John 8

1 But Jesus went into the mount of Olives.

2 And early again he came into the temple; and all the people came to him; and he sat, and taught them.

3 And scribes and Pharisees brought a woman taken in adultery, and they setted her in the middle [and set her in the middle],

4 and said to him, Master, this woman is now taken in adultery.

5 And in the law Moses commanded us to stone such; therefore what sayest thou?

6 And they said this thing tempting him, that they might accuse him. And Jesus bowed himself down, and wrote with his finger in the earth.

7 And when they abided asking him [Soothly when they lasted, or continued, asking him], he raised himself, and said to them, He of you that is without sin, first cast a stone into her.

8 And again he bowed [down] himself, and wrote in the earth.

9 And they hearing these things, went away one after another, and they began from the elder men [Soothly they hearing these things, went away one after another, they beginning at the elder men]; and Jesus dwelt alone, and the woman standing in the middle.

10 And Jesus raised himself, and said to her, Woman, where be they that accused thee? no man hath condemned thee.

11 She said, No man, Lord. Jesus said to her, Neither I shall condemn thee; go thou, and now after do not thou sin no more [+and now afterward, do not thou do sin/do not thou sin].

12 Therefore again Jesus spake to them, and said [saying], I am the light of the world; he that followeth me, walketh not in darknesses, but shall have the light of life.

13 Therefore the Pharisees said, Thou bearest witnessing of thyself; thy witnessing is not true.

14 Jesus answered, and said to them, And if I bear witnessing of myself, my witnessing is true; for I know from whence I came, and whither I go. But ye know not from whence I came, nor whither I go.

15 For ye deem after the flesh, but I deem no man; [Forsooth ye deem after the flesh, I deem not any man;]

16 and if I deem, my doom is true, for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.

17 And in your law it is written, that the witnessing of two men is true.

18 I am, that bear witnessing of myself, and the Father that sent me, beareth witnessing of me.

19 Therefore they said to him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Neither ye know me, nor ye know my Father; if ye knew me, peradventure ye should know also my Father.

20 Jesus spake these words in the treasury, teaching in the temple; and no man took him, for his hour came not yet.

21 Therefore again Jesus said to them, Lo! I go, and ye shall seek me, and ye shall die in your sin; whither I go, ye be not able to come [whither I go, ye may not come].

22 Therefore the Jews said, Whether he shall slay himself, for he saith, Whither I go, ye be not able to come [Whither I go, ye may come]?

23 And he said to them, Ye be of beneath, I am of above; ye be of this world, I am not of this world.

24 Therefore I said to you, that ye shall die in your sins; for if ye believe not that I am, ye shall die in your sins.

25 Therefore they said to him, Who art thou? Jesus said to them, The beginning, which also speak to you [Jesus said to them, The beginning, or the first of all thing, the which and I speak to you].

26 I have many things to speak, and to deem of you, but he that sent me is soothfast; and I speak in the world these things, that I heard of him.

27 And they knew not, that he called his Father God. [And they knew not, for he said his Father God.]

28 Therefore Jesus said to them, When ye have araised man's Son, then ye shall know, that I am, and of myself I do nothing; but as my Father taught me, I speak these things.

29 And he that sent me is with me, and left me not alone; for I do evermore those things, that be pleasing to him. [And he that sent me is with me, and left not me alone; for I do ever those things, that be pleasant to him.]

30 When he spake these things, many believed in him.

31 Therefore Jesus said to the Jews, that believed in him, If ye dwell in my word, verily ye shall be my disciples;

32 and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

33 Therefore the Jews answered to him, We be the seed of Abraham, and we served never to [no] man; how sayest thou, That ye shall be free [how sayest thou, Ye shall be free]?

34 Jesus answered to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, each man that doeth sin, is [the] servant of sin.

35 And the servant dwelleth not in the house without end [into without end], but the Son dwelleth without end [into without end].

36 Therefore if the Son [shall] make you free, verily ye shall be free.

37 I know that ye be Abraham's sons, but ye seek to slay me, for my word taketh not in you.

38 I speak those things, that I saw at my Father; and ye do those things, that ye saw at your father.

39 They answered, and said to him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith to them, If ye be the sons of Abraham, do ye the works of Abraham.

40 But now ye seek to slay me, a man that have spoken to you [the] truth, that I heard of God; Abraham did not this thing.

41 Ye do the works of your father. Therefore they said to him [And so they said to him], We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, God.

42 But Jesus saith to them, If God were your Father, soothly ye should love me; for I passed forth of God, and came [forsooth I proceeded, or went forth, of God, and came]; for neither I came of myself, but he sent me.

43 Why know ye not my speech? for ye be not able to hear my word.

44 Ye be of the father, the devil, and ye will do the desires of your father. He was a manslayer from the beginning, and he stood not in truth; for truth is not in him. When he speaketh lying [When he speaketh a lying], he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and father of it.

45 But for I say truth, ye believe not to me.

46 Who of you shall reprove me of sin? if I say truth, why believe ye not to me?

47 He that is of God, heareth the words of God; therefore ye hear not, for ye be not of God.

48 Therefore the Jews answered, and said [to him], Whether we say not well, that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?

49 Jesus answered, and said, I have not a devil, but I honour my Father, and ye have unhonoured me.

50 For I seek not my glory; there is he, that seeketh, and deemeth.

51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if any man keep my word, he shall not taste death without end. [Truly, truly, I say to you, if any man shall keep my word, he shall not see, or taste, death into without end.]

52 Therefore the Jews said, Now we have known, that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets, and thou sayest, If any man keep my word, he shall not taste death without end [he shall not taste death into without end].

53 Whether thou art greater than our father Abraham, that is dead, and the prophets be dead; whom makest thou thyself?

54 Jesus answered, If I glorify myself, my glory is nought; my Father is, that glorifieth me, whom ye say, that he is your God.

55 And ye have not known him, but I have known him; and if I [shall] say that I know him not, I shall be a liar like to you; but I know him, and I keep his word.

56 Abraham, your father, gladded to see my day [Abraham, your father, gladded, or full out joyed, that he should see my day]; and he saw, and joyed.

57 Then the Jews said to him, Thou hast not yet fifty years, and hast thou seen Abraham?

58 Therefore Jesus said to them, Truly, truly I say to you, before that Abraham should be, I am. [Therefore Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, before that Abraham was made, I am.]

59 Therefore they took stones, to cast to him; but Jesus hid him(self), and went out of the temple.

John 8 Commentary

Chapter 8

The Pharisees and the adulteress. (1-11) Christ's discourse with the Pharisees. (12-59)

Verses 1-11 Christ neither found fault with the law, nor excused the prisoner's guilt; nor did he countenance the pretended zeal of the Pharisees. Those are self-condemned who judge others, and yet do the same thing. All who are any way called to blame the faults of others, are especially concerned to look to themselves, and keep themselves pure. In this matter Christ attended to the great work about which he came into the world, that was, to bring sinners to repentance; not to destroy, but to save. He aimed to bring, not only the accused to repentance, by showing her his mercy, but the prosecutors also, by showing them their sins; they thought to insnare him, he sought to convince and convert them. He declined to meddle with the magistrate's office. Many crimes merit far more severe punishment than they meet with; but we should not leave our own work, to take that upon ourselves to which we are not called. When Christ sent her away, it was with this caution, Go, and sin no more. Those who help to save the life of a criminal, should help to save the soul with the same caution. Those are truly happy, whom Christ does not condemn. Christ's favour to us in the forgiveness of past sins should prevail with us, Go then, and sin no more.

Verses 12-16 Christ is the Light of the world. God is light, and Christ is the image of the invisible God. One sun enlightens the whole world; so does one Christ, and there needs no more. What a dark dungeon would the world be without the sun! So would it be without Jesus, by whom light came into the world. Those who follow Christ shall not walk in darkness. They shall not be left without the truths which are necessary to keep them from destroying error, and the directions in the way of duty, necessary to keep them from condemning sin.

Verses 17-20 If we knew Christ better, we should know the Father better. Those become vain in their imaginations concerning God, who will not learn of Christ. Those who know not his glory and grace, know not the Father that sent him. The time of our departure out of the world, depends upon God. Our enemies cannot hasten it any sooner, nor can our friends delay it any longer, than the time appointed of the Father. Every true believer can look up and say with pleasure, My times are in thy hand, and better there than in my own. To all God's purposes there is a time.

Verses 21-29 Those that live in unbelief, are for ever undone, if they die in unbelief. The Jews belonged to this present evil world, but Jesus was of a heavenly and Divine nature, so that his doctrine, kingdom, and blessings, would not suit their taste. But the curse of the law is done away to all that submit to the grace of the gospel. Nothing but the doctrine of Christ's grace will be an argument powerful enough, and none but the Spirit of Christ's grace will be an agent powerful enough, to turn us from sin to God; and that Spirit is given, and that doctrine is given, to work upon those only who believe in Christ. Some say, Who is this Jesus? They allow him to have been a Prophet, an excellent Teacher, and even more than a creature; but cannot acknowledge him as over all, God blessed for evermore. Will not this suffice? Jesus here answers the question. Is this to honour him as the Father? Does this admit his being the Light of the world, and the Life of men, one with the Father? All shall know by their conversion, or in their condemnation, that he always spake and did what pleased the Father, even when he claimed the highest honours to himself.

Verses 30-36 Such power attended our Lord's words, that many were convinced, and professed to believe in him. He encouraged them to attend his teaching, rely on his promises, and obey his commands, notwithstanding all temptations to evil. Thus doing, they would be his disciples truly; and by the teaching of his word and Spirit, they would learn where their hope and strength lay. Christ spoke of spiritual liberty; but carnal hearts feel no other grievances than those that molest the body, and distress their worldly affairs. Talk to them of their liberty and property, tell them of waste committed upon their lands, or damage done to their houses, and they understand you very well; but speak of the bondage of sin, captivity to Satan, and liberty by Christ; tell of wrong done to their precious souls, and the hazard of their eternal welfare, then you bring strange things to their ears. Jesus plainly reminded them, that the man who practised any sin, was, in fact, a slave to that sin, which was the case with most of them. Christ in the gospel offers us freedom, he has power to do this, and those whom Christ makes free are really so. But often we see persons disputing about liberty of every kind, while they are slaves to some sinful lust.

Verses 37-40 Our Lord opposed the proud and vain confidence of these Jews, showing that their descent from Abraham could not profit those of a contrary spirit to him. Where the word of God has no place, no good is to be expected; room is left there for all wickedness. A sick person who turns from his physician, and will take neither remedies nor food, is past hope of recovery. The truth both heals and nourishes the hearts of those who receive it. The truth taught by philosophers has not this power and effect, but only the truth of God. Those who claim the privileges of Abraham, must do Abraham's works; must be strangers and sojourners in this world; keep up the worship of God in their families, and always walk before God.

Verses 41-47 Satan prompts men to excesses by which they murder themselves and others, while what he puts into the mind tends to ruin men's souls. He is the great promoter of falsehood of every kind. He is a liar, all his temptations are carried on by his calling evil good, and good evil, and promising freedom in sin. He is the author of all lies; whom liars resemble and obey, with whom all liars shall have their portion for ever. The special lusts of the devil are spiritual wickedness, the lusts of the mind, and corrupt reasonings, pride and envy, wrath and malice, enmity to good, and enticing others to evil. By the truth, here understand the revealed will of God as to the salvation of men by Jesus Christ, the truth Christ was now preaching, and which the Jews opposed.

Verses 48-53 Observe Christ's disregard of the applause of men. those who are dead to the praises of men can bear their contempt. God will seek the honour of all who do not seek their own. In these verses we have the doctrine of the everlasting happiness of believers. We have the character of a believer; he is one that keeps the sayings of the Lord Jesus. And the privilege of a believer; he shall by no means see death for ever. Though now they cannot avoid seeing death, and tasting it also, yet they shall shortly be where it will be no more forever, ( Exodus 14:13 ) .

Verses 54-59 Christ and all that are his, depend upon God for honour. Men may be able to dispute about God, yet may not know him. Such as know not God, and obey not the gospel of Christ, are put ( 2 Thessalonians. 1:8 ) earnestly desire to know more of him. Those who discern the dawn of the light of the Sun of Righteousness, wish to see his rising. "Before Abraham was, I AM." This speaks Abraham a creature, and our Lord the Creator; well, therefore, might he make himself greater than Abraham. I AM, is the name of God, Ex. 3:14 ; it speaks his self-existence; he is the First and the Last, ever the same, ( Revelation 1:8 ) . Thus he was not only before Abraham, but before all worlds, ( Proverbs 8:23 , John 1:1 ) . As Mediator, he was the appointed Messiah, long before Abraham; the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, ( Revelation 13:8 ) . The Lord Jesus was made of God Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption, to Adam, and Abel, and all that lived and died by faith in him, before Abraham. The Jews were about to stone Jesus for blasphemy, but he withdrew; by his miraculous power he passed through them unhurt. Let us stedfastly profess what we know and believe concerning God; and if heirs of Abraham's faith, we shall rejoice in looking forward to that day when the Saviour shall appear in glory, to the confusion of his enemies, and to complete the salvation of all who believe in him.