John 8:7 - Printer Friendly

What does John 8:7 mean?

ESV: And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

NIV: When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, 'Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.'

NASB: When they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up and said to them, 'He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.'

CSB: When they persisted in questioning him, he stood up and said to them, "The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her."

NLT: They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, 'All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!'

KJV: So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

NKJV: So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”

Verse Commentary:

Jesus' reaction in the prior verse is unusual. Jesus' critics were constantly trying to trick Him into making some kind of mistake (Matthew 16:1; 19:3; Matthew 22:35; Luke 10:25; 11:54). In most of those instances, Jesus seems to act or speak immediately in response. Here, however, Jesus begins by writing on the ground (John 8:6). And, once He has offered His simple, direct counter-challenge, He will go back to writing in the dirt. In the meantime, the men will press the issue, repeatedly asking Jesus what He plans to do about this woman caught in sin.

The trap laid by the Pharisees seems to present Jesus with a dilemma. The law does call for death for adulterers (Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22). However, Roman law prohibits Jewish leaders from using the death penalty (John 18:31), and Jesus is known to be a "friend of sinners" (Mathew 11:19). Jesus seems to be stuck between angering Rome and alienating His followers, and overtly defying the very Scriptures He has preached.

As always, though, Jesus' response cuts through the trap. His writing in the dirt is mentioned twice in this passage, suggesting that whatever He wrote was a deliberate part of His response. Perhaps He wrote relevant Old Testament verses, or the names and sins of some of those present. We cannot be sure, but we can be sure of how the crowd reacts. When He finally speaks, Jesus points out one of the areas where His critics are themselves falling short of the law: accusers are supposed to be the ones to begin the execution process (Deuteronomy 17:7). In blunt terms, Jesus is saying: "If you're going to appeal to the law, then go ahead and follow it!"

The remark about sinlessness is interesting, but not entirely clear. Jesus is not speaking of complete moral perfection, else no human being could ever "judge" as we are commanded to by God (John 7:24). His reference seems to be more specific. Since Christ had previously referred to lustful thoughts as adultery (Matthew 5:27–28), this might be part of what He has in mind. At worst, He might be suggesting that some of the men accusing this woman were themselves guilty of actual adultery—though the text itself does not say as much.

Jesus' reaction includes several layers. Here, he points out that the law also requires the accusers to begin the stoning process. Whomever caught the woman "in the act" was supposed to initiate her death. That, in and of itself, stymies any attempt to get Jesus in trouble with Rome, since the Pharisees would have to act first. Jesus' response also highlights another problem—a woman caught "in the act" would have been caught with a man, but the Pharisees have brought no guilty man with them.

In one fell swoop, Jesus points out that the Scribes and Pharisees are not actually interested in following the law. If they were, they'd at least follow the entire law, and not merely use it as a cheap publicity stunt. A complete submission to God means more than legalism, it also means using "right judgment" (John 7:24). Jesus' behavior after the Pharisees leave continues this contrast. The accusing men were ignoring God's frequent calls for His people to be merciful (Proverbs 21:10; Zechariah 7:8–9; Matthew 23:23).

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.

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 4/29/2024 1:03:37 PM