John 8.2-30

John 8:2-11 describes a scene where the Pharisees confront Jesus, and a woman caught in adultery is brought before Him. The scribes and Pharisees attempt to trap Jesus by presenting the adulterous woman, hoping He will either condemn her, violating Roman law (which only allowed stoning for specific offenses), or condone her sin, contradicting Jewish law. Jesus' response is to write on the ground and then say, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her." The crowd disperses, and Jesus declares that He does not condemn her either, but rather tells her to "sin no more.", thus highlighting Jesus' compassion, His challenge to hypocritical judgment, and His emphasis on forgiveness and repentance.

In vv12-30 Jesus declares Himself to be the "light of the world," offering a contrast between those who follow Him and those who remain in darkness. He emphasizes that following Him leads to freedom from sin's bondage, while those who reject Him remain enslaved. This claim provokes a confrontation with the Jewish leaders, who accuse Him of bearing witness to Himself, which they say makes His witness untrue. Jesus responds declaring that His witness is consistent, supported by the Father, Moses (referring to the Old Testament), and His works. His testimony is a declaration that those who believe will know the truth and be set free. Jesus' explanation that He and the Father are One, further solidifys His assertion of divine authority and provokes increased hostility from the Jews. As you read, note the themes of truth, freedom, and Jesus's unique authority and relationship with God the Father.

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2 Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them.
3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court,
4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act.
5 “Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?”
6 They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have evidence to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground.
7 But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”
8 Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court.
10 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, and from now on sin no more.”]
12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”
13 So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are bearing witness about Yourself; Your witness is not true.”
14 Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness about 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 or where I am going.
15 “You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone.
16 “But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me.
17 “Even in your law it has been written that the witness of two men is true.
18 “I am He who bears witness about Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness about Me.”
19 So they were saying to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.”
20 These words He spoke in the treasury, as He was teaching in the temple; and no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.
21 Then He said again to them, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.”
22 So the Jews were saying, “Surely He will not kill Himself, since He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”
23 And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above. You are of this world, I am not of this world.
24 “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
25 So they were saying to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus said to them, “What have I been saying to you from the beginning?
26 “I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I am saying to the world.”
27 They did not know that He had been speaking to them about the Father.
28 So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing from Myself, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.
29 “And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.”
30 As He was speaking these things, many believed in Him.