John 8 – Notes

John 8:11 … “No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Question – How come some versions of the bible like the NASB say Lord instead of sir? Is this a contradiction?

This question turns out to be very significant to this passage. It relates to another question I was prompted to ask in earlier verses 5-6.

John 8:5-6 … In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

Question – What was the trap? Were they trying to see if Jesus would ignore the law and set the woman free? Were they trying to get Jesus to be a judge?  The Pharisees probably didn’t recognize Jesus as a judge, did they?

Look at the strong’s meaning of the word sir that the woman used to address Jesus!

From NetBible Jn 8:11

• sir[2962] =
  • he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord
  • the owner; one who has control of the person, the master
  • is a title of honour expressive of respect and reverence,
    with which servants greet their master
  • this title is given to: God, the Messiah

—> From this we see that the woman recognized Jesus as her master – the one who was deciding her fate. Isn’t this what a judge/master does – decides someones/a servants fate?

—> It’s also interesting to see that the Pharisees did not address Jesus in this way. They called Him Teacher.

From NetBible Jn 8:4

• teacher[1320] =
  • of those who by their great power as teachers draw crowds
    around them
  • by preeminence used of Jesus by himself, as one who showed
    men the way of salvation

Look at the place that this happened – Mount of Olives
—> Isn’t this where Jesus will return on judgement day? -Zec 14:4

Seeing Jesus as judge and understanding how He judges seems to be more of a theme in this parable than at first glance.

***

John 8 NIV
1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

11 “No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Tags: Jesus as judge, John 8, John 8 - Notes, Woman caught in adultry