John 8 - NIV Study Bible

8:1 Mount of Olives. See notes on Zec 14:4; Mk 11:1; Lk 19:29; Ac 1:12.

8:3 teachers of the law. See notes on Mt 2:4; Mk 2:16; Lk 5:17. a woman caught in adultery. This sin cannot be committed alone, so the question arises as to why only the female offender was brought. The incident may have been staged to trap Jesus (see v. 6 and note) and provision perhaps made for the man to escape. The woman’s accusers must have been especially eager to humiliate her, since they could have kept her in private custody while they spoke to Jesus.

8:4 caught in the act. Mere compromising circumstances were not sufficient evidence; Jewish law required witnesses who had seen the act.

8:5 to stone such women. They altered the law a little. The manner of execution was not prescribed unless the woman was a betrothed virgin (Dt 22:23–24). And the law required the execution of both parties (Lev 20:10; Dt 22:22), not just the woman.

8:6 using this question as a trap. The Romans did not allow the Jews to carry out death sentences (see 18:31 and note), so if Jesus had said to stone her he could have been in conflict with the Romans. If he had said not to stone her he could have been accused of being unsupportive of the law. write on the ground with his finger. Some suggest that Jesus was writing an accusation against his accusers. A few later manuscripts add that he wrote “the sins of each of them” on the ground. In any case, the action implies that Jesus will not participate in the woman’s condemnation or execution.

8:7 without sin. The phrase is quite general and means “without any sin,” not “without this sin.” be the first. Jesus’ answer disarmed them. Since he spoke of throwing a stone, he could not be accused of failure to uphold the law. But the qualification for throwing it prevented anyone from acting.

8:9 began to go away. Because they were not “without sin” (v. 7). older ones. They were the first to realize what was involved. But all the men were either conscience-stricken or afraid, and in the end only Jesus and the woman remained.

8:10 Woman. See NIV text note on 2:4.

8:11 Go now and leave your life of sin. Jesus did not condone what the woman had done.

8:12 I am the light of the world. See note on 6:35; see also chart. the light. See 1:4 and note; 9:5; 12:46. It is also true that “God is light” (1Jn 1:5). And as Jesus’ followers reflect the light that comes from him, they too are “the light of the world” (Mt 5:14 [see note there]; cf. Php 2:15 and note). darkness. Both the darkness of this world and that of Satan (cf. 3:19–21). light of life. “God is light” (1Jn 1:5), but Jesus is also the light from God that lights the way for life—as the pillar of fire lit the way for the Israelites (see Ex 13:21 and note; Ne 9:12). Cf. Ro 13:11–14; Eph 5:8–14; 1Th 5:4–8; 1Jn 1:5–7; 2:9–11.

8:13 Pharisees. See note on 7:32.

8:14 Jesus made two points: First, he was qualified to bear testimony, whereas the Pharisees were not; and he knew both his origin and his destination, whereas they knew neither. (See note on vv. 16–18 for the second point.)

8:15 The judgment of the Pharisees was limited and worldly. In the sense they meant, Jesus made it clear that he did not judge at all. In the proper sense, of course, he did judge (v. 26).

8:16 the Father, who sent me. Jesus was always aware of his mission (see note on 4:34).

8:16–18 Jesus’ second point was that his testimony was not unsupported: The Father was with him, so he and the Father were the two witnesses required by the law (see Dt 17:6 and note; 19:15).

8:19 If you knew me. John makes it clear that the Word (Jesus) was with God and was God (see 1:1 and note) and revealed God (see 1:18 and note). Jesus here stresses that the Father is known through the Son and that to know the one is to know the other (see 14:7,10–11 and notes).

8:20 his hour. See note on 2:4.

8:23 Things other than death divide people (cf., e.g., v. 47; 3:31; 15:19 and note; 1Jn 3:10). of. Here denotes origin. Jesus was certainly in the world, but he was not of the world. They belonged to “this world”—Satan’s domain (1Jn 5:19; cf. Jn 12:31; 14:30; 16:11).

8:24 believe. See note on 1:7. I am he. Jesus echoes God’s great affirmation about himself (see v. 58; 6:35; Ex 3:14 and notes; see also article).

8:28 lifted up. Normally used in the NT in the sense of “exalt” (see NIV text note), but John uses it of the whole salvation event: Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection and exaltation (see 3:14; 12:32 and notes). Son of Man. See note on Mk 8:31. I am. See notes on vv. 24,58.

8:30 believed. See 1:7; 20:31 and notes.

8:31 believed. Here seems to mean made an outward profession of faith. Their words show that they were not true believers (vv. 33,37).

8:32 truth. Closely connected with Jesus (see v. 36; 14:6 and note), it is not mere mental assent but genuine trust, demonstrated by discipleship, that leads to salvation. free. Freedom from sin, not from ignorance (v. 36).

8:33 have never been slaves. Appears to be an amazing disregard of their Roman overlords—and their Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian and Syrian overlords as well. Perhaps they meant that they have always viewed themselves as the descendants of Abraham and heirs of the promises God made to him and so have never accepted servitude to others as their proper status.

8:34 slave to sin. Because sinners cannot break free by their own strength (see Ro 6:18 and note).

8:37 you are looking for a way to kill me. See note on 7:1—8:59.

8:38 Note the contrasts: “I . . . you”; “seen . . . heard”; “the Father . . . your father.” Not until later (see v. 44 and note) did Jesus say who their father was, but it is clear even at this point that it was neither God nor Abraham, as they claimed.

8:39–41 Their deeds revealed their parentage.

8:41 illegitimate. May have been a slander aimed at Jesus.

8:43 These descendants of Abraham (v. 33) were so convinced of their own preconceptions that they did not really hear and understand what Jesus was saying (cf. v. 47).

8:44 You belong to your father, the devil. Jesus warned his Jewish opponents of the reality of Satan’s murderous and deceitful influence. Since “salvation is from the Jews” (4:22; see note there), Jesus’ words do not apply to the Jewish people as a whole. His warning should caution both Gentiles and Jews to follow Abraham’s example (vv. 39–40; cf. Ro 4:16). you want. Points to determination of will. Their problem was basically spiritual, not intellectual. Being oriented toward Satan, they were bent on murder (v. 37) and eventually would succeed (v. 28). truth. Foreign to Satan and those who are his (see 14:6 and note).

8:46 Can . . . you prove me guilty of sin? The asking of the question was more significant than the opponents’ failure to answer, in that it showed that Jesus had a perfectly clear conscience.

8:47 hears what God says. See 10:3–4 and notes; 1Jn 4:6.

8:48 Samaritan. Possibly to suggest that he was lax in Jewish observances—“No better than a Samaritan”—or that he was a Samaritan by birth. demon-possessed. See 10:20 and note on 7:20.

8:51 my word. The whole of Jesus’ message which, when accepted, brings deliverance from death.

8:53 Are you greater . . . ? The question was framed to expect the answer “No.” This is ironic, since Jesus was indeed far greater than Abraham, even as he was greater than Moses (see 6:30–35 and notes).

8:56 my day. All that was involved in the incarnation. Jesus probably was not referring to any one occasion but to Abraham’s general joy in the fulfilling of the purposes of God in the Messiah, by which all nations on earth would receive blessing (see note on Ge 12:2–3). he saw it. In faith, from afar.

8:57 not yet fifty years old. A generous allowance for Jesus’ maximum possible age. Jesus was about 30 when he began his ministry (see Lk 3:23 and note).

8:58 Very truly I tell you. See note on Mk 3:28. I am! A solemnly emphatic declaration echoing God’s great affirmations in Ex 3:14 (see Jn 8:24,28; see also notes on Ex 3:12–15 and article). It also recalls the “I am he” statements in Isaiah (41:4; 43:10,13,25; 46:4; 47:8,10; 48:12; 51:12). Jesus did not say “I was” but “I am,” expressing the eternity of his being and his oneness with the Father (see 1:1). With this climactic statement Jesus concludes his speech that began with the related claim, “I am the light of the world” (v. 12; see note there).

8:59 to stone him. Those who heard Jesus could not interpret his claim as other than blasphemy, for which stoning was the proper penalty (Lev 24:16). When Jesus declares “I am,” there are only two possible responses: to reach for a rock or to fall at his feet. Unfortunately his enemies chose the former.