📖 Passage

John 8:1–11 Read John 8:1–11 (NKJV)

🧠 Context & Background

This account follows the intense debates of the Feast of Booths. The religious leaders, seeking to trap Jesus, bring a woman caught in adultery before Him. The Law of Moses prescribed stoning for such sin (Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22), but the Roman authorities had removed Jewish authority to carry out executions. This scene forces a confrontation between law and grace, truth and mercy. Though some manuscripts place this account later in John or in Luke, the event reflects Jesus’ consistent character and teaching.

🌿 Key Themes

• Law and Grace — Jesus upholds the Law while extending mercy.
• Hypocrisy Exposed — The accusers’ own sin is confronted.
• Authority of Christ — He teaches with divine wisdom that transcends human traps.
• Repentance — Mercy calls sinners to leave sin behind.

📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary

John 8:1–2

"Early in the morning He came again into the temple courts." - Faithful Teacher — Despite rising opposition, Jesus continues His public ministry.
- Temple Focus — Teaching in the temple shows His authority and the public nature of His message.

John 8:3–6

"They set her in the midst." - Public Humiliation — The woman is shamed before all, revealing the hardness of the accusers’ hearts.
- Legal Trap — They hope to pit Jesus against either the Mosaic Law or Roman authority.
- Moral Posture — The accusers see themselves as righteous judges, ignoring their own sin.
- Divine Wisdom — Jesus writes on the ground, refusing to be rushed into their agenda.

John 8:7–9

"Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone." - Sinless Standard — Jesus applies the Law’s justice equally, exposing hypocrisy.
- Conscience Struck — One by one, they leave, convicted of their own guilt.
- Judgment Reoriented — Jesus redirects attention from her sin alone to the universal need for mercy.

John 8:10–11

"Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more." - Mercy Extended — Jesus does not condemn, showing the heart of the Gospel.
- Call to Holiness — Mercy is never license for sin but a summons to repentance.
- Personal Restoration — The woman is restored to dignity and called to a new life.

🔍 Trusted Insight

R.C. Sproul remarks that Jesus’ handling of this case demonstrates both His commitment to God’s Law and His mission of grace — He neither excuses sin nor crushes the sinner, but offers a path of forgiveness and transformation.
Summary: Jesus silences hypocritical accusers and calls the sinner to a life changed by grace.

🧩 Review Questions

1. Why was the woman brought publicly rather than privately addressed?
2. How does Jesus’ response uphold both truth and grace?
3. What does “sin no more” teach us about the nature of repentance?
4. In what ways are we tempted to act like the accusers in this passage?

🔍 Definitions

• Adultery — Sexual unfaithfulness to one’s spouse, condemned in the Law.
• Condemn — To pronounce guilty and assign punishment.
• Repentance — Turning from sin to God in heartfelt obedience.

🙋 Application Questions

1. How do you respond when confronted with someone else’s sin?
2. Where in your life has Jesus extended you mercy instead of judgment?
3. How can you extend grace without compromising truth?

🔤 Greek Keywords

• Moicheia (Adultery) — Unfaithfulness in marriage, a violation of covenant faithfulness.
• Katakrino (Condemn) — To judge worthy of punishment.
• Metanoeō (Repent) — To change one’s mind and direction toward God.

📚 Cross References

• Leviticus 20:10 — Law’s penalty for adultery.
• Deuteronomy 22:22 — Adultery punishable by death.
• Psalm 103:10 — God does not treat us as our sins deserve.
• Micah 7:18 — God delights in mercy.
• Romans 8:1 — No condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.
• Titus 2:11–12 — Grace teaches us to say “no” to ungodliness.

📦 Next Study

Next Study → John 8:12–30