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Texts -- John 8:1-41 (NET)

Context
8:1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives . 8:2 Early in the morning he came to the temple courts again . All the people came to him , and he sat down and began to teach them . 8:3 The experts in the law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught committing adultery . They made her stand in front of them 8:4 and said to Jesus , “Teacher , this woman was caught in the very act of adultery . 8:5 In the law Moses commanded us to stone to death such women . What then do you say ?” 8:6 (Now they were asking this in an attempt to trap him , so that they could bring charges against him .) Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger . 8:7 When they persisted in asking him , he stood up straight and replied , “Whoever among you is guiltless may be the first to throw a stone at her .” 8:8 Then he bent over again and wrote on the ground . 8:9 Now when they heard this, they began to drift away one at a time , starting with the older ones, until Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 8:10 Jesus stood up straight and said to her , “Woman , where are they? Did no one condemn you ?” 8:11 She replied , “No one , Lord .” And Jesus said , “I do not condemn you either . Go , and from now on do not sin any more.”]]
Jesus as the Light of the World
8:12 Then Jesus spoke out again , “I am the light of the world . The one who follows me will never walk in darkness , but will have the light of life .” 8:13 So the Pharisees objected , “You testify about yourself ; your testimony is not true !” 8:14 Jesus answered , “Even if I testify about myself , my testimony is true , because I know where I came from and where I am going . But you people do not know where I came from or where I am going . 8:15 You people judge by outward appearances ; I do not judge anyone . 8:16 But if I judge , my evaluation is accurate , because I am not alone when I judge, but I and the Father who sent me do so together. 8:17 It is written in your law that the testimony of two men is true . 8:18 I testify about myself and the Father who sent me testifies about me .” 8:19 Then they began asking him , “Who is your father ?” Jesus answered , “You do not know either me or my Father . If you knew me you would know my Father too .” 8:20 (Jesus spoke these words near the offering box while he was teaching in the temple courts . No one seized him because his time had not yet come .)
Where Jesus Came From and Where He is Going
8:21 Then Jesus said to them again , “I am going away , and you will look for me but will die in your sin . Where I am going you cannot come .” 8:22 So the Jewish leaders began to say , “Perhaps he is going to kill himself , because he says , ‘Where I am going you cannot come .’” 8:23 Jesus replied , “You people are from below ; I am from above . You people are from this world ; I am not from this world . 8:24 Thus I told you that you will die in your sins . For unless you believe that I am he , you will die in your sins .” 8:25 So they said to him , “Who are you ?” Jesus replied , “What I have told you from the beginning . 8:26 I have many things to say and to judge about you , but the Father who sent me is truthful , and the things I have heard from him I speak to the world .” 8:27 (They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father .) 8:28 Then Jesus said , “When you lift up the Son of Man , then you will know that I am he , and I do nothing on my own initiative , but I speak just what the Father taught me . 8:29 And the one who sent me is with me . He has not left me alone , because I always do those things that please him .” 8:30 While he was saying these things , many people believed in him .
Abraham’s Children and the Devil’s Children
8:31 Then Jesus said to those Judeans who had believed him , “If you continue to follow my teaching , you are really my disciples 8:32 and you will know the truth , and the truth will set you free .” 8:33 “We are descendants of Abraham ,” they replied , “and have never been anyone’s slaves ! How can you say , ‘You will become free ’?” 8:34 Jesus answered them , “I tell you the solemn truth , everyone who practices sin is a slave of sin . 8:35 The slave does not remain in the family forever , but the son remains forever . 8:36 So if the son sets you free , you will be really free . 8:37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants . But you want to kill me , because my teaching makes no progress among you . 8:38 I am telling you the things I have seen while with the Father ; as for you, practice the things you have heard from the Father !” 8:39 They answered him , “Abraham is our father !” Jesus replied , “If you are Abraham’s children , you would be doing the deeds of Abraham . 8:40 But now you are trying to kill me , a man who has told you the truth I heard from God . Abraham did not do this ! 8:41 You people are doing the deeds of your father .” Then they said to Jesus , “We were not born as a result of immorality ! We have only one Father , God himself.”

Pericope

NET
  • Joh 8:12-20 -- Jesus as the Light of the World
  • Joh 8:21-30 -- Where Jesus Came From and Where He is Going
  • Joh 8:31-59 -- Abraham's Children and the Devil's Children

Bible Dictionary

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Arts

Hymns

(Note: In "active" or "on" condition, the hymns music will be played automatically when mouse hover on a hymns title)
  • Aku Rindu pada Yesus [KJ.371]
  • Berlutut di PalunganMu [KJ.115]
  • Hai Bangun, Kau yang Tidur [KJ.213]
  • Hai Berdandanlah, Jiwaku [KJ.313]
  • Hai Mari Berhimpun [KJ.109] ( Adeste fideles / O Come, All Ye Faithful )
  • Kar'na Jemaat di Sorga Mulia [KJ.264] ( For All the Saints )
  • Kau Mutiara Hatiku [KJ.324]
  • Kau, Yesus, Raja Mahakaya [KJ.297]
  • Kaulah, ya Tuhan, Surya Hidupku [KJ.405] ( Be Thou My Vision )
  • Kusongsong Bagaimana [KJ.85]
  • Marilah, Marilah, Hai Saudara [KJ.338]
  • O Yesus Kristus, T'rang Baka [KJ.140]
  • Pencipta Bintang Semesta [KJ.86]
  • Sang Anak domba yang Kudus [KJ.160]
  • Sekarang, Tuhanku [KJ.128]
  • Sekawanan yang Esa [KJ.272]
  • Selama Bumi Didiami [KJ.298]
  • Sertai Kami, Tuhan [KJ.345]
  • Sinar Fajar Yang Baka [KJ.323]
  • Suara Yesus Kudengar [KJ.144a] ( I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say )
  • Suara Yesus Kudengar [KJ.144b] ( I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say )
  • Sungguh Kerajaan Allah [KJ.247]
  • Terbitlah Bintang Timur [KJ.83]
  • Terbitlah dalam Kegelapan [KJ.107]
  • Ya Cahya Kasih, Jalanku Kelam [KJ.411] ( Lead, Kindly Light )
  • Yesus Segala-galanya [KJ.396] ( Jesus Is All the World to Me )
  • [Joh 8:11] Neither Do I Condemn Thee
  • [Joh 8:12] Eternal Beam Of Light Divine
  • [Joh 8:12] Follow The Gleam
  • [Joh 8:12] Let Us Walk In The Light
  • [Joh 8:12] Light Of Bethlehem, The
  • [Joh 8:12] Light Of The World! Faint Were Our Weary Feet
  • [Joh 8:12] Light Of The World! Forever, Ever Shining
  • [Joh 8:12] Light Of The World Is Jesus, The
  • [Joh 8:12] Light Of The World, We Hail Thee
  • [Joh 8:12] Light Of The World! Whose Kind And Gentle Care
  • [Joh 8:12] Light Of The World’s Dark Story
  • [Joh 8:12] Lo! Golden Light Rekindles Day
  • [Joh 8:12] Morning Light
  • [Joh 8:12] O Gladsome Light
  • [Joh 8:12] O Light Of Life
  • [Joh 8:12] O Light, Whose Beams Illumine All
  • [Joh 8:18] O Thou Who At Thy Creature’s Bar
  • [Joh 8:32] Dusky Hands
  • [Joh 8:32] Holy Lord God! I Love Thy Truth
  • [Joh 8:32] In Lands Across The Sea
  • [Joh 8:32] I’ve Pitched My Tent In Beulah
  • [Joh 8:32] O Jesus, Youth Of Nazareth
  • [Joh 8:32] O Thou, Before Whose Presence
  • [Joh 8:32] Our Country
  • [Joh 8:32] Raise His Praise
  • [Joh 8:32] What We Stand For
  • [Joh 8:36] Glorious Freedom

Questions

Sermon Illustrations

How Jesus Interacted With People; All Forgivenesses Are Not Alike!; Thirty-one New Testament Descriptions of Sinful Mankind; Redemption Means…; All Scripture Is Inspired; Redemption Defined; Our Goal; John 8:7; Who Is Jesus Christ?; John 8:25; The Truth

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • This commandment deals with adultery only. Whereas murder violates life itself, adultery violates the most important and sacred human relationship, marriage.88God dealt with other forms of sexual sin elsewhere (cf. chs. 22-25...
  • The personal relationship that Esther and Mordecai had with Yahweh is a very interesting subject of study. The answer to this puzzle explains why God's name does not appear in the book and what God's purpose was in preserving...
  • How is it clear that Yahweh and not the idols directs world history? Yahweh alone can predict the future and then bring it to pass (41:21-29). Since Yahweh is the God of Israel, does He have any regard for the Gentile nations...
  • The section begins with an announcement of the salvation that God would provide for His chosen people.44:23 This verse concludes the thought expressed in the preceding one, so many translations and commentators regard it as t...
  • This is the third Servant Song (cf. 42:1-4; 49:1-6; 52:13-53:12). Like the second song, this one is autobiographical, but unlike the first and second songs it contains no reference to the Servant. That it is the Servant who i...
  • Isaiah continued the sheep metaphor but applied it to the Servant to contrast sinful people and their innocent substitute. Here it is not the sheep's tendency to get lost but its nondefensive nature that is the characteristic...
  • 13:20 The Lord called Jerusalem to look north and she would see people coming.238The city was about to lose the flock of special people over whom the Lord had made her responsible, namely, His people of Judah.13:21 What would...
  • Having given a true prophecy about the future, Jeremiah proceeded to announce God's judgment on the false prophets who were misleading His people with false prophecies (cf. v. 1). This section consists of six different messag...
  • 16:35-37 Yahweh announced the judgment that He would mete out to Jerusalem because of all her unnatural and rebellious unfaithfulness, idolatry, and bloodshed. He would bring all the nations that Jerusalem had opened her legs...
  • 33:23-24 The Lord informed the prophet about the attitude of the Jews still in the land. The few Jews who still lived in the waste places of the Promised Land were claiming that since God had promised that land to Abraham the...
  • Jesus proceeded to clarify His disciples' calling and ministry in the world to encourage them to endure persecution and to fulfill God's purpose for them."Some might think that verses 11-12 constitute the concluding Beatitude...
  • 16:1 Matthew introduced the Pharisees and Sadducees with one definite article in the Greek text. Such a construction implies that they acted together. That is remarkable since they were political and theological enemies (cf. ...
  • Jesus' statements in this pericope appear throughout the other Gospels. Verse 21 occurs in Matthew 5:15 and in Luke 11:33. Verse 22 is in Matthew 10:26 and in Luke 12:2. Verse 24 appears in Matthew 7:2 and in Luke 6:38. Verse...
  • Even though Jesus gave ample evidence that He was more than a mere man (4:35-5:43) those who knew Him best on the physical plane still refused to believe in Him (6:1-6a). This refusal led Jesus to turn increasingly from the m...
  • Though Mark did not record it, Jesus gave His disciples much additional instruction as they travelled from Capernaum in Galilee toward Jerusalem (cf. Matt. 8:19-22; 18:15-35; Luke 9:51-18:14; John 7:2-11:54). Evidently Jesus ...
  • This incident contrasts Jesus' humility and dependence on the Father with Peter's self-confidence (vv. 27-31). It is a remarkable revelation of the humanity of Jesus."So far from sailing serenely through his trials like some ...
  • Jesus now gave His disciples information that enabled them to understand the deeper teaching of the parable. The proclaimed Word of God does not in itself yield a uniform response of faith. Response to it is all important.8:1...
  • In this parable the rich man and his brothers who did not listen to Moses and the prophets (vv. 29-31) represent the Pharisees (vv. 16-17). The Pharisees believed in a future life and a coming judgment, but they, as the rich ...
  • John's presentation of Jesus in his Gospel has been a problem to many modern students of the New Testament. Some regard it as the greatest problem in current New Testament studies.15Compared to the Synoptics that present Jesu...
  • I. Prologue 1:1-18A. The preincarnate Word 1:1-5B. The witness of John the Baptist 1:6-8C. The appearance of the Light 1:9-13D. The incarnation of the Word 1:14-18II. Jesus' public ministry 1:19-12:50A. The prelude to Jesus' ...
  • John began his Gospel by locating Jesus before the beginning of His ministry, before His virgin birth, and even before Creation. He identified Jesus as co-existent with God the Father and the Father's agent in providing creat...
  • John the Apostle introduced John the Baptist because John the Baptist bore witness to the light, namely Jesus. John the Baptist was both a model evangelist pointing those in darkness to the light and a model witness providing...
  • The first section of the prologue (vv. 1-5) presents the preincarnate Word. The second section (vv. 6-8) identifies the forerunner of the Word's earthly ministry. This third section introduces the ministry of the Incarnate Wo...
  • The first miracle that Jesus performed, in His public ministry and in John's Gospel, was semi-public. Apparently only Jesus' disciples, the servants present, and Jesus' mother understood what had happened.2:1 The third day ev...
  • John included another summary of Jesus' activities (cf. v. 12). It enables the reader to gain a more balanced picture of popular reaction to Jesus than the preceding incident might suggest.2:23 Jesus did many signs (significa...
  • John now presented evidence that Jesus knew people as no others did and that many believed in His name (2:23). This constitutes further witness that He is the Son of God. John summarized several conversations that Jesus had w...
  • This pericope explains why Jesus must become greater. It also unites several themes that appear through chapter 3. John the Apostle or John the Baptist may be the speaker. This is not entirely clear.3:31-32 The incarnate Son ...
  • "In chapters 1-4 the subject is described from the standpoint of a spectator, ab extra, and we are thus enabled to see something of the impression created on others by our Lord as He deals with individuals in Jerusalem, Samar...
  • The preceding controversy resulted in Jesus clarifying His relationship to His Father further. Jesus proceeded to reply to His enemies' charge that He was not equal with God the Father. This is the most thoroughgoing statemen...
  • Jesus now returned to develop a theme that He had introduced previously, namely the Father's testimony to the Son (vv. 19-20). Jesus proceeded to cite five witnesses to His identity, all of which came from the Father, since t...
  • John probably included this incident for a number of reasons. It accounts for the return of Jesus and His disciples to the western shore of Galilee where Jesus gave the discourse on the Bread of Life. Perhaps he did so to con...
  • 6:35 Jesus now identified Himself as the bread about which He had been speaking (cf. v. 47; Isa. 55:1). He did not say He hadthe bread of life but that He wasthat bread. He claimed to be able to satisfy completely as bread an...
  • "John 7 has three time divisions: before the feast (vv. 1-10), in the midst of the feast (vv. 11-36), and on the last day of the feast (vv. 37-52). The responses during each of those periods can be characterized by three word...
  • 7:25-26 Though many of the Jewish pilgrims in the temple courtyard did not realize how antagonistic the religious leaders were to Jesus (v. 20), some of the locals did. They marvelled that Jesus was speaking out publicly and ...
  • Having announced His departure Jesus proceeded to offer the Holy Spirit for those who believed on Him (cf. chs. 14-16).7:37 The feast of Tabernacles lasted seven days (cf. Deut. 16:13). However the day following the feast was...
  • The textual authenticity of this pericope is highly questionable. Most ancient Greek manuscripts dating before the sixth century do not contain it. However, over 900 ancient manuscripts do contain it including the important e...
  • 8:12 The context of the events in this paragraph continues to be the temple during the feast of Tabernacles (v. 20, cf. 7:14). Jesus was speaking to the Jews who had assembled there some of whom were residents of Jerusalem an...
  • Jesus began to contrast Himself and His critics.3108:21 Evidently what follows continues Jesus' teaching in the temple when He spoke the words that John recorded in the preceding verses. The Greek word palin("again"or "once m...
  • Jesus next addressed those in His audience who had expressed some faith Him (v. 30).8:31 The mark of a true disciple is continuation in the instructions of his or her teacher. A disciple is by definition a learner, not necess...
  • 8:48 Since the Jews could not refute Jesus' challenge they resorted to verbal abuse (cf. 7:52). Perhaps they called Him a Samaritan because He had questioned their ties to Abraham. This may have been a Samaritan attack agains...
  • This chapter continues the theme of Jesus as the Light of the World (8:12; 9:5). When the Light shone, some received spiritual sight, as this blind man received physical and spiritual sight. However the Light blinded others (...
  • "John is interested in the way the coming of Jesus divides people."3479:35 The healed man had responded positively and courageously to the light that he had so far, but he did not have much light. Therefore Jesus took the ini...
  • 10:31-33 Clearly the Jews understood Jesus to be claiming more than simple agreement with God in thought and purpose but equality with the Father as deity. They prepared to stone Him for blasphemy.370They believed Jesus was b...
  • 10:40 John presented Jesus' departure from Jerusalem as the result of official rejection of Him. The event had symbolic significance that the evangelist probably intended. Jesus withdrew the opportunity for salvation from the...
  • In contrast to the hatred that the religious leaders manifested stands the love that Mary demonstrated toward the One she had come to believe in. Her act of sacrificial devotion is a model for all true disciples. This is the ...
  • 12:20 The New Testament writers frequently referred to any Gentiles who came from the Greek-speaking world as Greeks (cf. 7:35; et al.). We do not know where the Gentiles in this incident came from. They could have lived in o...
  • 12:27 Anticipation of the death that had to precede the glory troubled Jesus deeply (Gr. tataraktai, cf. 11:33; 14:1; Mark 14:32-42). It troubled Him because His death would involve separation from His Father and bearing God'...
  • 13:12 Jesus now returned to His role as the disciples' teacher, which His change of clothing and physical position indicated. He began to explain the significance of what He had done, though full comprehension would come to t...
  • Peter next declared his love for Jesus indirectly.13:36 Peter returned to the subject of Jesus' departure (v. 33; 8:21). He was unclear about where Jesus meant He would go. Jesus did not answer him unambiguously probably beca...
  • 14:5 Thomas voiced the disciples' continuing confusion about Jesus' destination. Apparently the "Father's house"did not clearly identify heaven to them. Without a clear understanding of the final destination they could not be...
  • 14:8 The Eleven regarded Jesus very highly. Notwithstanding they did not yet realize that He was such an accurate and full revelation of God the Father that to see Jesus was to see the Father. Philip asked for a clear revelat...
  • Jesus realized that the Eleven did not fully understand what He had just revealed. He therefore encouraged them with a promise that they would understand His words later.14:25-26 Jesus had made these revelations to His discip...
  • Jesus often used a grapevine to describe the nation of Israel (cf. Matt. 20:1-16; 21:23-41; Mark 12:1-9; Luke 13:6-9; 20:9-16). The vine as a symbol of Israel appears on coins of the Maccabees.474Here Jesus used the vine meta...
  • Jesus proceeded to expound further on some of the themes that He had introduced in His teaching on the vine and the branches (vv. 1-8). The subject moves generally from the believing disciple's relationship with God to his or...
  • 17:1 "These things Jesus spoke"(NASB, Gr. tauta elalesen Iesous) clearly connects what follows with what Jesus had just been saying (cf. 14:25; 16:1, 4, 25, 33). Lifting up the eyes to heaven indicated prayer, as did Jesus' w...
  • 18:1 "These words"evidently refer to all of what Jesus had said in chapters 13-17 all of which He probably spoke in the upper room. The Kidron Valley formed the eastern boundary of Jerusalem. The Kidron was also a wadior dry ...
  • There is quite a bit of unique material in this pericope. This includes the details of the Roman soldiers' abuse of Jesus (vv. 1-5) and the situation that Pilate's learning that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God instigated (...
  • John did not mention the darkness that came over the land as the other evangelists did (cf. Matt. 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44-45). This is noteworthy in view of John's interest in the light and darkness motif. Perhaps he di...
  • This pericope contains another post-resurrection appearance of Jesus that bolstered the disciples' faith. It also contains John's account of the Great Commission.20:19 John moved his readers directly from the events of Easter...
  • John followed the climactic proof that Jesus is God's Son with an explanation of his purpose for writing this narrative of Jesus' ministry. This explanation constitutes a preliminary conclusion to the book.20:30 "Therefore"ti...
  • Allen, Ronald B. "Affirming Right-of-Way on Ancient Paths."Bibliotheca Sacra153:609 (January-March 1996):3-11.Ante-Nicene Christian Library: Translations of the Writings of the Fathers. Edited by Alexander Roberts and James D...
  • Luke devoted more space to Paul's evangelizing in Philippi than he did to the apostle's activities in any other city on the second and third journeys even though Paul was there only briefly. It was the first European city in ...
  • In the first part of this chapter Paul explained that Christ has broken the bonds of sin that enslave the Christian (vv. 1-14). In the second part he warned that even though we are free we can become enslaved to sin by yieldi...
  • "The detailed attention just given to the Christ-hymn must not obscure the fact that vv 12-18 are part of a larger parenetic section--1:27-2:18. Exhortation is resumed again through the frequent use of the imperative mood, or...
  • Another group in the church deserved Timothy's special attention. Therefore Paul gave instructions concerning the care of elders to his young legate to enable him to deal with present and potential elders properly.The structu...
  • John began his explanation of what it means to live in the light by emphasizing that God is light.1:5 This verse provides a basis for what follows in verses 6-10. It gives the standard against which the three following Christ...
  • "The present vv, 3:4-9, form six strophes, each of which divides . . . roughly into half. The two halves of the strophes balance one another; for the second part of the v provides a development of the first part (vv 4, 5, 7),...
  • 3:12 Cain's murder of Abel evidenced control by Satan rather than by God. Cain was jealous because of Abel's greater righteousness, and this motivated him to kill his brother (Gen. 4:2-7; cf. John 8:40, 42, 44). Often our pri...
  • 3:19-20 "By this"refers to what John said in verses 17-18. Tangible demonstrations of love for the brethren show the believer's true character. They should be a comfort to us when we feel guilty that we have not met many need...
  • Next John moved on to his second purpose. He wrote to encourage his readers to resist the false teachers who were distorting the truth and deceiving some of the believers."The presbyter's attention now moves from the existenc...
  • Jesus Christ gave no rebuke to this church, as was true of the church in Smyrna. He gave the Christians five promises instead.1. Their Jewish antagonists would eventually have to acknowledge that the Christians were the true ...
  • This pericope furnishes the plot for the drama that unfolds in the rest of the chapter.12:1 John saw a "sign,"something that signified or represented something else (cf. v. 3; 13:13-14; 15:1; 16:14; 19:29). Usually John used ...
  • 20:11 This "And I saw"introduces something else John saw in this vision (cf. 19:11, 17, 19; 20:1, 4, 12; 21:1, 2). The continuation of chronological progression seems clear from the continued use of "And"to introduce new info...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • There are probably two, both referring to later additions to the ceremonies. One is in John 7:37. We learn from the Talmud that on each of the seven days (and according to one Rabbi on the eighth also) a priest went down to S...
  • I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk In darkness, but shall have the light of life.'--John 8:12.JESUS CHRIST was His own great theme. Whatever be the explanation of the fact, there stands the fact ...
  • Many believed on Him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him'--John 8:30-31.THE Revised Version accurately represents the original by varying the expression in these two clauses, retaining believed on Him' in the...
  • The dwelling of the soul in Him. Come, My people, into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee, until the indignation be overpast.' We were never in bondage to any man: how sayest Thou, Ye shall be made free?'--John 8:33....
  • And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. John 8:35.I MUST first ask your attention to a remark or two on what I conceive to be the force and connection of this passage. There is nothing in ...
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