John
Chapter 8
Jesus and the Adulterous Woman
As for Jesus, he went to the Mount of Olives.
At daybreak, Jesus returned to the temple. The crowd gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.
Then the teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in the act of adultery. They made her stand before everyone:
“Teacher,” they said, “this woman has been caught in the act of adultery.
Now, the law of Moses requires that such women be stoned to death. But what do you say?”
They asked this to test Jesus and have a reason to accuse him. Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger.
As they persisted in questioning him, he straightened up and said:
“Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Then he bent down again, writing on the ground.
Hearing this, they left one by one, starting with the elders. Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.
Then Jesus stood up and asked her:
“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
She replied:
“No one, sir.”
Then Jesus said:
“Neither do I condemn you. Go now and from now on do not sin again.”
Jesus, Light of the World
Jesus spoke to them again:
“I am the light of the world; the one who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have light and life.”
So the Pharisees replied:
“Now you are speaking on your own behalf; your testimony is worthless.”
Then Jesus said:
“Even though I bear witness to myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I have come from and where I am going. But you do not know where I came from or where I am going.
You judge by human standards; as for me, I don’t judge anyone.
But if I had to judge, my judgment would be valid for I am not alone: the Father who sent me is with me.
In your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is valid;
so I am bearing witness to myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness to me.”
They asked him:
“Where is your Father?”
Jesus answered:
“You don’t know me or my Father; if you knew me, you would know my Father as well.”
Jesus said these things when he was teaching in the temple area, in the place where they received the offerings. No one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
The Origin and Purpose of Jesus
Again, Jesus said to them:
“I am going away, and though you look for me, you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.”
The Jews wondered:
“Why does he say that we can’t come where he is going? Will he kill himself?”
But Jesus said:
“You are from below, and I am from above; you are of this world, and I am not of this world.
That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. And you shall die in your sins unless you believe that I am He.”
They asked him:
“Who are you?”
Jesus said:
“Just what I have told you from the beginning.
I have much to say about you and much to condemn; but the one who sent me is truthful and everything I learned from him, I proclaim to the world.”
They didn’t understand that Jesus was speaking to them about the Father.
So Jesus said:
“When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He and that I do nothing of my own, but I say just what the Father taught me.
He who sent me is with me and has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases him.”
As Jesus spoke like this, many believed in him.
The Truth Sets You Free
Jesus went on to say to the Jews who believed in him:
“You will be my true disciples if you keep my word
Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”
They answered him:
“We are the descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves of anyone. What do you mean by saying: You will be free?”
Jesus answered them:
“Truly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.
A slave doesn’t remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.
So, if the Son makes you free, you will be really free.
I know that you are the descendants of Abraham, yet you want to kill me because my word finds no place in you.
For my part, I speak of what I have seen in my Father’s presence, but you do what you have heard from your father.”
The True Children of God
They answered him:
“Our father is Abraham.”
Then Jesus said:
“If you were Abraham’s children, you would do as Abraham did. The True Children of God
But now you want to kill me, the one who tells you the truth—the truth that I have learned from God. That is not what Abraham did;
what you are doing are the works of your father.”
The Jews said to him:
“We are not illegitimate children; we have one Father, God.”
Jesus replied:
“If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came forth from God and I am here. And I didn’t come on my own; he himself sent me.
Why do you not understand my teaching? It is because you cannot bear my message.
The father you spring from is the devil, and you will carry out the evil wishes of your father, who has been a murderer from the beginning. He didn’t uphold the truth for, in him, there is no truth; and now, when he speaks for himself, he lies. He is a liar and the father of lies.
But because I speak the truth and you don’t believe me.
Who among you can find anything false in me? Then, if I speak the truth, why do you not believe me?
He, who is of God, hears the words of God; you don’t listen because you are not of God.”
Jesus’ Unity with God
The Jews retorted: “
Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and are possessed by a demon?”
Jesus said:
“I am not possessed, and you try to shame me when I give honor to my Father.
I don’t care about my own glory; there is one who cares for me, and he will be the judge.
Truly, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.”
The Jews replied: “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died and the prophets as well, but you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never experience death.’
Do you claim to be greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets who also died? Who do you claim to be?”
Then Jesus said:
“If I were to praise myself, it would count for nothing. But he who gives glory to me is the Father, the very one you claim as your God,
although you don’t know him. I know him, and if I were to say that I don’t know him, I would be a liar like you. But I know him, and I keep his word.
As for Abraham, your ancestor, he looked forward to the day when I would come; and he rejoiced when he saw it.”
The Jews then said to him:
“You are not yet fifty years old, and you have seen Abraham?”
Jesus said:
“Truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
They then picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid and left the temple area.
Commentaries
Jesus, Light and Life of the World.
Chapters 7 and 8 form a cohesive unit, connected by three elements: time (the Feast of Tabernacles), place (the temple), and action (Jesus teaches). There is a clear thematic progression. The main question focuses on Jesus’ identity, as asked by his brothers: “Reveal yourself to the world” (7:4), and by the Jews: “Who are you?” (8:25). As Jesus teaches, his identity is gradually revealed, culminating in the absolute: “I am” in 8:58. However, the primary focus remains on God, whom Jesus refers to in chapter 7 as “the one who sent me,” and then in chapter 8, often as “the Father.”
Disbelief and Rejection of Jesus (7:1-24). Jesus has already visited Jerusalem twice (2:13; 5:1), but these visits ended with threats against him (4:1-3; 5:16-18). Therefore, the evangelist explicitly states that Jesus did not want to travel through Judea (1). Jesus’ actions provoke different reactions: his relatives do not believe in him (5); some see him as a good man, while others think he’s a liar (12). However, Jesus bases his work on the mission he received from the Father (16).
Jesus and the Messiah (7:25-31). The people of Jerusalem speculate in many ways. They feel anxious and unsure about Jesus. Jesus, for his part, confronts their lack of understanding about the Father and himself. The question of messianic expectations and Jesus’s legitimacy, which was relevant in his time, can only be fully understood by looking at later discussions between Jews and Christians.
True Freedom (7:32-36). The core message of the fourth Gospel is entirely centered on Jesus, the Son of God; it does not focus on principles or doctrines. Jesus himself is the truth (14:6). “The truth will set you free” is one of the evangelist’s powerful sayings that has kept its significance; however, it also shares the fate of other profound sayings that have been misunderstood or distorted. Freedom is the dynamic force of life that redeem human beings, existentially, from the oppression of sin, condemnation, and death.
Jesus, Source of Life (7:37-39). To fully understand this scene, we need to consider its context. It occurs during the Feast of Tabernacles, when people earnestly pray for rain as the priests gather water from the Pool of Siloam and carry it to the Temple. The ritual of pouring water on the altar of sacrifice commemorates the miracle of water flowing from the rock in the desert (Ex 17:1-7). Prophets are read aloud, symbolizing the people’s spiritual renewal through water. On the final, most solemn day, Jesus stands up and calls out to the crowd. He presents himself as the rock of salvation for every thirsty person who must come and drink. He is the living Temple of the eschatological Jerusalem (Ezek 47:1ff; Zech 14:18). He embodies Wisdom, inviting his listeners to draw nearer (Prov 9:5ff). However, the evangelist connects this moment of the Spirit to the hour of Jesus’ glorification—his ultimate sacrifice on the cross (19:34). Through his death out of love, Jesus becomes the everlasting source of the Spirit’s gift.
Schism Within the People (7:40-44). This scene depicts the reaction to Jesus’ declaration. The crowd is divided; one group claims Jesus is the prophet, while another insists he is the Messiah. This assertion of messiahship sparks a heated debate. The evangelist is not concerned with Jesus’ human ancestry or earthly homeland but emphasizes his divine origin. He does not attempt to prove Jesus’ legitimacy as Messiah through human standards. Jesus cannot be judged by appearances.
Attitude of the Leaders (7:45-53). Before the great debate that will pit Jesus against the Pharisees in the temple (8:13-59), the evangelist describes the Pharisees’ inner attitude. The guards, sent earlier (cf. 32b), return empty-handed, excusing themselves: “No man ever spoke like this man.” The Pharisees, eager to preserve their authority, try to silence the growing faith of the people, using their prestige to discredit Jesus by calling him a “deceiver” and the people “ignorant and accursed.” These words reveal the Pharisees’ clear judgment of the Johannine Christians of Jewish origin.
Jesus and the Adulterous Woman (8:1-11). This story is not present in the oldest manuscripts. Its philological analysis shows a connection with the Gospel of Luke, which strongly supports oppressed women. It would ideally be placed after Luke 21:37. However, the passage is the inspired Word of God, and therefore, we must read it. Jesus’ opponents test him harshly: mercy or justice. Their main goal is to accuse Jesus of violating the law of Moses and, consequently, being against God. They also ignore the situation of the poor woman about to be stoned. Jesus challenges his critics—readers across all times—to move from enforcing the law to internalizing it through personal responsibility. What’s the point of throwing stones if we all live in glass houses?
Jesus, Light of the World (8:12-20). For John, Jesus—the Word made flesh—has been the light of humanity from the beginning (1:4), and with his earthly arrival, he is uniquely so (1:9). Jesus came to bring light to the world (3:19; 12:46); indeed, he is the light of the world, and those who follow him do not walk in darkness but have the light of life. Jesus requires a personal commitment, shown here by the phrase “follow me” (12), which means allowing oneself to be filled with the light of Jesus, the Son of God.
The Origin and Purpose of Jesus (8:21-30). This passage highlights the dual signs of “I am going away” and “I am.” The first signifies passion and glorification, which points to the second: the revelation of Jesus’ divine identity. The moment is urgent; before Jesus, one must choose sides: those who accept him have life, and those who reject him exclude themselves and are already judged.
The Truth Sets You Free (8:31-38). Jesus invites those who believe in him to stay faithful to his word. The freest person is the Son of God, and his freedom is in being the Son. Only the Son can share a freedom that is rooted in a divine relationship. Only through the Son can we access the Father as Father, which is in freedom: to be and know ourselves as children in the Son, children of the Father. To be able to stay in the Father’s house forever. The slave does not belong to the house and can be cast out (like Ishmael); the son belongs to the house and remains at home (like Isaac).
The True Children of God (8:39-47). This scene highlights the controversy that arose between the Jewish synagogue and the Christian church at the end of the first century. The debate over Abraham’s descendants was a key issue; for the Christian community, this was not based on bloodline but on the bond of faith, meaning the fulfillment of God’s will. John takes the controversy further by contrasting the terms “children of God” and “children of the Devil.” This may be the harshest criticism of the Jewish synagogue in the entire Gospel.
Jesus’ Unity with God (8:48-59). Jesus “knows” God; the Jews, on the other hand, do not. He is the Son of God, and therefore, he knows God intimately and from a close place of communion. And he keeps his word. The Jews try to mock his proclamation, even reducing it to simple chronology. With obvious words, introduced by an assertion formula, Jesus declares his superiority over Abraham. The echo of Exodus 3:14 resounds: “I am who I am,” or “I am who will be with you.” The Lord God wanted to reveal not his metaphysical being but his loyalty, his constant protection of the people (Ex 3:6, 13, 15f). Jesus is the presence of God; the indirect allusion to Exodus 3:14 is unacceptable to the Jews, who interpret Jesus’ statement as blasphemy. They take up stones to stone the blasphemer (cf. Lv 24:16). But Jesus hides himself and leaves the temple. He will no longer grant them any further revelatory discourse; he denies them his presence (12:36b).