John 8:46-50 comments: He that is of God heareth God's words...

46 ¶  Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? 47  He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. 48  Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? 49  Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me. 50  And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.

Convince and convict and reprove and refute have a similar meaning. See Titus 1:9 and Jude 1:15.

If His listeners had any part in God they would have believed Jesus’ words. But, the stiff-necked unbeliever cannot hear because He is not of God. This is the reason why many people are so adamantly opposed to Christianity who don’t seem to be offended by any other religion. When you take out the ignorant behavior and paranoia of certain Christians the main reason why people get so incensed when you talk about your faith is because they have no part in their Creator nor do they care to have any.

The conversation now goes beyond the shallow believers He was provoking to the Jews who were listening, as well, who are even more incensed at His words. The chorus joins in with an insult that Jesus is a Samaritan, which is an insult as the Jews hated Samaritans, and that He has a devil, which was the unforgiveable sin. As the three parts of God work in the world and the Holy Ghost points people toward Christ to state that Christ was possessed by or doing the work of Satan was to blaspheme the Holy Ghost which was the unpardonable sin.

Mark 3:22 ¶  And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils. 23  And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? 24  And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25  And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26  And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. 27  No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house. 28  Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: 29  But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation: 30  Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

Those who would say that would never come to repentance. Their opportunity for salvation was cut off. From that point on they would be object lessons in the wickedness of lost humanity. Any person who believes in the spiritual world who claims that Jesus of Nazareth was a man possessed by an unclean spirit, a devil, shall not receive eternal life by virtue of his profession. Any atheist, perhaps, by extension, who declares that, based on Jesus’ claims about Himself, He was an evil man, a liar, and a charlatan has also sealed his fate by blaspheming the work of the Holy Ghost in this world of men and women. Who can say?

Jesus denies He has a devil but that He honors His Father while they dishonor Him. He is seeking the Father’s glory. The Father is the ultimate judge of mankind although that authority is invested in the Son (John 5:22). In the next passage Jesus will declare that He is God in no uncertain terms.

John 8:38-45 comments: murderers from the beginning

38 ¶  I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. 39  They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. 40  But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. 41  Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. 42  Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43  Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45  And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

Jesus makes it very clear that there is a sharp distinction between Himself and these Jews. He first lays out the argument by saying that He is only speaking things He has seen with His Father, who is not their father. They, of course, don’t understand, so they state that Abraham is their father but Jesus denies that, saying that if they were really Abraham’s children they would do the works of Abraham. This reminds me of Jeremiah, chapter 35, when God applauds the children of Jonadab the son of Rechab who obeyed their ancestor’s commands. What was it about Abraham that brought this up for Jesus?

Romans 4:3  For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

Galatians 3:6  Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

James 2:23  And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

Abraham believed God. Jesus continues to provoke these Jews’ thin belief and expose the lack of depth of it. They have responded to gracious words and miracles, as Christians respond to a good sermon at a revival meeting and come forward in a frenzy of emotional expectation. But, how real is their profession? He is still talking to the Jews spoken of in verse 31 remember. Hopefully, you can see that this is one conversation and is not broken up by anything that would lead one to believe that He is speaking to anyone else. Go back to verse  31 and read carefully.

In verse 41 the shallowness of their belief explodes as they, perhaps, imply that Jesus was conceived illegitimately. If this is what they are getting at it is hard for Americans to understand. We, as a culture, no longer regard being born of two married parents, who were married before they united their flesh and conceived us, as any big deal. Women even deliberately go out and get pregnant so they can have a baby. The value of the sexual bond between a man and a woman, as representative of Christ and His church, the love, joy, and purposefulness of a marriage before God (speaking nothing, of course, of the phony civil marriage where the state gains control over your most intimate relationship by demanding the power to license it) is lost on most of today’s citizens.  But, if this is a dig at Jesus’ birth by people who had a shallow belief in His words and were easily provoked out of that belief then that is something to consider.

The Jews claiming God as their father can be linked to statements in the Old Testament.  God instructs Moses to say to Pharaoh, in explaining what He is going to do to Egypt;

Exodus 4:22  And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: 23  And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.

This is part of the conflict between Jews and Christians over Old Testament passages the Jews claim as a reference to them and Christians claim as a reference to Christ.

Proverbs 30:4  Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell?

Whereas the Jew sees prophecy as promising the restoration of Israel and its role as the dominant country of the earth, Christians claim this for Christ.

Genesis 17:7 ¶  And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

Galatians 3:16  Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

Hosea 11:1 ¶  When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

Matthew 2:15  And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

Jesus declares to them that if God was really their Father they would love Him because He came from God. Then, He drops a bombshell. Go all the way back to verse 31 to see whom Jesus is speaking to. Follow the conversation carefully.

Jesus said their father was the Devil, a murderer and a liar. The implication here links some aspect of these people with the first murderer, Cain, and another link is made by John in one of his letters that suggests something else more sinister.

1John 3:12  Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.

Since we know that Noah was, “perfect in his generations,” in Genesis 6:9 then the bloodline must have come through his wife to his sons so that we all bear the blood of Cain somewhat and only Christ’s blood can save us from its deadly effects.

The essence of Jesus’ antagonistic talk with, “those Jews which believed on him,” is that the philosophy that murders people for religious belief is present with them and is long-standing in human history. It comes from Cain, who murdered Abel for nonconformity to his practice of faith. We cannot liken God’s using the Jews to cleanse Canaan (unless you claim God’s rights on humanity for yourself) because the Canaanites were cursed by Noah when his son, Ham, defiled him in Genesis 9. The Canaanites were not just expressing belief in their religion; they were practicing incest, homosexual and heterosexual prostitution, bestiality, and child sacrifice to gods as tokens of religious expression behind which hid Satan and his minions. This was carried on in the highly sexual content of all ancient religions including the Greek.

Deuteronomy 32:17  They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.

1Corinthians 10:20  But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.

Back to persecuting someone for their religious beliefs Jesus will warn His disciples;

John 16:2  They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

What we have here is Jesus indictment of these so-called believing Jews. He is building up, provoking the shallow believer, turning on the one who makes a weak profession of faith, even the Christian who is fooling himself but not God. He isn’t finished yet and the chorus of the rest of the Jews present will join in the fray.

John 8:31-37 comments: "...my word hath no place in you."

31 ¶  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 33  They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? 34  Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 35  And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. 36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. 37  I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

 Jesus states that if these new believers are truly His disciples they will be faithful to His words.  A disciple is someone who is willing to give up everything to follow Jesus.

Luke 14:33  So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch (Acts 11:26). Many of those today who call themselves Christians are not His, “disciples indeed.” They have elected to follow men, not God, and have substituted political dogma, cultural beliefs, and personal bigotry for the doctrine that came from Christ and His Apostles. They have replaced Christ’s doctrine with their own convictions and a self-righteous elitism that places themselves on the throne or an apathy that regards God as a mere idea in their mind and not a person worthy of their worship.

Do we continue in His word? How many of you have even read the Bible from cover to cover or listened to it read one time? How many of you regard God’s words of grace as being important enough to occupy a considerable part of your day? Jesus refers to the Scriptures, says, “it is written,” referring to the written, word many times, and refers to His spoken words which He will have disciples put to writing. If the written word is important to Christ, why is it not important to you? Can you truly be His disciple if you don’t regard as important what He regards as important? You say, “but, I am doing things for God. I belong to the right political party. I believe the right things about right and wrong. I do many acts of service for God. I faithfully listen to people talk about His word.” These Jews would have made the same profession, I assure you.

Christ is the truth as He will say Himself very soon, in chapter 14. If you continue in His word you will know the truth and the truth shall make you free according to that knowledge.

One likely explanation of these passages following is that the ones who said they had never been anything other than free were Jews and Pharisees of verses 13 and 22 but I am going to take a different tack than that just by the literal structure of the sentences.

The Jews, and these are the new believers amazingly, respond by making the absurd claim that, by virtue of their heritage in Abraham, they have never been in bondage to any man. Of course, we know that they had been in bondage to many nations from Egypt to Rome. But, Jesus isn’t talking about politics. He is talking about their bondage to sin, sin against God. The only freedom that they can possibly have from that is through Him, regardless of their heritage.

People often, but not always, tend to wear their personal sins on their bodies as they get older. The bowling ball beer paunch of the late middle-aged man, the dried-out tanned-too-much lizard look of the late middle-aged woman are examples of man and woman’s love of the flesh and pride of vanity. But, there are many more sins that don’t show an outward appearance necessarily on one’s face or belly such as bitterness, envy, hatred, sloth, apathy and contempt for God.

The Jews had created their own religion which was far from what God had originally intended for them. It was a system of rules and regulations that not only did not bring them closer to God but created themselves as a type of their own gods. Like many American Christians in history and now they spent too much time patting themselves on the back to have their hands together in prayer.

Jesus casts doubt on these new believers’ sincerity and accuses them of trying to kill Him. This seems a strange way to talk to people who appear to want to follow you now but as He talks to them it becomes more clear that their faith is a shallow one and does not bear close examination like many a modern Christian in America who, like Peter will do, proclaims their belief in Christ but denies Him at a crucial moment. So, this passage began with, “if  ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed,” and ends with, “my word hath no place in you.”

John 8:21-30 comments: obedient to the Father

21 ¶  Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come. 22  Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come. 23  And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. 24  I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. 25  Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning. 26  I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. 27  They understood not that he spake to them of the Father. 28  Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. 29  And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. 30  As he spake these words, many believed on him.

Jesus is talking about going back to the third Heaven (2Corinthians 12:2) and these Pharisees will die in their sins because of their rejection of Him and will not go where He is going. The Jews questioned whether or not He was speaking of taking His own life because they didn’t understand what He was saying. But, Christ here points out that they are of this world and He is not. That’s why they will die in their sins, because they do not believe in Him as the Messiah, the Christ, although He doesn’t immediately reference those words.

So, the Jews demand that He declare who He is, something that has repeatedly been done, as we have seen. Jesus has declared who He is through the mouths of people around Him and He said it Himself.

Nathanael declared Him in 1:49 and He confirmed it, not denying;

49  Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. 50  Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.51  And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

Jesus declared Himself to Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews in John 3, although that was not a public statement. John the Baptist acknowledged who Jesus is in John 3 also.

Jesus declared it to the woman at the well and she believed;

John 4:25  The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. 26  Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he…29  Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?

The Jews understood His declaration of who He was and were furious.

5:18  Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

Jesus then again declared Himself.

24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.. 39  Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

Again and again He has established His true identity. So this question the Jews put to Him is rather disingenuous. Jesus repeats that He is only presenting to them the will of God the Father, the soul of God, the origin of God’s will and self-identity. I have already explained how God has three parts to Him, as per the Bible, and is not three separate persons, because God is one. Each of the three parts share the same will which resides in the Father.

Verse 28 is a reference to His Crucifixion and Resurrection. He made a similar allusion before to Moses placing the serpent on the pole (Numbers 21:5-9).

John 3:14  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15  That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Proof of Jesus’ power and authority and identity did not necessarily come from raising people from the dead or healing them of their sicknesses. Others claimed to be able to do that in religious traditions. The proof would come when man put His human body to death in a manner that could not honestly be contested and then He got up from the tomb. The empty tomb is the proof of Christianity.

John 10:18  No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

To be a Christian you must believe that.

Romans 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Jesus states here that He is obedient to the will of the Father. Many here believe on Him even without the proof of the Resurrection, which, of course, has not happened yet. Blessed were those who believed Jesus’ words without having the reality of them fulfilled. This is a fundamental of the Bible from Job to the Apostles.  As Hebrews 11 makes clear, the triumph of faith is believing what God has promised and that He will provide it long before you receive it in reality. Believing God is then the essence of salvation which is why Satan’s first effort revolved around getting a man and a woman to question what God said.

John 20:29  Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

John 8:12-20 comments: the light of the world

12 ¶  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 13  The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true. 14  Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. 15  Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. 16  And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. 17  It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. 18  I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me. 19  Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. 20  These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.

John 1:1 ¶  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2  The same was in the beginning with God. 3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4  In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

    5 ¶  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7  The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9  That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

Jesus will continue this point of doctrine.

John 9:5  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

John 11:9  Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.10  But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

John 12:35  Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. 36  While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them…46  I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

Before God had created sun, stars, and moon He called forth light to be revealed.

Genesis 1:3 ¶  And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4  And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5  And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

On the physical level of this multidimensional book from God this is light that preexisted what we commonly think of as sources of light. It is light that illuminates. On a spiritual level this is light that is good.

Mark 10:18  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

It is separate from the darkness, even spiritual darkness, which cannot begin to understand it nor take hold of it or seize it, and conquer it or bring it into subjection, definitions and implications of comprehend in the Bible (Job 37:5; Isaiah 40:12) and according to the Early Modern English database called Lexicons of Modern English (http://leme.library.utoronto.ca/search/).

John 1:5 ¶  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

1John 1:5  This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

The Pharisees insist that Jesus is lying, that He has no authority on which to back up His claims. Jesus denies that and tells them He is telling the truth and that, while they do not know from where He comes or where He is going, He does.

Verse 15 says, “Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.” This is sentence means that Jesus does not judge any man after the flesh. There is no need to include, “after the flesh,” after, “I judge no man.” Notice this type of wording in James 1:13;

James 1:13  Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

It is not necessary to put, “with evil,” after, “tempteth he any man,” because it is implied by the sentence. You can look for this sentence construction elsewhere. Jesus did not judge after the flesh but after the spirit, the reality of the human heart, as God does not tempt any man for the purpose of seeing him fall, as Satan does, but of proving him.

Jesus has the confirmation of God the Father, the record and witness of the Holy Ghost.

1John  5:7  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

Jesus’ declaration that God the Father witnesses with Him is in fulfillment of the Law given to Moses.

Deuteronomy 17:6  At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.

Deuteronomy 19:15  One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.

Of course, the Jews are not going to accept this argument as they ask, perhaps haughtily, “where is your father?” But, Jesus replies that they don’t know Him or His Father because if they had known Him they would have known the Father. Here is a declaration that the only proof of your knowledge of God is your acceptance of Christ. Later He will say that most emphatically as being the only way to God. This is planting the flag, so to speak. Who can miss what He is claiming, the essence of Christianity, that Jesus is and was God in the flesh?

And no one could take Him into custody because it just wasn’t time yet for that to happen by God’s plan.

John 8: 1-11 comments: an interruption becomes a teaching moment

1 ¶  Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. 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. 3  And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 4  They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5  Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 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. 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. 8  And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 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. 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.

This passage, including the last verse of the previous chapter, is often disputed by those who believe the Alexandrian versions of Scripture are the best and German Higher Criticism is correct. One of the problems with that point of view is that the passage is found in many manuscripts of what these same scholars call the Byzantine text type along with ancient versions such as the Old Latin, Syriac, Coptic, Armenian, and Ethiopic. As well, it is referenced by early church fathers including Jerome and Augustine. So, we can safely dismiss the contentions of unbelieving Christians who cling to the fantasies of nineteenth century Anglo-Catholics.

The event presented here reveals a great teaching moment as Christ denies those who, perhaps guilty of the same crime, single out one person for punishment, and it is usually the woman who receives the brunt of such hypocrisy.  The old saw about when you point a finger at someone you have three fingers of your hand pointing back at you applies.

The questions always come up, had they all committed adultery with her? What was Jesus writing with his finger on the ground? I will leave that up to other commentators and pastors to expound on the possibilities there. What is clear to the eye here is that Jesus has clarified and sharpened a moral command of God for the Jews.

Leviticus 20:10  And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

The context insists that the sin He was referring to was this sin that the men were wanting an excuse to kill this woman. So, guys, with which one of you was she taken in adultery? Shall you be stoned also? What if all of them had been guilty at some time with this woman? Was this an attempt to clear the books?

The hypocrisy of how moral laws are implemented by the Taliban, the Saudi police, or even Christian fundamentalists in America wanting the government to enforce religious rules is clear here. You may throw the stone but only if you are not guilty of the crime as well and for the Christian that means additionally, in your heart.

Matthew 5:28  But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

2Corinthians 10:5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

How then shall any of us justify throwing the stone? One of the great tragedies of fundamentalism in America is its placing the burden of sexual sin on the woman’s shoulders. You will hear people, even women, declare that it is a woman’s responsibility not to entice a man, as if we don’t own our own sin and a man simply cannot help his behavior if tempted. This is wickedness and evil for we are responsible for how we respond to temptation.

In a different context these words are said and they apply well to this context.

Matthew 18:7 ¶  Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

For we have no excuses. In even another context is a verse that is applicable to this situation.

1Corinthians 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Jesus did not give the woman, standing alone, a pass. He admonished her not to sin, and the context insists that He is referring to this particular sin, anymore.

Now, remember the first verses here. He was interrupted by the scribes and Pharisees while He was teaching people.

John 7:37-53 comments: on the last day of the feast

37 ¶  In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39  (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)  40  Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet. 41  Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? 42  Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? 43  So there was a division among the people because of him. 44  And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.

Leviticus 23:33 ¶  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 34  Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD. 35  On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. 36  Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.

On the last day of the feast, Jesus stood and spoke when the maximum number of people would be there to hear Him, no man having arrested Him as the impulse to do that was denied by God due to His timetable. The officers themselves would not have known that it was God preventing them as they would have assumed they made their own decision but that is how God works in manipulating the hearts and minds of men to do His bidding while at other times influencing them and at other times giving them wisdom and understanding and then even at other times permitting their free will to exert its own weight in full.

With regard to verse 38, while there is no individual Scripture to be found regarding this it appears that Christ has drawn together several Scriptures to make this point. See all the Scriptures that compare what God has to give us with water.  Examples are;

Isaiah 44:3  For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:

58: 11  And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

While it is certainly acceptable for the author of Scriptures to show us an application He intended by drawing together several passages to create a doctrine it is certainly questionable for a human  preacher to take verses completely out of context to make a point not clearly presented in the context. We know God’s agenda in His ministry as Jesus but we do not know a human preacher’s agenda. If we are going to draw many verses together to reveal a doctrine it better be just what God has already revealed by His own clear statements or the clear statements of the writers to whom He has given certain inspiration.

John writes that Jesus is making this reference to the Holy Spirit which would come, filling His believers, and acting on the world through them. We are to be conduits for God’s will to flow using talents, skills, and abilities He has provided us to impact a lost world.

While some insist that this is the Prophet that Moses spoke of others acknowledge that He must be the expected Messiah, the Christ. Some, though, not realizing that He was born in Bethlehem, doubt simply because He had lived in and came from Nazareth of Galilee.

Micah 5:2  But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

People did not agree, then, on His legitimacy and while there were those who wanted to grab Him to shut Him up there was too much disagreement for anything to be done.

    45 ¶  Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? 46  The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. 47  Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? 48  Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? 49  But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed. 50  Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them, 51  Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? 52  They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. 53  And every man went unto his own house.

The officers sent by the chief priests then returned empty-handed. They were too impressed with Jesus’ gracious speech to be able to arrest Him. This is clearly the hand of God in preventing and arranging events. It is a rare occasion in history when police refuse to arrest someone just because they were impressed with his speech.

Nicodemus, if you remember from chapter 3, was a secret follower of Jesus within the leadership. He came to Jesus by night back in chapter 3, which this is a reference to and if your favorite Bible version leaves out the, “by night,” that is one more example that should cause you to question whether it is a version you should use. Just read John 3:1,2 and compare.

The last verse in this passage has everyone going home. This is the first verse of a disputed passage which I will discuss in the next chapter. It is disputed by scholars whose minds have been poisoned by the declarations of the Counter-Reformation, the Enlightenment, and apostate German theology of the eighteenth century. This thinking resulted in the Protestant Bibles we have today.