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What does John 8 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

The first section of this chapter describes Jesus' encounter with opponents who have brought Him a woman guilty of sin. In this incident, Jesus demonstrates that these men are acting hypocritically: attempting to trick Jesus using the law, while they themselves are not completely following it! At the same time, Jesus shows that simply having power, such as the authority to execute a guilty sinner, does not make using it the best choice. Instead, Jesus demonstrates mercy and fully applies both the letter and intent of the law, as God intended: with "right judgment."

This story of the adulterous woman, however, is almost certainly not original to the gospel of John. Different manuscripts have these verses in different places, sometimes attached to the end of completely different New Testament works. This, along with other evidence, has led scholars to believe the story of the adulterous woman to be a true, accurate description of a real event, but not one intended to be read in this exact place. So, this story is something of a side-note, and not part of Jesus' actions during the Feast of Booths. Instead, the action which was interrupted after John 7:52 will resume in John 8:12.

As Jesus continues to teach at the Feast of Booths, He uses 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.

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" in His writing. Their stance is based on genealogy: they are the descendants of Abraham, so they claim to be favored by God. Jesus, however, 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 seeking to oppose Jesus act more like the devil: they deal in lies and murder (John 8:44; John 5:18). Therefore, these men don't actually know God. In fact, they don't want to know God, since the truth is something they can't bear to hear (John 8:43).

As the conversation continues, it will become more and more charged. Jesus' critics will resort to insults, including smearing His birth (John 8:41) and suggesting that He is insane (John 8:48). Jesus will respond by continuing to discuss Abraham, and suggesting 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 7:53—8:11 is one of the most famous stories of the New Testament. However, scholars do not believe it was originally found in this particular place in Scripture. The flow of the gospel of John seems interrupted by the story. Also, in ancient manuscripts, these verses are located in various places. This leads to the consensus that it is a true story, but not part of John's original narrative of the Festival of Booths in chapters 7 and 8. 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.

John 8:12–30 includes the second of Jesus' seven ''I AM'' statements, as recorded in the gospel of John. Jesus' reference to light was probably playing off of 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 is a passage which dovetails with John 2:13–22, where Jesus drives 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:

John chapter 8 includes 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. This chapter 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. Eventually, Jesus' opponents are enraged enough to attempt killing Him right then and there.

Chapter Context:

Jesus is attending the Feast of Booths in Jerusalem, and has once again come into conflict with the local religious authorities. In the previous chapter, Jesus referred to Himself as a source of living water, playing off of the festivals' ritual pouring of water in the temple. In this chapter, Jesus will use the imagery of lights, also related to festival traditions. This chapter 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 gospel of John was written by the disciple John, decades later than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. 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”—in order to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in all of the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.

Accessed 5/3/2024 6:22:11 AM