Some of your bibles will have this chapter of John in parenthesis and that’s because our oldest known copies of this gospel are missing this chapter. This has left some some people in doubt as to it’s validity. Some of the bible’s critics will say that this chapter doesn’t belong and we know that because Jesus was an unlearned peasant and couldn’t possibly know how to write. Of course for this theory to work you would have to discount Luke’s account (which they do) not to mention the last chapter. One of the things they seem to overlook is that while it is true that most of the population was illiterate, that didn’t mean everybody. This is one of the reasons why God set up a Leviticus priesthood whose job it was to read and teach the scriptures. Of course if they had, then there wouldn’t have been so much confusion about the coming Messiah. Why is this important? Because Mary came from a family of priests (We know this because Elisabeth was her cousin and Zacharias was a practicing Levitical priest) so it isn’t a stretch to think that Jesus had received some lessons in reading. Especially since He was constantly telling others to search the scriptures. Why would He say such a thing if He hadn’t done so himself?
All that is well and good, but what does that have to do with this chapter? Aside from Christ writing on the ground probably not much, but it does bring us to the exciting stuff and the reason we know for a fact that this chapter belongs right here and in this spot. Let’s start and I’ll explain.
John 8:1 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
Ok in the last chapter we talked about how it was an overlay of the tribulation and how the completion of the Feast of Tabernacles marks the end of this age. Well folks the Feast of Tabernacles is complete and what marks the return of our Savior? Him touching the Mount of Olives. From here on we are going to see some things that will help you better understand the millennium.
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.
During the millennium, Christ is in and stays in the temple until the great white throne judgment.
This marks the beginning of the millennium so note how everyone is coming to Him and compare it to:
Isaiah 45:23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
You might be thinking to yourself that this isn’t bowing a knee and I won’t argue the point, but I will have you consider this before we move on:
Romans 14:10-13 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. (11) For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. (12) So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. (13) Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.
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, (8:4) They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
Before Christ returns 2 Thessalonians 2 tells us that there will be a great falling away meaning many will fall away from God and turn toward Satan. Turning from God is called idolatry and many times, Hosea in particular, God has used adultery as a physical example of idolatry.
John 8:5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? (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.
They are trying to trip Christ up. How? If this woman is married, the law in question is given in Deuteronomy 22 (The law listed in Numbers 5 doesn’t apply because they were caught, “in the very act”) so let’s go there.
Deuteronomy 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.
Alright so this woman needs to die right? She was found, so let’s start chucking rocks right? Not so fast. Where is this guy? The laws say both of them are to be put to death, so if she was caught in the act why didn’t they bring the man also? Shouldn’t he have some stones with his name on it? Seems the Pharisees are being a bit selective with their punishments.
Ok, what about if she is a virgin and only betrothed?
Deuteronomy 22:23-24 If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; (24) Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour’s wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you.
It doesn’t say to stone her alone so again where is Mr. Happy Pants? Makes you wonder if he’s one of the town’s big shots.
So with this in mind we know that if Christ were to say stone her, He isn’t following the law in it’s entirety and if He were to say let her go then He is again violating the law. We will find out in a moment how He handles this, but first let’s think a moment about what He wrote.
Many have speculated over the years as to what exactly He writes here and we simply cannot know for certain, but it is probable that He wrote this law, but let’s not forget this is a symbol for the millennium.
Revelation 10 tells us that right after Jesus returns there are seven thunders (thunder is what you hear after the lightning has already done it’s thing) that John was about to write when he is told that they are sealed up and to not write them. I feel that because we are not told what Jesus wrote it links these two events together. Don’t worry if you don’t see that.
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.
Think about these accusers for a moment, Christ is writing, but they don’t care and these are the scribes so they can read, but they are demanding action. Does this remind you of anyone?
Revelation 12:9-11 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (10) And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. (11) And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
This is what Satan does. Day and night, the second you make a mistake he is there just like he was in Job.
But remember that when you are standing before God, it’s only going to be you and Him so you don’t need to worry about a crowd of people hurrying up to God trying to tell Him what you did, because He already knows and He is going to deal with you on a one to one basis no matter what the holy rollers want to say about it.
John 8:8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. (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.
Here I imagine He is writing down their sins, which when the beam in your eye is pointed out, most people find it hard to face.
Why does it begin with the eldest? Because judgment starts at the pulpit and the elders should know better.
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?(11) She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Christ isn’t saying she didn’t do it because He said, “sin no more,” meaning she did it He just isn’t going to enforce it and He isn’t breaking the law because He wasn’t the one that caught her in the act, thus the Pharisees trap didn’t work.
Symbolically she is the bride of Christ so who is it that ultimately has the right to forgive her? The betrothed husband, meaning Christ. Let’s go back to Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 22:13-14 If any man take a wife, and go in unto her, and hate her, (14) And give occasions of speech against her, and bring up an evil name upon her, and say, I took this woman, and when I came to her, I found her not a maid:
I kind of hate to stop there on a colon, but you can go and read the rest of the thought yourself with lays out the whole process on how to deal with a non-virgin wife, but I want to call to attention the first part where it says IF he hates her. That is a condition and Christ’s love is unconditional meaning He wont hate her even if she has gone astray and by the end of the millennium they will have the opportunity to reunite with their true husband.
The reason He can do this is because God blinds them making them ultimately innocent of what they are doing. If you don’t understand the how, who or why God has blinded some I say for now just lay it aside for now because it’s a topic in and of itself. For now the important thing is to know at the beginning whether it be in the flesh age or in the millennium at the beginning the woman stands accused, but by the end even though she did the deed she is not condemned, but to get to that point there is a process. This process is the millennium.
