross References
John 7:30-32 30 They sought therefore to take him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 But of the multitude, many believed in him. They said, “When the Christ comes, he won’t do more signs than those which this man has done, will he?” 32 The Pharisees heard the multitude murmuring these things concerning him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to arrest him.
John 7:44-46 44 Some of them would have arrested him, but no one laid hands on him. 45 The officers therefore came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, “Why didn’t you bring him?”
46 The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this man!”
John 7:50-52 50 Nicodemus (he who came to him by night, being one of them) said to them, 51 “Does our law judge a man, unless it first hears from him personally and knows what he does?”
52 They answered him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search, and see that no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.”
John 8:25 They said therefore to him, “Who are you?”
John 8:47 He who is of God hears the words of God. For this cause you don’t hear, because you are not of God.”
John 8:58-59 Jesus said to them, “Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM. 59 Therefore they took up stones to throw at him, but Jesus was hidden, and went out of the temple, having gone through the middle of them, and so passed by.
Exodus 3:14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM,” and he said, “You shall tell the children of Israel this: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
Leviticus 20:10 “‘The man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, even he who commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
Deuteronomy 17:6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, he who is to die shall be put to death. At the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.
Deuteronomy 19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin that he sins. At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established.
Isaiah 60:1 “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and Yahweh’s glory has risen on you.
Ezekiel 36:26-27 26 I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes. You will keep my ordinances and do them.
1 John 1:8-9 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Deuteronomy 19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin that he sins. At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established.
