Lesson for July 20, 2025
The Book of John
Lesson 24
Chapter 8:1-11
Verses 8:1-11
“But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 And early in the morning He came again into the temple area, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began teaching them. 3 Now the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in the act of adultery, and after placing her in the center of the courtyard, 4 they said to Him, ‘Teacher, this woman has been caught in the very act of committing adultery. 5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?’ 6 Now they were saying this to test Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. 7 When they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up and said to them, ‘He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’ 8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Now when they heard this, they began leaving, one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman where she was, in the center of the courtyard. 10 And straightening up, Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?’ 11 She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on do not sin any longer.’”
This passage of Scripture of a woman caught in adultery has been the center of controversy among Bible scholars over the years. John 7:53-8:1-11 does not appear in most of the earliest manuscripts of Scripture. The main reason for their conclusion that it was not written by John and should not be included in the inspired text is that the vocabulary and wording are not consistent with that of John. Therefore, some Bible scholars believe that somewhere along the way this passage was added by a well-meaning person.
We notice right away that only the woman who was caught in adultery was brought before Jesus. It makes one wonder why the man who was involved in this sinful act was not also brought before Jesus. Some scholars believe that this was a conspiracy of the Pharisees to trap Jesus into violating the Law of Moses. So, they set up the entire adulterous event. It is, however, interesting to see what the actual Law of Moses says about adultery. It demonstrates how the Pharisees tried to trip up Jesus by again distorting the Law of Moses for their own corrupt purposes.
Deuteronomy 22:22-24, “If a man is found lying with a married woman, then both of them shall die – the man that lay with the woman, and the woman; so you shall purge the evil from Israel. If a young woman who is a virgin is betrothed to a husband, and a man finds her in the town and lies with her, then you shall bring both of them out to the gate of that town, and you shall stone them with stones to death, the young woman because she did not cry out in the town, and the man because he humbled the wife of his neighbor; so you shall put away the evil from among you”
The Pharisees’ trap was obvious. If Jesus refused to condemn the adulteress woman under the Mosaic Law, then the Pharisees would say that Jesus was violating it. On the other hand, if Jesus recommended stoning the woman, He would be breaking Roman law, bringing on the wrath of the government and giving the Jewish leaders occasion to accuse Him. So, they are going to attempt to trap Him one way or another.
Now the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in the act of adultery, and after placing her in the center of the courtyard, they said to Him, ‘Teacher, this woman has been caught in the very act of committing adultery.’ The Pharisees had their witnesses lined up and ready to testify. So, they grabbed the woman in the act (not the man). They were going to try to trap Jesus. So, they dragged this woman right from the bed of adultery and took her before Jesus and all the people. The trap had been sprung, and Jesus had no way out, or did He?
Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say? They were referring to Leviticus 20:10 and Deuteronomy 22:22-24. This was the trap. The woman was the bait, and the Pharisees were attempting to use the Scriptures to achieve their own ends of condemning Jesus. Of course, they were distorting the Scriptures in order to use them against Jesus.
Now they were saying this to test Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. Now they were saying this to test Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. The Greek word for test is “peirazo,” which means to ensnare or prove a point. Jesus was aware, of course, of what was going on. So, He stooped down and He wrote something. The ordinary Greek word for write is grafo, meaning to form letters. But the Greek word here is “katagrafo,” which means to write according to a norm or standard. So, Jesus wrote something that lined up with the norms and standards of divine truth.
When they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up and said to them, ‘He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Jesus was saying that if you are going to stone her for adultery, then all of you should also be stoned for your sin. The Law of Moses was perfect, and the sentence of death was indeed the penalty for the act of adultery. But Jesus was letting them know that no human being is without sin (except Him, of course) and that everyone is deserving of forgiveness. So, He was demonstrating the grace of God and forgiveness for sin.
Now when they heard this, they began leaving, one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman where she was, in the center of the courtyard. And straightening up, Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?’She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on do not sin any longer.’ Jesus clearly pointed out to these religious Pharisees the principle of “judge not that you be not judged.” What right did they have to judge (condemn) someone else when they were worse sinners than the woman? These Pharisees were hypocrites, as Jesus told them in Matthew 7:3-5, “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and look, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye!”
The Jewish leaders cared nothing for true justice, evidenced by the fact they brought only the adulterous woman; justice would naturally demand that the adulterous man face the same treatment. Instead of stepping into their legalistic snare, Jesus silently stooped down and began writing with His finger in the sand.
The Pharisees and scribes kept on questioning Him until He finally stood and said, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Jesus’ response flawlessly preserved both Roman and Jewish law while uncovering the evil intentions in the hearts of the woman’s accusers. (gotquestions.org)
Bending down again, Jesus returned to writing on the ground. One by one, the accusers walked away until Jesus and the woman were left alone. Unlike the Pharisees who had no regard for the woman’s life or well-being, Jesus now cared for her most pressing needs. He did not condemn the woman but extended grace, mercy, and forgiveness. (gotquestions.org)
Jesus asked the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t any of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” the woman answered. Jesus reassured her with words of grace and truth: “Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.” With her guilt and shame addressed, Jesus now offered her a new life. Notice that the woman called Jesus “Lord,” which was an indication that she had believed in Him as Savior. (gotquestions.org)
Perhaps the most striking aspect of the story of the woman caught in adultery is how skillfully it illustrates the harmony of the justice and mercy of God. God pronounces judgment on sin but provides a way to escape condemnation through faith in Christ. (Romans 3:23; 8:1) Jesus does not condone sin, but He loves the sinner. God never treats sin casually but instructs us to avoid sin by staying in fellowship with Him and applying Bible doctrine under the filling of the Holy Spirit. After Jesus confronted the woman’s accusers with their own sin, all of them dropped their stones and walked away, knowing they deserved the same punishment. (gotquestions.org)
This story provides an excellent example for us to follow when we find ourselves judging or having an attitude of self-righteousness toward someone else’s sin. We must remember that God has forgiven us and that we have no right to throw stones. (Matthew 6:14–16; Mark 11:25; Luke 6:37) God wants to reconcile the world to Himself, and Christians are called to be ministers of that reconciliation as His ambassadors. (II Corinthians 5:18-20) God sent His Son into the world to save us from the condemnation we rightly deserve. (John 3:17) This truth is perfectly illustrated in Jesus’ interaction with the woman caught in adultery. (gotquestions.org)