John – Lesson 14
- John Chapter 8:1-30Contact: David Parham 940-322-4343
Website:
www.internetbible.nete-mail:
davidparham@internetbible.netMemory verse for this week: Rev 3:6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Introduction:
In the last part of Chapter 7, we saw Jesus revealing to the people that he was the living water that came down from Heaven. Some of the Jews believed, but many doubted. We closed with the religious leaders condemning Christ, and Nicodemus taking up for Him saying that they should not find a man guilty without at least hearing him. In Chapter 8, we being with Jesus going up unto the mount of Olives.
I. The Woman Taken in Adultery
John 8:1 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
John 8:2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
John 8:3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
John 8:4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
We see that the Pharisees were constantly looking for a way to condemn Jesus. This account is not found in all versions of the Bible. In the corrupt texts of Westcott and Hort they omit this out of Chapter 8 completely, but add it to the end of the Gospel of John. It was said that it was omitted since it might encourage people to commit the sin of adultery. If you study this out, you do not find any acceptance by Jesus of the sin, but he shows that by grace sin can be forgiven. In the end of dealing with the woman, he told her to go and sin not more. God had reasons for penning the story, and we can learn from the Lord. The scribes and Pharisees find this woman committing one of the most horrible of sins, and they bring her to him. Jesus had earlier made some statements about adultery.
Mat 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
Mat 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Mat 5:31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
Mat 5:32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
We can see that if anything, Jesus had made the act of adultery even greater in the offense and the ease of which one could be found guilty of it without actually partaking of the physical sexual act. So they knew that if he let the woman off, then they would have a reason to find fault with the Lord. Paul commented on adultery in I Corinthians Chapter 7.
1 Cor 7:10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:
1 Cor 7:11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.
1 Cor 7:12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
1 Cor 7:13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
1 Cor 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
1 Cor 7:15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.
Today, we find many churches not taking biblical stands on the issue of adultery and remarriage. God’s plan has always been for a man and woman to marry and to stay married to the first mate. There are some exceptions where divorce is allowed, but in limited cases.
John 8:5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
John 8:6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
The Pharisees knew the law, and they accurately said that the law commanded such caught in this act to be stoned.
Lev 20:10 And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
Deu 22:22 If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.
We can see that the law was very strict, and the punishment for sin was quick and very hard. I doubt if many today would live long if we were all put back under the penalty of the law. But remember that God still judges sin just as seriously as before and hates it very much. Only by the blood of Jesus can we approach the throne of God and be justified.
John 8:7 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.
John 8:8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
A couple of things always struck me as being wrong with this story and the action of these men. The first that bothered me is that both the man and woman caught in the act were to be put to death. Where was the man who was involved in the adultery. We see almost a partial justice being sought that they decided who would die. Perhaps they knew the man and did not wish to see him put to death. I don’t know if they did or not, but it certainly seemed one-sided and wrong to only accuse the woman. And I have always wondered what the Lord wrote on the ground. When missionaries come and stay in my home, I always ask them two questions. And one of them is what did Jesus write on the ground. Man speculate that Jesus wrote the 10 commandments from the first to the last. I personally believe that Jesus may have written down each man’s name, and the sins he had committed below their name. Jesus was God, and He knew all things. That meant he knew not only who they were, and what they had done wrong. And the bible clearly teaches that there are none righteous, no not one. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
The finger of God had written to man before.
Exo 8:18 And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast.
Exo 8:19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
God gave the 10 commandments to Moses written on tables of stone.
Exo 31:18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.
Deu 9:10 And the LORD delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words, which the LORD spake with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly.
The hand of God wrote when he condemned the wicked King Belshazzar.
Dan 5:5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
It is important to remember that sinful man refused to hear God’s first commandments, and Moses broke them in his anger. God had to write the commandments a second time on the stone tablets.
Exo 34:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest.
Exo 34:2 And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount.
Exo 34:3 And no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount.
Exo 34:4 And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone.
John 8:9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
John 8:10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
John 8:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
It is interesting how that man runs from God and His righteousness. That is man’s way, but God seeks for us to turn from our sin, confess it, and turn to Jesus for forgiveness.
Gen 3:9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
Gen 3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
Rev 6:12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
Rev 6:13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
Rev 6:14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Rev 6:15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
Rev 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
Rev 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
I praise the Lord that Jesus will forgive us if we will come to Him with repentance and faith. The woman said to the Lord that there was no man who stood and accused her. Jesus said "Neither do I condemn thee.. go and sin no more." It is important that only Jesus was righteous enough to condemn her, but he did not. I praise the Lord for the dispensation of Grace that we now live under today. Jesus will forgive all sins.
Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
John 8:13 The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.
Jesus is truly the light of the world. He declares that if we follow him we will not walk in darkness but have the light of life. Many question the salvation of others when they do not walk in the light. I believe if we are truly saved, our desires of the heart will change . We will want to be like Jesus, and when we are like Him, we will walk in the light.
John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
John 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
John 12:35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
John 12:36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
We see that the Pharisees said that Jesus’ record was not true because he bore record of himself. But many, many other bore record of Jesus than just himself. The scriptures foretold of His coming by the prophets, and John the Baptist came as the voice in the wilderness proclaiming that Jesus was about to come upon the scene.
John 8:14 Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.
John 8:15 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.
John 8:16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.
John 8:17 It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.
John 8:18 I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.
John 8:19 Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.
Jesus claimed deity, and it was true. Jesus is one of the parts of the three part God Head. (Father , Son, and Holy Spirit.) Christ was the light of the world, and he was God manifested in the flesh.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
John 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
If you and I are walking in the Will of the Lord and doing those things pleasing in His sight, we will be showing forth our light. Like the moon has no power in itself to put forth light, but reflects light from the sun, you and I of ourselves have no great light in us. But because of Jesus living inside us, the light goes forth from us to the glory of God the Father.
Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Mat 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
John 8:20 These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.
John 8:21 Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.
John 8:22 Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come.
John 8:23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.
John 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
Jesus taught in the temple, I am sure to the dislike of the religious leaders. Jesus was not shy in calling sin what it was, and you and I should not hesitate to declare the truth to the world. As Jesus said, unless they come to Jesus for salvation, they will die in their sins. And after this life, there is no hope for the sinner.
Luke 13:1 There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
Luke 13:2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
Luke 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Luke 13:4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
Luke 13:5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
John 8:25 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.
John 8:26 I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.
John 8:27 They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.
John 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
John 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
John 8:30 As he spake these words, many believed on him.
Jesus declared that he was the one who was from the very beginning. Before Abraham was, Jesus was. As in many of His teachings, the people did not understand what He was teaching. But as it says in verse 30, some did believe. When we present the Gospel with accuracy, not everyone we witness to will be saved. But there will always be a few who will come to the knowledge of the truth.
Internet Bible Studies are prepared and distributed free of charge. The lessons may not be sold without consent. If you have questions or wish to discuss the lessons, or possibly need help in finding Jesus Christ as your Personal Lord and Savior, contact David Parham at 940-322-4343.
Prov 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
Home Page: www.internetbible.netPractice Random Acts of Kindness. Each act spreads, and many will be blessed.