John 8 Adulterous Woman and Light of the World

Transcription

1 Introduction John 8 Adulterous Woman and Light of the World Chapter 8 can be separated into three distinct parts: (1) the story of the woman caught in adultery; (2) Jesus presented as the Light of the World; and (3) the discussion concerning the true children of Abraham. The first section presents a challenge, not in its account, but in its canonicity. Most of the manuscripts and the best testimonies indicate that this story was not in John s original Gospel. However, the story certainly rings true to Jesus teaching and actions and has been defended through the years as canonical. In this story of the adulterous woman we see the Lord s incredible mercy extended in a situation where there should be judgment. The second section concerns Jesus as the Light of the World. He came to the world as a revelation of the Father so that we might receive eternal life in Him by faith. He comes bearing the Father s image and His message. The big problem is that many of the Jews at that time, and in particular, the religious leaders, were spiritually blind and therefore did not receive Him as the promised Messiah. They were not blinded by the light, as much as they are blinded to the light, and were unwilling to believe in Him. The third section is a recorded exchange between Jesus and some of the crowd concerning spiritual genealogy. As children of Abraham, the Jews assert a privilege one which was given to Abraham and to his descendants that was supposed to be received by faith. But in the presence of Jesus the Messiah, the children of Abraham asserted this standing as Chosen People apart from faith. As a result, while they thought that they were children of Abraham and therefore children of God, they were merely physical descendants of Abraham (c.f. Romans 9-11). By the end of the chapter Jesus has made some more enemies. He claimed to be God, so they pick up stones to kill Him. I. (vs. 7:53-8:11) The Lord shows His mercy in dealing with a woman caught in adultery. A. A Questionable Text 1. The majority of manuscripts both in number and quality of witness show that these verses were most likely not part of the original Gospel. 1 1 New English Translation Study Bible: The Net Bible, Editor's draft. ed. (Spokane, WA (8803 N. Pamela, Spokane, 99208): Biblical Studies Press, 1996). This entire section, 7:53 8:11, traditionally known as the pericope adulterae, is not contained in the earliest and best MSS and was almost certainly not an original part of the Gospel of John. Among modern commentators and textual critics, it is a foregone conclusion that the section is not original but represents a later addition to the text of the Gospel. B. M. Metzger summarizes: the evidence for the non-johannine origin of the pericope of the adulteress is overwhelming (TCGNT 187). External evidence is as follows. For the omission of 7:53 8:11: î66, 75 B L N T W Δ Θ Ψ * 2768 al. In addition codices A and C are defective in this part of John, but it 1 P a g e

2 a) The discussion is rather technical, but I have included a long footnote from the NET Bible. b) Textual problems are usually resolved on the basis of external evidence (the number, character, and quality of manuscript witnesses) and internal evidence (Does it ring true? Are there ways to explain the apparent errors?). appears that neither contained the pericope because careful measurement shows that there would not have been enough space on the missing pages to include the pericope 7:53 8:11 along with the rest of the text. Among the MSS that include 7:53 8:11 are D Û lat. In addition E S Λ 1424 mg al include part or all of the passage with asterisks or obeli, 225 places the pericope after John 7:36, 1 places it after John 21:25, {115} after John 8:12, 13 after Luke 21:38, and the corrector of 1333 includes it after Luke 24:53. (For a more complete discussion of the locations where this floating text has ended up, as well as a minority opinion on the authenticity of the passage, see M. A. Robinson, Preliminary Observations regarding the Pericope Adulterae Based upon Fresh Collations of nearly All Continuous-Text Manuscripts and All Lectionary Manuscripts containing the Passage, Filologia Neotestamentaria 13 [2000]: 35-59, especially ) In evaluating this ms evidence, it should be remembered that in the Gospels A is considered to be of Byzantine texttype (unlike in the epistles and Revelation, where it is Alexandrian), as are E F G (MSS with the same designation are of Western texttype in the epistles). This leaves D as the only major Western uncial witness in the Gospels for the inclusion. Therefore the evidence could be summarized by saying that almost all early MSS of the Alexandrian texttype omit the pericope, while most MSS of the Western and Byzantine texttype include it. But it must be remembered that Western MSS here refers only to D, a single witness (as far as Greek MSS are concerned). Thus it can be seen that practically all of the earliest and best MSS extant omit the pericope; it is found only in MSS of secondary importance. But before one can conclude that the passage was not originally part of the Gospel of John, internal evidence needs to be considered as well. Internal evidence in favor of the inclusion of 8:1 11 (7:53 8:11): (1) 7:53 fits in the context. If the last great day of the feast (7:37) refers to the conclusion of the Feast of Tabernacles, then the statement refers to the pilgrims and worshipers going home after living in booths for the week while visiting Jerusalem. (2) There may be an allusion to Isa 9:1 2 behind this text: John 8:12 is the point when Jesus describes himself as the Light of the world. But the section in question mentions that Jesus returned to the temple at early dawn (Ὄρθρου, Orthrou, in 8:2). This is the dawning of the Light of the world (8:12) mentioned by Isa 9:2. (3) Furthermore, note the relationship to what follows: Just prior to presenting Jesus' statement that he is the Light of the world, John presents the reader with an example that shows Jesus as the light. Here the woman came to the light while her accusers shrank away into the shadows, because their deeds were evil (cf. 3:19 21). Internal evidence against the inclusion of 8:1 11 (7:53 8:11): (1) In reply to the claim that the introduction to the pericope, 7:53, fits the context, it should also be noted that the narrative reads well without the pericope, so that Jesus' reply in 8:12 is directed against the charge of the Pharisees in 7:52 that no prophet comes from Galilee. (2) The assumption that the author must somehow work Isa 9:1 2 into the narrative is simply that - an assumption. The statement by the Pharisees in 7:52 about Jesus' Galilean origins is allowed to stand without correction by the author, although one might have expected him to mention that Jesus was really born in Bethlehem. And 8:12 does directly mention Jesus' claim to be the Light of the world. The author may well have presumed familiarity with Isa 9:1 2 on the part of his readers because of its widespread association with Jesus among early Christians. (3) The fact that the pericope deals with the light/darkness motif does not inherently strengthen its claim to authenticity, because the motif is so prominent in the Fourth Gospel that it may well have been the reason why someone felt that the pericope, circulating as an independent tradition, fit so well here. (4) In general the style of the pericope is not Johannine either in vocabulary or grammar (see D. B. Wallace, Reconsidering The Story of the Woman Taken in Adultery Reconsidered, NTS 39 [1993]: ). According to R. E. Brown it is closer stylistically to Lukan material (John [AB], 1:336). Interestingly one important family of MSS ( 13 ) places the pericope after Luke 21:38. Conclusion: In the final analysis, the weight of evidence in this case must go with the external evidence. The earliest and best MSS do not contain the pericope. It is true with regard to internal evidence that an attractive case can be made for inclusion, but this is by nature subjective (as evidenced by the fact that strong arguments can be given against such as well). In terms of internal factors like vocabulary and style, the pericope does not stand up very well. The question may be asked whether this incident, although not an original part of the Gospel of John, should be regarded as an authentic tradition about Jesus. It could well be that it is ancient and may indeed represent an unusual instance where such a tradition survived outside of the bounds of the canonical literature. However, even that needs to be nuanced (see B. D. Ehrman, Jesus and the Adulteress, NTS 34 [1988]: 24-44). 2 P a g e

3 c) In this case the external evidence is overwhelmingly against the passage being part of John s original autograph. d) However, because the story has a true ring, it appears that copyists throughout history have struggled to include it But, those few that do include it place the section in different locations (and not always in the Gospel of John). 2. Leon Morris explains The textual evidence makes it impossible to hold that this section is an authentic part of the Gospel. It is not attested in the oldest manuscripts, and when it does make its appearance it is sometimes found in other positions, either after v. 36, or after v. 44, or at the end of this Gospel, or after Luke 21:38. It seems clear enough that those scribes who felt it too important to be lost were not at all sure where to attach it. And if they could not agree on the right place for it, they could not agree either on the true text for it. The manuscripts which have it do not agree closely. The very large number of variants indicates that the textual history of this pericope is different from that of the fourth Gospel. In addition to the textual difficulty many find stylistic criteria against the story. While the spirit of the narrative is in accordance with that of this Gospel the language is not quite that of John. The passage is too short for this argument to be completely decisive, but for what it is worth it does tell against Johannine authorship. There is also the point that the section does not fill well into the context, whereas 8:12 follows naturally after 7:52. 2 B. However, the story most certainly has a ring of truth to it. 1. It highlights the tensions between Jesus and the religious leaders. a) They seek to trap Him in a dilemma where he is caught between the Roman law (forbidding the stoning) and the Jewish law (demanding the stoning: Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22). b) Interestingly, the woman was probably caught in the act of adultery, yet the man is not brought to justice, which is required by the Law. He should be put to death as well. 2. The Lord extends mercy in the face of sin. a) Jesus disarms the trap by placing responsibility back on the religious leaders in highlighting their own sin. 2 Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John; the English Text with Introduction, Exposition and Notes, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids,: Eerdmans, 1971), P a g e

4 b) Jesus neither nullifies the Law, nor does He enter a conflict with Roman law by demanding a stoning. 3. Notice there is no mention in this passage about forgiveness or faith on the woman s part. a) What we see displayed here is the Lord s mercy in the face of sin. b) The woman is told to go and stop this pattern of sin. II. (vs ) Jesus is the Light of the World who illumines the way to the Father in truth. A. (vs. 12) Jesus is the Light of the World 1. John records interesting and informative metaphors for Jesus. a) The Word (John 1) in that He is the representation of God Himself being God b) The Bread of Life (John 6) who gives eternal life through faith c) The Light of the World (John 8) who illumines the path to the Father d) The Gate for the Sheep (John 10) through whom people receive life e) The Good Shepherd (John 10) who cares for His people f) The Resurrection and the Life (John 11) who offers eternal life after death g) The Way, Truth, and Life (John 14) who directs us in truth to the Father and gives us eternal life h) The True Vine (John 15) through whom we live and produce kingdom fruit 2. In chapter 6, Jesus stands in the Temple and declares Himself to be the Bread of Life symbolized by the showbread in the Temple as well as the manna in the ark. I argued the metaphor is rooted in the wilderness manna experience. 4 P a g e

5 3. In this chapter, He is the Light of the World. a) The light is symbolized in the ten lampstands that stand outside the Holy of Holies b) Jesus could be playing off the ceremonies of the Feast of Tabernacles, which included the illumination of lights. c) However, the most probable reference goes back again to the Exodus and the Lord s leading Israel in a pillar of fire (Exo. 13:21-22). (Exo 13:21-22 / ESV) 21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. 22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people. 4. Jesus explains this metaphor by saying, Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. a) Whoever follows those who choose to have faith in Him b) Walk in darkness live under the control and penalty of sin, apart from God c) Light of life eternal life and peace with God through Christ B. (vs ) The religious leaders are blind to the light. 1. They challenge Him concerning His authority. a) The Pharisees are concerned with the source of Jesus testimony about Himself avoiding the main issue and focusing on legal technicalities. b) There is actually a bit of humor to their objections when you think about it. Jesus claims to be light while they are choosing to be blind! What kind of testimony does light really need anyway? 2. (vs ) Jesus affirms the validity of His own testimony and heavenly origin (vs. 14) and reiterates that the Father also bears testimony to Him (John 5:37). 5 P a g e

6 3. (vs. 17) Jesus statement carries a punch: In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. (Deu 19:15 / ESV) 15 A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established. a) In your Law obviously refers to the Mosaic Law God s Law but by saying your Law, Jesus is referring to the distinction between the Pharisees misunderstanding of the Law and His own fulfillment of the Law. b) He is not contradicting the written Law, but rather is highlighting the great difference between the empty religious practices of the Pharisees and His own position as true light of the world. 4. (vs ) Jesus brings the dispute to a head by stating once again that the religious leaders a) For all their supposed expertise in the Law do not truly know the Law Giver His Father. b) He also reaffirms His own divine status as the One sent by the Father. 5. (vs. 20) Still not the time a) John ends this section by recalling words he has told us before Jesus could not be seized because His time had not yet come. b) That time would be His arrest and ultimate crucifixion. c) Until that time, Jesus would continue to confront the religious leaders who stood in opposition while some would come to believe. C. (vs ) Their blindness leads to their judgment 1. (vs ) The gulf between Jesus and the religious leaders will prevent them from following Him to the Father in eternal life. a) Instead they will die in their sins. b) (vs. 22) The leaders do not understand and think He might kill Himself. 6 P a g e

7 2. (vs ) Jesus highlights that He is from above the Father while they are from below the sinful earth. a) Once again, they will die in their sins. b) The reason for their inability to follow Him and live is that they will not believe. 3. (vs ) The leaders ask, Who are you? Despite the fact that Jesus has clearly identified Himself and despite the fact that they are standing before the Light of the World they cannot see because they will not believe. a) Consequently, they will be judged. b) The Father is reliable and Jesus tells His message to the entire world as the Light of the World. c) (vs. 27) Yet, ironically the religious leaders themselves remain blind they did not understand. d) (vs ) Jesus now refers specifically to His coming death, which will ultimately reveal His having come from the Father. III. (vs ) The true sons of Abraham would recognize the true Son of God. A. (vs ) Yet many do see and did believe in Him. 1. The contrast is strongly made between those from the people who believe and the religious leaders who do not. 2. (vs. 32) For those who believe who are willing to see the Light of the World they will know the truth and the truth will make them free from sin, it s effects and it s penalty of death. They will inherit eternal life. B. (vs ) We are Abraham s descendants 1. (vs. 33) There is much irresolvable discussion concerning the ones Jesus addresses at this point. a) In verse 31 John tells us that Jesus is addressing those who believe in Him. b) Yet from verse 33 on, Jesus confronts them with their ignorance and opposition, calling them at one point children of the devil. c) The problem is how can they be believers and yet so mistaken? 7 P a g e

8 d) Some resolve the problem by saying that they think they are believers but truly are not. That s certainly possible, but to me very confusing. Why would John take note to say, To the Jews who had believed him in verse 31? Why would he say something so confusing? e) The other solution is to posit that Jesus is taking to the wider group at this point not those who believe, but the majority who don t in particular, the religious leaders. (1) This is the view I hold because it makes more sense. Unfortunately, the text is rather unclear. (2) HOWEVER, the hardest verse to reconcile is verse 33 where this group identifies itself as the ones to whom Jesus had spoken, Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (vs. 32) (3) At best, what I think is happening is that some believed, but others did not. This latter group of unbelievers heard Jesus words and thought they were addressed to them not simply to the sub-group of those who believed. (4) As you can appreciate, this is a very difficult text to sort out. Either there are two sub-groups (believers and unbelievers), or those who believed in Him really didn t. 2. (vs. 33) They challenge Jesus on being slaves as Abraham s children, they have never been slaves to anyone. a) That s just factually untrue. They were slaves in Egypt. b) They were certainly oppressed by the Syrians (Antiochus Epiphanies in particular. c.a. 2 nd century B.C.). c) Now they stand under Roman occupation and oppression. d) The only way to make sense of their statement is to assume they are talking about the place of spiritual privilege given to them by God through Abraham and the covenant of Gen 12; P a g e

9 3. (vs ) Jesus corrects them not by discussing the issue of political slavery, but by addressing spiritual bondage to sin. Jesus response makes me think that the people were indeed talking about spiritual bondage, not political slavery. a) (vs ) Jesus now speaks of His divine position as Son, who is authorized to set slaves from sin free. b) (vs. 37) Yet, they do not want to receive the Son, but rather, to kill Him (for doing the works of the Father c.f. John 5). 4. (vs ) Jesus asserts they are not Abraham s children. a) (vs. 38) They have different fathers. Jesus is the true Son of the Father. b) (vs. 39a) They counter by identifying Abraham as their father. c) (vs. 39b) Jesus responds that they do not act as Abraham s offspring because they do not do the things he did i.e. believe! d) (vs. 40) Instead of believing in Him, they try to kill Him. e) (vs. 41a) Jesus accuses them of acting according to a different father not father Abraham. f) (vs. 41b) They now assert their status as sons of the Heavenly Father. g) (vs. 42) Jesus counters by saying if they were, they would love Him. 5. (vs ) Jesus calls them the children of the devil. a) (vs. 43) They are unable to hear in their unbelief. b) (vs ) They act like their father, the devil. (1) (vs. 44) He is a murderer they are trying to kill Jesus. (2) (vs. 45) He is a liar they are unwilling to hear the truth. c) (vs. 46) They cannot prove Him guilty of sin i.e. lying about His identity d) (vs. 47) They do not hear because they do not belong to Father God. e) So they are not Abraham s true descendants, and they are certainly not sons of God. 9 P a g e

10 C. (vs ) Jesus is greater than Abraham He is God. 1. (vs. 48) They counter that Jesus is demon-possessed (implication is that He is of the devil) or at a minimum a Samaritan (who were considered illegitimate offspring / c.f. notes on John 4). 2. (vs. 49) Jesus disagrees and sets them straight. 3. (vs ) Rather, Jesus glorifies the Father and offers life by the way, only God can offer life, as the crowd surely understands. 4. (vs ) Here s the climax Who do you think you are? a) Is He greater than Abraham the father of the faith? b) They will see He claims to be even greater than that He claims to be God. 5. (vs ) Jesus reasserts His union with the Father, who glorifies Him. a) The Jews claim God as Father, but in error. b) Yet, the Father gives glory to the Son certainly Jesus is more than hinting at His own deity. 6. (vs ) Jesus predates Abraham a) (vs. 56) Abraham rejoiced to see my day the coming of Messiah b) (vs. 57) They respond you re not old enough to have known Abraham c) (vs. 58) Referring to Exo. 3:14, Jesus asserts His equality with the Father as the LORD ( I AM ) as God Himself. (evgw. eivmi,) 7. (vs. 59) They understand Jesus remarks to be blasphemous, so seek to stone Him. a) The present tense of Jesus response (I am) clearly plays on the name of God in Exodus 3:14 as the great I AM (Jehovah / YHWH). b) There is no misunderstanding by the crowd, which is why they seek to stone Him. c) Truly they do not understand who He is, but they most certainly understand who He claims to be!!! 10 P a g e

11 Conclusion This chapter can be divided into three sections: (1) the story of the woman caught in adultery; (2) Jesus presented as the Light of the World; and (3) the discussion concerning the true children of Abraham. What lessons can we draw? Story of the Woman Caught We see the Lord s incredible mercy where judgment is expected. It s not that the Lord ignores the sin He told her to stop sinning. Rather, as God He is capable of withholding judgment because ultimately He Himself will take that judgment on the cross. Often as believers we focus on our failures without seeing God s grace. That s easy to do because we sometimes fail easily or frequently. We need to remember that God does not excuse our sin, or minimize its effects, but due to His incredible mercy He pays for our sin and then over time brings healing into our lives. The Light of the World How can we be so blind? How can we not see what s right in front of our faces? It seems that s a human trait, which holds true in the daily events of our lives as well as in the spiritual realm. Yet, spiritual blindness does not come from ignorance. Its source is unwillingness to trust the Lord. That s certainly true of those who refuse to believe in Christ. They cannot see because they will not see. I wonder if the same principle applies to believers who refuse to believe the Lord in areas of spiritual growth and maturity. We all have blind spots in how we act and how we think. How many of those blind spots come because we are not willing to trust the Lord? For example, if we do not trust the Lord in handling our money in making wise purchases, in stretching our credit to feed our wants, in giving joyfully and generously to His kingdom can we become blind to the sources of our financial difficulties? Children of Abraham The crowd drew its spiritual self-esteem from being related to Abraham. Their spiritual relationship with the Lord was dependent on someone else s faith, not their own. We ve seen examples in history of this dilemma. The early colonists wanted the land to be founded and settled with faith in Jesus Christ. But, within a short period of time they faced the reality that their children and grandchildren did not share the same personal faith in the Lord. Their solution was to enact the Halfway Covenant, which was adopted by Congregational Churches in New England between 1657 and Under these terms those who knew the Lord, as evidenced by baptism and membership in the church, could extend to their children baptism and certain church benefits (without full membership so halfway ). In other words, unbelieving children could obtain certain benefits held by believing parents. Complicated issues of the relationship between church and state aside, the ultimate result were colonies of many Christians who did not know 11 P a g e

12 Christ. Moral decline and lack of transforming faith were key factors leading to the First Great Awakening. The Halfway Covenant was an unsuccessful human attempt to legislate what in reality is a personal decision of faith in Christ. These children of Abraham could not recognize God s Son. How do we define our own relationship with the Lord? I ve asked some about their faith in Christ only to receive responses such as: I have been a member of the church for or I have been a Baptist (or Presbyterian, Methodist, or whatever) since ) Many times I felt I was talking with a church-goer, not a Christian. Children of God know God because, first and foremost, they have trusted in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. And children of God grow closer to God and mature in faith as they continue to trust in Him for life change. I ve heard it said that it really doesn t matter which church you go to as long as they believe in Jesus Christ. There s some truth in that remark, but there are two subtle distinctions I d like to make: (1) it s not the church that gives you a relationship with God it s faith in His Son who then makes you part of His church; (2) the issue is not simply that they believe in Jesus Christ, but that you also believe in Him. 12 P a g e