John Chapter 8
The Light of the World
A. A woman caught in adultery is brought to Jesus for judgment
1. (John 7:53–8:2) Jesus teaches at the temple
“And everyone went to his own house. But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.”
a. Everyone went to his own house: The immediate context suggests that after the disputes and divisions at the Feast of Tabernacles, the people dispersed to their own homes. Jesus, however, went to the Mount of Olives, a place often associated with His times of prayer (Luke 21:37; Matthew 26:30). It was likely there that He spent the night in simple rest or in communion with His Father.
As to the text itself, this passage (John 7:53–8:11) has long been debated among scholars.
Most of the earliest Greek manuscripts omit it.
Some later manuscripts mark it with asterisks, signaling doubt.
A group of manuscripts place it after Luke 21:38.
A few place it after John 21:24, and one after John 7:36.
Tasker rightly notes, “All this evidence suggests that scribes were often ignorant of its exact position, though anxious to retain it as part of the four Gospels. They knew it belonged, but they did not exactly know where.”
Augustine and Ambrose hesitated to include it, not from textual concerns but because they feared it might seem to encourage leniency toward adultery. Yet its authenticity is defended by its early attestation and its perfect reflection of the character of Jesus.
Trench observed that if not originally in John’s Gospel, it may have been an early insertion sanctioned by men such as Simeon or Jude, relatives of our Lord and bishops of Jerusalem in the early second century.
Morris concludes, “If we cannot feel that this is part of John’s Gospel we can feel that the story is true to the character of Jesus.”
b. He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them: According to the chronology of John, Jesus remained in Jerusalem after the Feast of Tabernacles. Despite the hostility of the leaders, He boldly took His place in the temple—the most public place of the city—and taught the crowds. His authority was such that He drew the people to Himself even while His enemies plotted His arrest.
2. (John 8:3-5) The woman is brought to Jesus, caught in the act of adultery
“Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?’”
a. Brought to Him a woman caught in adultery: The scribes and Pharisees publicly brought this woman before Jesus while He taught in the temple courts. Their purpose was not to uphold the law but to trap Jesus, humiliating the woman in the process.
Morris notes that their malice is evident in the fact that they paraded her openly when she could have been discreetly held until judgment. Their goal was to disgrace her and entangle Him.
The verb caught is in the perfect tense, suggesting she was apprehended in a shameful condition and identified as one living in adultery, not merely suspected.
b. This woman was caught in adultery, in the very act: This reveals the humiliating and invasive nature of her exposure. It also raises the question: where was the man? According to the law, both parties were guilty (Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22), yet only the woman was brought, revealing the hypocrisy and bias of her accusers.
To catch her in the act suggests a prearranged scheme, with spies deliberately seeking such evidence.
Legally, the standard was extremely high: there had to be two or more witnesses who agreed in every detail and who saw the physical act itself, not merely circumstances implying guilt. As Morris explains, “The actual physical movements of the couple must have been capable of no other explanation.” Under such strict requirements, a conviction was almost impossible without a setup. Boice concludes, “Under these conditions the obtaining of evidence in adultery would be almost impossible were the situation not a setup.”
c. Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned: Adultery was indeed a capital offense in the law (Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22). However, by the first century the full rigor of the law was rarely applied, especially in urban communities (Bruce). The leaders invoked the law here not from zeal for righteousness but as a weapon against Jesus.
Tasker notes that her case may have been linked to betrothal, where fornication was treated as adultery, carrying stoning as the prescribed penalty.
d. But what do You say: The trap was obvious. If Jesus dismissed her guilt, they could accuse Him of rejecting the Law of Moses. If He upheld stoning, they could accuse Him of cruelty and of breaking Roman law, since the Romans denied Jews the right to carry out capital punishment. It was a calculated dilemma, much like the question about paying taxes to Caesar (Matthew 22:15-22).
3. (John 8:6) Jesus ignores the accusers, as if He never heard them
“This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.”
a. This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him: The scribes and Pharisees were not concerned with justice, righteousness, or the woman’s soul. She was only a pawn in their scheme to trap Jesus. Their hypocrisy was glaring. They claimed she was caught in adultery, in the very act, but the guilty man was conspicuously absent. This suggests that the whole event was arranged, and perhaps even one of their own number was involved.
Bruce remarked, “Adultery is not the kind of offence that can be committed by one person in solitude; if she was caught red-handed, how was her guilty partner allowed to escape?”
Barclay noted, “They were not looking on this woman as a person at all; they were looking on her only as a thing, an instrument whereby they could formulate a charge against Jesus.”
b. Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger: Instead of responding with words, Jesus answered with a gesture. He bent down low, taking a posture of humility, and wrote on the ground. His act was deliberate, calm, and full of meaning.
Stooped down indicated His gentleness. He did not raise His voice in anger or glare at the woman or her accusers. He identified with her humiliation, lowering Himself beside her in her shame.
His writing on the ground has invited centuries of speculation. The verb used here (katagraphein) can mean “to write down a record against someone.” Some think He doodled, some that He wrote Scripture passages such as Exodus 23:1 (“Do not put your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness”), some that He listed the names or sins of her accusers, or that He followed Roman custom by writing His verdict before pronouncing it. Whatever He wrote, it unsettled the accusers and shifted the weight of guilt back upon them.
c. As though He did not hear: By stooping down, Jesus refused to dignify their hypocrisy with an immediate response. His silence was a rebuke in itself. Perhaps He ignored them out of contempt for their wicked trap, or perhaps to shield the woman from further shame.
Paul later spoke of “the meekness and gentleness of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:1), and here we see it displayed in action. Jesus confronted sin, but with gentleness, patience, and restraint.
4. (John 8:7-8) Jesus passes sentence upon the accusers
“So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, ‘He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.’ And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.”
a. So when they continued asking Him: The accusers pressed Him relentlessly, demanding a response. They would not release the matter. Jesus allowed them to expose their persistence in cruelty before He answered.
b. He raised Himself up and said to them: Jesus now stood and faced them directly. He met their gaze with authority, speaking not to the crowd at large but to the very men who had brought the woman.
c. He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first: According to the law (Deuteronomy 17:7), the witnesses of a capital crime were to cast the first stones. Jesus upheld the law, but applied it in a way that pierced their consciences. He demanded true justice, not a sham proceeding.
He did not say, “Do not execute her.” Instead, He declared that the one who had clean hands in this very matter must begin the execution. The same men who orchestrated her humiliation were thus confronted with their guilt.
Their sin was not general human weakness but a deliberate, calculated hypocrisy. They sought to weaponize the law, perverting it to trap both the woman and Jesus. In this, their guilt was greater than hers.
This revealed the common human tendency to condemn others while excusing ourselves. Nathan exposed this in David when he told him the parable of the stolen lamb (2 Samuel 12:1-10).
d. Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground: Having delivered His verdict, Jesus bent down again, returning to His posture of humility. He did not stand over the woman to magnify her shame, nor over the men to intimidate them. He diffused the tension, giving them space to reflect and convict themselves.
Jesus demonstrated that confronting sin is not to be done in a spirit of superiority, but with brokenness and compassion. Shame can awaken repentance, but God never intended shame to be permanent. His goal is restoration.
5. (John 8:9) The accusers respond by leaving
“Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.”
a. Being convicted by their conscience: It was not what Jesus wrote on the ground that pricked them, but what He spoke: “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” His words went deeper than any outward judgment. Their conscience awakened and turned the sword of accusation upon themselves.
It speaks well of these men, wretched as they were, that their conscience was not yet wholly dead or seared. They could still feel conviction, though they had ignored their own sins for years. Jesus forced them to see their own guilt more vividly than the woman’s.
b. Went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last: They departed in a kind of solemn procession, each one slipping away under the weight of conviction. The older men left first, perhaps because with age came greater awareness of guilt.
Morris points out, “The continuous tense in this last verb gives the thought of something like a procession. They kept on going out.”
Some suggest Jesus wrote out their sins in the dirt, beginning with the oldest, explaining the order of departure.
c. The woman standing in the midst: This is the only reference in the passage to the woman’s posture. She had been surrounded by men intent on her condemnation. Jesus, stooping low, may have shared her humiliation. When the accusers left, she remained alone with Him.
The Greek word for “standing” (hestēmi) does not always mean upright posture; it can mean to be placed, set, or to remain (see Matthew 4:5; 18:2). Thus the phrase could mean simply that she was still there, stationary in the midst of the scene.
Trench notes that John later uses the same word in contexts (John 18:18, 25) where the other Gospels say Peter was sitting. The word is often idiomatic for “remaining,” not necessarily standing on one’s feet.
6. (John 8:10-11) Jesus challenges the woman to sin no more
“When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, ‘Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.’”
a. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman: Jesus had stooped to the ground twice in humility, writing in the dust. When He finally stood upright, the men were gone, and only the woman remained before Him.
b. Where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you: The legal proceedings had collapsed. No witnesses remained. By the law’s demand, without witnesses, no judgment could be rendered. Jesus drew attention to the absence of her accusers.
c. She said, “No one, Lord”: She confessed the truth simply and humbly. Guilty as she was, she now stood under no condemnation. She had passed from exposure and shame to unexpected mercy.
d. Neither do I condemn you: Only Jesus had the right to throw the first stone, for He alone was without sin. Yet He chose mercy, not judgment. In this moment He foreshadowed the great truth of Romans 8:1: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” He bore her condemnation to the cross.
Barclay notes, “They knew the thrill of exercising power to condemn; Jesus knew the thrill of exercising the power to forgive.”
His words did not dismiss her sin, but absorbed it in Himself. Mercy triumphed over judgment.
e. Go and sin no more: Jesus neither excused nor minimized her sin. He identified it plainly as sin and commanded her to forsake it. His mercy came with a call to repentance and a promise of hope.
Morris points out the grammar: “‘Stop your sinful habit.’ And the ‘no more’ points to the thought of no return.”
In these words Jesus did several things:
He acknowledged the reality of her sin.
He called her to repentance.
He gave her hope that freedom from sexual sin was possible.
He armed her with a word of hope against the shame that might later overwhelm her life.
The earthly consequences of her sin would likely remain: shame in her community, possible rejection by her husband, perhaps even divorce. Yet Jesus gave her something greater than social standing—He gave her forgiveness and new life.
B. The Light of the World answers opposition at the temple
1. (John 8:12) Jesus, the light of the world
“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.’”
a. Jesus spoke to them again: The incident of the adulterous woman interrupted His teaching in the temple courts. Now Jesus resumes, continuing the public dialogue in the very place where His enemies hoped to trap Him.
b. I am the light of the world: Light was one of the most powerful symbols in the Feast of Tabernacles. Four massive golden candelabras stood in the Court of Women, each with four golden bowls. Jewish records say their brilliance illuminated all of Jerusalem. These lights recalled the pillar of fire that guided Israel by night in the wilderness (Exodus 13:21). Jesus now claimed that reality for Himself, declaring that He alone is the true and eternal Light.
The design of John’s Gospel reinforces this: chapter 6 identifies Jesus as the Bread of Life, chapter 7 as Living Water, and chapter 8 as the Light of the World
Isaiah prophesied that Messiah would be “a light to the Gentiles” (Isaiah 42:6; 49:6; 60:1-3), fulfilled in Christ.
c. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness: To follow Christ is to remain in the light of truth, holiness, and life. Those who reject Him remain in spiritual darkness.
Spurgeon observed, “If a man could travel so fast as always to follow the sun, of course he would always be in the light. Now he that follows Christ shall never walk in darkness.”
The Old Testament often spoke of God’s Word as light: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). Since Jesus is the Word made flesh (John 1:1, 14), He is rightly called the Light of the world.
2. (John 8:13-16) The first witness to Jesus: Jesus Himself
“The Pharisees therefore said to Him, ‘You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true.’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me.’”
a. You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true: The Pharisees dismissed His claim. They could not see His light, not because it failed to shine, but because their hearts were blind. As Morris notes, “Light establishes its claim not by argument but by shining. The blind alone deny it.”
b. Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true: Ordinarily, self-testimony could not be considered valid (Deuteronomy 19:15). Yet Jesus insisted His words were trustworthy because of His unique origin and destiny: “I know where I came from and where I am going.” His testimony was rooted in divine self-knowledge, not human speculation.
c. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one: The Pharisees evaluated Him by superficial standards—His Galilean background, His lack of rabbinic training, His humble appearance. Jesus did not engage in such shallow judgment. His mission at that moment was not condemnation but salvation (John 3:17).
d. And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me: When Jesus does judge, His judgment is perfectly just because it is in full unity with the Father. His words and works bear the dual witness of both Himself and His Father, meeting the very standard the Pharisees demanded (John 8:17-18, coming verses)
3. (John 8:17-18) The second witness to Jesus: God the Father
“It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.”
a. It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true: Jesus referred to the standard of Deuteronomy 19:15, which required two or more witnesses to establish a matter. While His testimony alone was enough, He accommodated their demand by pointing to another Witness—His Father.
Tasker notes, “If the Jews then demand two witnesses in order to satisfy the Jewish law of evidence, those two witnesses exist; they are Jesus and His Father.”
b. I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me: Jesus stood as God’s Ambassador. Just as an envoy carries the authority of his king without another witness, Jesus represented His Father perfectly.
Clarke observes, “Our Lord speaks here exactly in the character of an ambassador. Such a person does not bring a second with him to vouch his truth; his credentials from his king ascertain his character: he represents the king’s person. So our Lord represents the Father as bearing witness with Him.”
The Father testified through Jesus’ works, His words, and even His miracles. Thus, the requirement of two witnesses was fulfilled—Christ Himself and His Father
4. (John 8:19-20) Jesus knows His Father; the Pharisees did not
“Then they said to Him, ‘Where is Your Father?’ Jesus answered, ‘You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.’ These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come.”
a. Where is Your Father: This likely came as a stinging insult. They hinted at the rumors of His illegitimacy surrounding His virgin birth.
Tenney notes, “In the East, to question a man’s paternity is a definite slur on his legitimacy.”
As your notes highlight, He grew up in Nazareth enduring mockery of supposed illegitimacy. Men sang crude songs about Him and His mother, calling Him illegitimate so that He might make us legitimate sons of God
b. You know neither Me nor My Father: They prided themselves on knowing God, yet by rejecting Jesus they exposed that they knew nothing of Him. True knowledge of the Father is only possible through the Son.
Morris writes, “They prided themselves on their knowledge of their God. Jesus tells them that they have no knowledge of Him at all.”
c. These words He spoke in the treasury: This exchange took place in the temple’s Court of Women, where 13 offering chests stood. It was the most public place of the temple, yet no one laid hands on Him.
John emphasizes again that His hour had not yet come. No enemy could touch Him until the Father’s appointed time
5. (John 8:21-22) Jesus tells of His coming departure; the religious leaders insult Him
“Then Jesus said to them again, ‘I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.’ So the Jews said, ‘Will He kill Himself, because He says, “Where I go you cannot come”?’”
a. I am going away… Where I go you cannot come: Jesus spoke of His return to the Father in heaven. Their unbelief sealed their fate. Since they rejected Him on earth, they could not follow Him to glory.
The principle is simple: if we follow Him here, we will follow Him there. If we refuse Him here, we cannot expect to dwell with Him there.
b. Will He kill Himself: They twisted His words into another insult, suggesting suicide. In Jewish thought, suicide consigned a person to the lowest depths of Hades. They mocked Jesus by implying His destiny was damnation.
Barclay notes, “According to Jewish thought, the depths of hell were reserved for those who took their own lives.”
Yet, as your notes highlight, it was not He who would die in sin, but they—unless they believed. Verse 21 uses the singular hamartia (“sin”), pointing to unbelief. Verse 24 shifts to the plural hamartiais (“sins”), showing that all sins flow from the one root sin of rejecting Christ
6. (John 8:23-24) Two destinies: Jesus will go to glory; on their present course they will die in their sins
“And He said to them, ‘You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.’”
a. You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world: The Pharisees mocked Him earlier, suggesting suicide (John 8:22). Jesus replied that their destinies were indeed different, but not as they imagined. They were of the world, bound to earthly corruption, while He was from above, destined to return to the Father’s glory.
b. If you do not believe that I am, you will die in your sins: Jesus gave them a grave warning. Though outwardly religious, they were in spiritual darkness because of unbelief. To reject Him was to die in sin, separated from God forever.
Psalm 51:5 declares that all are born in sin: “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.” Unless sin is dealt with, death fixes it eternally.
The singular sin in verse 21 speaks of unbelief; here the plural sins includes all the fruit that grows out of unbelief. Bruce notes, “If the singular expresses the root sin of unbelief, the plural expresses those particular attitudes, words and actions which make up its fruit.”
c. If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins: The “He” is supplied by translators. The Greek phrase is ego eimi—“I am”—an unmistakable echo of the divine name revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14. Jesus claimed nothing less than deity. To reject Him as the “I AM” is to remain under condemnation.
Morris comments that this phrase parallels similar self-identifications in John 6:20 and John 18:6, where “I am” carries divine weight.
7. (John 8:25-27) Jesus tells of His dependence on God the Father for all He said
“Then they said to Him, ‘Who are You?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.’ They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.”
a. Who are You? Their question, if sincere, could have been the doorway to salvation. Instead, it was loaded with exasperation and contempt. They asked not to learn, but to resist.
Already they had mocked Him with, “Where is Your Father?” (John 8:19), and, “Will He kill Himself?” (John 8:22). Now, “Who are You?” was yet another attempt to dismiss Him.
Tenney notes, “The question ‘Who are you, anyway?’ shows the Pharisees’ exasperation with Jesus’ hints and seeming extravagant claims.”
b. Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning: Jesus’ answer was not new. He had consistently declared Himself as the One sent from the Father, the bread of life, the living water, the light of the world. Their problem was not lack of information but hardened unbelief.
Clarke paraphrases: “I could speedily expose all your iniquities—your pride and ambition, your hypocrisy and irreligion, your hatred to the light, and your malice against the truth… these are the reasons why I say you will die in your sins.”
c. I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him: Jesus again underscored His dependence on the Father. His words were not His own but the message entrusted to Him by the One who sent Him.
d. They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father: Their spiritual blindness kept them from grasping the plain truth. The very God they claimed to know was the One they were rejecting
8. (John 8:28-30) Jesus tells of His dependence on God the Father for all He does
“Then Jesus said to them, ‘When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.’ As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.”
a. When you lift up the Son of Man: The phrase “lift up” refers to His crucifixion, not human exaltation. Jesus foretold that when He was raised up on the cross, the truth of His identity and obedience would be revealed. At Calvary, they would see the Son’s perfect submission to the Father.
This is the second of three “lifted up” sayings in John (John 3:14; 8:28; 12:32-34).
Bruce remarks, “His ‘lifting up’ would be His vindication: then it would be manifest that He had acted and spoken throughout by the Father’s authority.”
b. I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things: Jesus claimed complete dependence on His Father. Every word He spoke was exactly what He had received from the Father. This is the model of true obedience.
c. The Father has not left Me alone… I always do those things that please Him: Jesus boldly testified to His sinlessness before His enemies. No one could point to a word or deed contrary to the Father’s will. Unlike every other man, He never ended a day in regret
His obedience extended even to the cross, where His surrender would be tested to the uttermost.
This unity with the Father stands in sharp contrast to the Pharisees, whose words and works betrayed that they did not know God.
d. As He spoke these words, many believed in Him: His testimony of unity with the Father carried weight. Some hardened their hearts further, but many were convinced, seeing in Him what they never saw in the Pharisees—true nearness to God.
9. (John 8:31-32) Jesus offers discipleship and freedom to those believing in Him
“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’”
a. Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him: This teaching was directed at those who had begun to believe (John 8:30). Their faith was real, but it needed endurance. Jesus laid out the conditions of genuine discipleship.
Morris warns that this is a dangerous state—believing, yet not fully believing. Some were drawn but unwilling to yield complete allegiance.
b. If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed: The mark of a true disciple is not a passing profession but abiding in His word. To abide means to dwell, to live continually in His teaching until it becomes part of one’s very life.
Dods explains: “If you abide in My word—not content with making the first step towards faith and obedience—then are you really My disciples.”
Tasker adds: abiding is “welcoming it, being at home with it, and living with it so continuously that it becomes part of the believer’s life, a permanent influence and stimulus in every fresh advance in goodness and holiness.”
c. You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free: Freedom comes not through abstract pursuit of knowledge but through continuing in Christ’s word as His disciple. Only then does the truth of Christ set men free.
The world misuses this verse, quoting only “the truth shall make you free” while omitting the condition—abiding in His word. But apart from Christ, “truth” cannot free
This freedom is not political or social but spiritual: freedom from condemnation (Romans 8:1), from the power of Satan (Colossians 1:13), and from the bondage of sin (Romans 6:14, 18).
10. (John 8:33-36) Jesus answers their protest that they are already free
“They answered Him, ‘We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, “You will be made free”?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.’”
a. We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone: Their response was not gratitude for the promise of freedom, but prideful denial. They claimed freedom already, blind to their history and present condition.
Their claim was absurd: Israel had been enslaved in Egypt, oppressed under the Philistines, exiled in Babylon, and at that very moment was under Roman rule
Josephus records how zealots claimed God alone as ruler, yet even that spirit of “freedom” was rooted in rebellion, not true liberty.
Ryle observed, “The power of self-deception in the unconverted man is infinite.”
b. Whoever commits sin is a slave of sin: The verb tense points to continual practice. One who lives in sin proves he is its slave.
Tenney notes the present tense implies habitual lifestyle, not isolated failure.
Sin is a harsh master: it grows in power the more it is obeyed, and its chains are invisible yet unbreakable apart from Christ.
c. A slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever: Slaves had no permanent place in a household; sons did. So too, sinners cannot remain in God’s house, but the Son can—and He grants that permanence to those He redeems.
Dods explains: “The slave has no permanent footing in the house; he may be dismissed or sold. The son has a permanent place.”
d. If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed: Real freedom is only found in Jesus. He delivers from condemnation (Romans 8:1), from the power of Satan (Colossians 1:13), from the bondage of sin (Romans 6:18), and from the tyranny of man (Galatians 5:1).
Tasker writes: “The liberator from our bondage must come from outside the ranks of enslaved humanity.” Only Christ, the Son, qualifies.
Maclaren adds, “If we are slaves of Sin, then we may be transferred from its household and brought into our true home in our Father’s house.”
11. (John 8:37-41a) They prove themselves to be unlike their father Abraham
“I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.” They answered and said to Him, ‘Abraham is our father.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. You do the deeds of your father.’”
a. I know that you are Abraham’s descendants: Jesus acknowledged their physical lineage. Yet, spiritual heritage is not proven by blood but by conduct. Abraham welcomed heavenly messengers (Genesis 18), but these men sought to kill the One sent from heaven.
Bruce notes: “To cherish murderous intentions against someone who has imparted the truth of God is not the mark of Abraham’s children.”
b. Because My word has no place in you: Their rejection of Christ’s word revealed that they were not like Abraham, who believed God’s word. Spurgeon outlined how the Word should dwell in believers: inwardly, honorably, trustingly, authoritatively, lovingly, and permanently.
c. I speak what I have seen with My Father… you do what you have seen with your father: Jesus exposed the contrast between His life (shaped by the Father) and theirs (shaped by another father, soon identified as the devil).
d. Abraham is our father: They protested based on descent, but Jesus pointed out their deeds were inconsistent with Abraham. True children bear their father’s likeness.
Dods remarks: “If their origin could be wholly traced to Abraham, then their conduct would resemble his.”
The principle is timeless: our spiritual parentage is revealed in our actions. To be born of God is to reflect His nature; to be of Satan is to mirror his hatred, lies, and violence.
12. (John 8:41b-43) The religious leaders again question the parentage of Jesus
“Then they said to Him, ‘We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.’”
a. We were not born of fornication: This insult echoed what was hinted earlier in verse 19. The leaders insinuated that Jesus was illegitimate, dishonoring His virgin birth. Their accusation revealed contempt, not ignorance.
Tenney notes that John does not explicitly mention the virgin birth here but seems aware of its mystery, and some opponents used it as slander.
The hostility of verse 41 appears as a springboard for Jesus’ bold claim in verse 12: “I am the light of the world”b. If God were your Father, you would love Me: True children of God will love the Son, because the Son proceeds from the Father. Spiritual parentage is revealed in one’s love for Christ.
Alford observes that “proceeded forth” refers to the eternal procession of the Son from the Father, while “came from God” refers to His mission into the world.
Maclaren explains that His earthly life is the permanent result of this voluntary, eternal act, demonstrating His divine pre-existence.
Trench emphasizes that this insistence distinguished Him from the Father, while still affirming His deity: the Son is not the Father, yet fully God.
c. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word: Their problem was not intellectual but spiritual. They had no faith, as Deuteronomy 32:20 declares, and so they were deaf to the truth
Morrison comments that their inability was spiritual, rooted in prejudice and jealousy.
This highlights that even the capacity to hear and receive the Word is itself a gift of grace.
13. (John 8:44-47) Jesus reveals the identity of their true father
“You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”
a. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do: Having raised the issue of parentage, they now hear Christ’s piercing declaration. Their true father was not Abraham, nor God, but the devil. Their hatred, lies, and murderous intentions revealed their lineage.
Alford insists this verse decisively proves the objective personality of the devil; it cannot be taken as metaphor.
The devil is described as a murderer from the beginning—bringing death through sin (Genesis 3) and later in Cain’s murder of Abel (1 John 3:15).
b. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources: Satan is the origin of falsehood. Deception is not accidental to his nature; it is his very essence.
The commentary explains: “He is…a person (Isaiah 14; Ezekiel 28). Anyone doubting the actual existence of Satan should try opposing him for a while”
c. But because I tell you the truth, you do not believe Me: Their rejection was not due to confusion, but resistance to truth. Lies are easily embraced when truth is despised.
d. Which of you convicts Me of sin? This stunning challenge to His fiercest enemies underscores His sinlessness. No one, despite their hatred, could point to sin in His life. Only One in perfect fellowship with the Father could dare issue such a challenge.
e. He who is of God hears God’s words… you are not of God: Their rejection of Jesus proved they were not of God. Spiritual sonship is demonstrated not by claims of descent or heritage but by the hearing and receiving of God’s Word.
B. The Light of the World answers opposition at the temple (continued)
14. (John 8:48–50) Jesus answers the charge that He is demon possessed.
Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges.” (John 8:48–50, NKJV)
a. Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?
The religious leaders, unable to discredit His works or His words, resorted to insults. They called Him both a Samaritan, which was one of the most despised labels a Jew could use, and demon possessed, an accusation meant to suggest insanity or blasphemy. This name-calling revealed their frustration, for they could not refute His teaching, nor could they prevent the growing number of people who believed in Him.
“Samaritan” implied racial and religious inferiority.
“Have a demon” was their attempt to explain His divine authority by attributing it to demonic power.
b. I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father: Jesus calmly rejected the accusation. His life of honoring the Father was itself proof that He could not be demon-possessed. Those who are under Satan’s power exalt themselves and dishonor God. Jesus displayed the opposite: humility, devotion, and obedience to the Father.
As Spurgeon noted: “No man can be said to have a devil who honors God; for the evil spirit from the beginning has been the enemy of all that glorifies the Father.”
c. And I do not seek My own glory: Jesus was not driven by selfish ambition or pride. He trusted the Father to vindicate Him in due time. He rested in the truth that the Father seeks and judges justly. This reminds us that those who walk with God do not need to fight for their own reputation; the Father Himself upholds His servants.
15. (John 8:51–53) The great promise to those who accept Jesus and keep His word.
“Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.” Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Whom do You make Yourself out to be?” (John 8:51–53, NKJV)
a. If anyone keeps My word he shall never see death: Jesus promised eternal life to all who would keep His word. This statement can only be understood if He is God, for only God has power over life and death. To “keep” His word means not only to hear it, but to embrace it in faith and obedience. Such a person will never truly see death, meaning they will not face eternal separation from God. Physical death remains, but it is transformed into the doorway to eternal life.
Alford observed: “To keep my word, as, ‘to continue in my word,’ is not only outward obedience, but the endurance in, and obedience of faith.”
Spurgeon illustrated: “Our back is upon death, and our face is towards life eternal. Death may still be tasted, but it is no longer seen with terror as a condemning foe.”
b. Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead: The leaders twisted Jesus’ words, interpreting Him to mean that believers would never physically die. Since Abraham and the prophets were all dead, they claimed His promise was impossible and therefore blasphemous. But Jesus had spoken of eternal life, not earthly immortality. Their blindness kept them from grasping this deeper truth.
c. Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead?
This was their attempt to trap Him with a question. They expected Him to retreat, but in reality they asked the right question: Who is greater than Abraham? Jesus would soon answer that He is not only greater than Abraham, but the great “I AM” who existed before Abraham.
16. (John 8:54–55) The claim of Jesus to know God contrasted with the claim of the religious leaders.
Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word.” (John 8:54–55, NKJV)
a. If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing: Jesus refused to glorify Himself apart from the Father. True honor is not self-bestowed but comes from God. The Father Himself bore witness to Jesus through His works, words, and the Spirit.
b. Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him: The religious leaders claimed God as their Father, but in reality they did not know Him. Their rejection of Jesus proved it. Jesus, by contrast, knew the Father intimately, and His every action demonstrated obedience.
Morris remarked: “They prided themselves on their knowledge of their God. Jesus tells them that they have no knowledge of Him at all.”
c. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you: Jesus’ words carried a sharp rebuke. To deny His true relationship with the Father would be to join their hypocrisy. Instead, He boldly declared His knowledge of God and His obedience to the Father’s word.
17. (John 8:56–59) Jesus makes the great declaration, I AM
“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.” (John 8:56–59, NKJV)
a. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad: Jesus answered their earlier taunt (“Are You greater than our father Abraham?” John 8:53) by affirming not only His superiority to Abraham, but Abraham’s own anticipation of Him. Abraham rejoiced in the promises of God that pointed forward to Christ.
Many suggest that Abraham saw Christ’s day in the promise of Genesis 22:8: “And Abraham said, ‘My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.’” In the provision of a substitute for Isaac, Abraham glimpsed the greater provision of the Lamb of God.
Some Rabbis even interpreted Genesis 24:1, which says Abraham “was well advanced in age,” as meaning that Abraham saw into the distant future, and thus into the day of Messiah.
b. You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham? Their reply was incredulous. Jesus was not even fifty years old, the traditional age when Levites retired from temple service (Numbers 4:3). They mocked the idea that one so young could have any knowledge of Abraham.
Dods notes that “fifty” was likely a round number, not intended to be precise.
Tenney points out that the hardships of His ministry may have made Jesus appear older than He was, but His true age was closer to thirty.
c. Before Abraham was, I AM: This is one of the most explicit and powerful claims of deity in the Gospels. Jesus did not say, “Before Abraham was, I was,” but, “I AM.” This is the very name of God revealed to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14: “I AM WHO I AM”).
The Greek phrase ego eimi is identical to the Septuagint rendering of God’s self-revelation to Moses. This was no mere claim of antiquity but of eternal existence.
This was the third “I AM” statement in this chapter (John 8:24, 8:28, 8:58). Each built upon the last, culminating here in a claim that was unmistakably divine.
Tenney notes: “I AM was recognized by the Jews as a title of deity.”
Dods affirms: “Before Abraham came into existence I am, eternally existent. No stronger affirmation of pre-existence occurs.”
Bruce adds: “If Jesus’ claim was not well founded, then His words were openly blasphemous: He was using language that only God could use.”
d. Then they took up stones to throw at Him: Their reaction proved they understood exactly what Jesus meant. They regarded His claim as blasphemy, and according to Leviticus 24:16, such an offense demanded death by stoning.
The stones may have been readily available because construction of the temple courts was still ongoing. Trench notes that Josephus records stoning incidents in the temple courts.
Morris observes: “Their passions were aroused. They were incensed. So they took the law into their own hands.”
e. Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them: Though they tried to kill Him, they could not. His hour had not yet come (John 7:30). Jesus left the temple unharmed, not by accident, but because His mission was under the sovereign timing of the Father.
Alford suggests this was not necessarily miraculous, but rather that Jesus slipped away in the confusion.
Clarke, however, speculates that Jesus may have rendered Himself invisible or mingled among the many who believed in Him.
