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What does John 8 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

Accessed 3/4/2024 7:07:42 PM

The first section traditionally found in this chapter describes Jesus' encounter with opponents who bring a woman guilty of sin. Jesus exposes the men's hypocrisy: attempting to trick Jesus using the Law, while they are not accurately following it! Jesus also demonstrates that simply having power does not mean using it is always the best choice. That even applies to the authority to execute a guilty sinner. Instead, Jesus both demonstrates mercy and fully applies the letter and intent of the Law, as God intended: with "right judgment."

This story of the adulterous woman is almost certainly not original to this location in the gospel of John, or even to John at all. Different manuscripts have these verses in different places in John. Some manuscripts record the passage at the end of Luke. The earliest manuscripts do not include this story anywhere. Some scholars believe the story of the adulterous woman to be a true, accurate description of a real event. But these points of evidence suggest the story was not originally written in this exact place. Instead, the action interrupted after John 7:52 will resume in John 8:12. That makes the story a side note, not part of Jesus' actions during the Feast of Booths (John 7:52—8:11).

Jesus continues to teach at the Feast of Booths (John 7:37–38) with another analogy related to festival rituals. In this case, it is the burning of lamps, whose wicks were made from priestly garments. Jesus makes the second of His seven "I am" statements highlighted in the gospel of John, declaring that He is "the light of the world." This incorporates Jewish ideals of truth and knowledge, as well as professing to be the one and only source of spiritual truth (John 8:12).

This sets off a debate between Jesus and His most vehement opponents: the religious leaders of Jerusalem and their followers. John collectively refers to this faction as "the Jews." This culminates in an argument over genealogy: they are the descendants of Abraham, so they claim to be favored by God. Jesus points out that spiritual relationships matter more than family lines. Since children act like their fathers, those who legitimately follow God should be obedient to His message, as Abraham was. But the men opposing Jesus act more like the Devil: they deal in lies and murder (John 8:44; 5:18). That proves these men don't know God. In fact, they don't want to know God; the truth is something they can't bear to hear (John 8:13–43).

As the conversation continues, it will become more and more charged. Jesus' critics will resort to insults, smearing His birth (John 8:41) and suggesting that He is insane (John 8:48). Jesus will respond by continuing to discuss Abraham. He suggests that He has first-hand knowledge of Abraham's response to His own ministry (John 8:56). When the crowd misunderstands, Jesus explicitly claims to be God by declaring "before Abraham was, I am," using the same name God applied to Himself when speaking to Moses (John 8:58; Exodus 3:14). The reaction, as one would expect, was not only angry, but violent. Jesus' enemies once again try—unsuccessfully—to kill Him (John 8:44–59).

John 7:53—8:11 is one of the most famous stories of the New Testament. Jesus' response to a trap sprung by the Pharisees is masterful. Though He alone has the moral authority to execute the woman for her sin, Jesus instead chooses forgiveness. This highlights a major concept of Christian ethics: just because one has the power to do something does not mean it's the best option. However, scholars do not believe this event was originally found in this exact place in Scripture. The flow of the gospel of John seems interrupted by the story. Also, in ancient manuscripts, these verses are found in various places. This leads to the suggestion that it is a true story, but not part of John's original narrative of the Festival of Booths in chapters 7 and 8. Not all scholars agree.

John 8:12–30 includes the second of Jesus' seven ''I am'' statements, as recorded in the gospel of John. Jesus' reference to light built on a ritual performed during the Feast of Booths, where lamps would be lit using wicks made from the robes of priests. This continues the dialogue of chapter 7, picking up where John 7:52 left off. The exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees will escalate, in part showing that Jesus was not afraid to directly castigate those who misled the people.

John 8:31–59 dovetails with John 2:13–22. There, Jesus drove corrupt businessmen from the temple. These Scriptures disprove any myths that Jesus was weak, timid, passive, or soft. In this exchange with the Pharisees, Jesus pulls no punches. Jerusalem's religious leaders, and their followers, continue to resist Jesus' preaching. They rely on arrogance and insults, to which Jesus responds with blunt, unfiltered condemnation. This culminates in Jesus making an overt statement of His own divinity, punctuating the debate by declaring ''before Abraham was, I am!''

Chapter Summary:

This begins with the story of the adulterous woman, a well-known but controversial passage. Most scholars believe this story is authentic, but not originally found in this exact spot in Scripture. The rest of chapter 8 continues Jesus' preaching during the Feast of Booths, where He once again comes into conflict with local religious leaders. Here, Christ will make His second ''I am" statement, using the analogy of light, which is a common theme in Hebrew theology. This conversation will become more and more heated. Jesus' opponents become so enraged that they attempt to kill Him right then and there.

Chapter Context:

Jesus is attending the Feast of Booths in Jerusalem. There He once again conflicts with local religious authorities. Previously, Jesus referred to Himself as a source of living water (John 7:37–38). That built on the festival's ritual pouring of water in the temple. In this chapter, Jesus will do something similar with the imagery of lights also related to festival traditions. This demonstrates Jesus' willingness to be direct, even aggressive, with His critics. The next few chapters will complete Jesus' public ministry, as He prepares for His impending death.

The disciple John wrote the gospel of John decades after the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls "signs"— to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.

Accessed 8/31/2024 11:50:52 PM