Neither Do I Condemn You – John’s Gospel, chapter 7:53 to 8:11
A difficulty in this event in John’s Gospel.
It is not found in the earliest known manuscripts. Authentic, original, or not?
How did we get our Bibles ?
Inspiration. “All Scripture is God breathed”. 2 Tim. 3:16 . “but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit”. 2 Peter 1:20-21” Of course this only applies to the originals and they are gone. But we have many copies.
Transmission. Careful scribes copied the Greek originals. We have over 5000 manuscripts, back to 2nd century. Sure they made some errors, but they affect no key doctrines of the Bible. Probably the event in John 7:53-8:11 was not in the original. But just as probably it did actually happen. It rings true with how Jesus lived, acted and spoke. So treat it as potential history, and a great illustration.
Translation. The old manuscripts when added together give us a 99.99% accurate ancient Greek New Testament, now translated into hundreds of the world’s languages.
Here is a useful short article on Can I Trust the New Testament?
What then do we do with this passage?
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.’
John 8:3-11
Does the rest of the Bible teach what this passage teaches?
Yes! It teaches us…
- The hypocrisy of the Pharisees. Trying to trap him, as in the tax money episode.
- Jesus did not condone sin. As with the man He healed.
- Jesus offers grace. As with the paralysed man let down through the roof. He who had the right to cast the first stone, casts grace instead.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…
Romans 8:1 New International Version – UK (NIVUK) Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
