JOHN LESSON 23

     We will begin this lesson in John 8:1.

     V-1, "Jesus went unto the mount of Olives."

     This was Jesus' favorite place to go when He withdrew from the
crowds in Jerusalem. This mount is just outside the city walls and
across the Kidron valley. The garden of Gethsemane is on the mount of
Olives. This, also, would be on the way to Bethany where some of
Jesus' friends lived. Jesus probably went to the mount to rest and
pray.

     V-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."


     The indication, here, is that Jesus sat down; and they gathered
around Him sitting (like in a circle), and He taught them. Perhaps, He
sat because His teaching was for long periods of time. It seems that
possibly about day break Jesus went to the temple. When it speaks of
the people, it does not mean the scribes and Pharisees or the priests,
but the common people.

      V-3, "And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman
taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,"

     V-4, "They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in
adultery, in the very act."

     These scribes and Pharisees are doing everything in their power
to catch Jesus doing anything that could be thought of as against
their law, so they could accuse Him. This whole set-up is to try to
trap Jesus. Why did they bother to bring her to Jesus? They were so
good at accusing, why didn't they just take her to the priest? They
had not admitted that Jesus had the right to judge anyone. This
calling Him Master here is in a mocking way. They had not recognized
Jesus as their Lord or Master. Another thing, where is the man she was
caught with? The law said they were both to be stoned to death. If
they want justice, why didn't they bring him, too? This whole thing,
as I said, is a frame whole thing, as I said, is a frame-up to trap
Jesus.

     V-5, "Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be
stoned: but what sayest thou?"

     The law covering this is in Deuteronomy 22:23-24. You will
notice, they are both to be stoned to death. Their leaders were not
even carrying this punishment out, except in extreme cases. This was
in the law, because God wanted us to realize the seriousness of body
sin. Christians' bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. You can see
the serious nature of this sin, expecially for a Christiain. They have
not heard of Jesus carrying out any punishment, and they feel that
they will easily trap Him here.

    V-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."

     My own personal belief about what He wrote in the sand with His
finger was the sins of the scribes and Pharisees who accused her.
This is not in the Bible, it is just what I believe. The next verse
convinces me that is what He wrote.
     V-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."

     V-8, "And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground."

     The second writing could have either been some more of their
sins, or it could have been the punishment required in Moses' law for
their sins. Jesus' statement takes the focus off the woman's sin and
on their own sin. Jesus knew they were all guilty of sin. Without
answering their question, Jesus has trapped them again.

     V-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."

     They knew they were quilty. They could not face their own sins
being brought to light. They go out one by one, from the oldest to the
least. They left without stoning her, and without trapping Jesus.

     V-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?"

     This is not a license to commit adultery. These men had no right
to judge her, because they were just as guilty as she was. This woman
is standing before the Judge of all the world. This is a woman who is
not a believer. She is in the same state of being a sinner as we
are before we come to Jesus. "For all have sinned, and come short of
the glory of God;" Romans 3:23. Christians, after Jesus forgave her
and set her free, in the next verse notice that He says, "...go, and
sin no more."

     V-11, "She said, No man, Lord, And Jesus said unto her, Neither
do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."

     We see several things in this. She was a sinner when she came to
Jesus. She made Him her Lord. He forgave her (saved her) then said,
"...go, and sin no more." Jesus came not to condemn the world, but to
save it. He condemns her sin, but not her.

     V-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."

     Notice Jesus is not a light, He is the LIGHT. Jesus is the source
of all light. This LIGHT gives life. Jesus said He was the Light, the
Life. In Him we have our being. I go into greater detail about this
Light in my book "And God Said Let There Be Light". We discovered in
this that the sun and moon are containers that we see light in, but
are not the source of Light. Jesus is the source. When His Light sets
off inside of you, it does away with darkness. Christians walk in His
Light; because when we receive Jesus, we receive His Light. I could
go on and on here, but read the little book on Light.

     V-13, "The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record
of thyself; thy record is not true."

     These Pharisees have no idea who they are speaking to. The Bible
says by two witnesses a thing shall be established.

     V-14, "Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of
myself yet my recordxis true; for I know whence I came, and whither I
go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go."

     You see, the miracles that Jesus did were witness enough. No man
who ever lived had done miracles like Jesus. Even Moses' miracles
paled in comparison. There was really no question who He was.

     V-15, "Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man."

     The truth is that when Jesus came to the earth this time, He came
to save, not condemn or judge. He will judge at the end of the age
when we all stand before Him on judgement day. They didn't believe
Jesus because of the flesh. Many choose the whole idea of who Jesus
really was, and is, because they look only with their physical
eyes. Only the Spirit can make us aware of who Jesus really is
(Emmanuel - God with us).

     V-16, "And yet if I judge, my judgement is true: for I am not
alone, but I and the Father that sent me."

     Jesus is saying in this that Father God and Jesus are in total
agreement. When Jesus speaks, He is also speaking for the Father.

     V-17, "It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two
 men is true."

      Had there been no witness except the fulfillment of the
 Scripture, that would have been enough. When a message is for all of
 humanity, it needs to be established by two.

     V-18, "I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that
sent me beareth witness of me."




     Jesus was certainly speaking truth here, because on two separate
occasions (at Jesus' baptism and at the transfiguration) a voice came
from heaven and said, "This is my heaven and said, "This is my
beloved Son". The dove that lit on Jesus at His baptism symbolized God
the Holy Spirit. You see, this leaves no doubt.


                                 Notes















































                           John 23 Questions

1.  Where does Jesus go in verse 1?
2.  Where is this place?
3.  What garden is located there?
4.  What town is on the other side of this mountain from Jerusalem?
5.  What time of day did Jesus come to the temple?
6.  What indicates that Jesus taught for a goor this sin?
7.  Who brought the woman to Jesus?
8.  What were they accusing her of?
9.  What name did they call Jesus that they surely did not mean?
10. Why did they bring her to Jesus?
11. What did Moses'law say was the penalty for this sin?
12. In Deuteronomy 22:23-24, who were to be punished for this sin?
13. What did Jesus do, instead of answering them?
14. What did Jesus say to the accusers?
15. What do you think Jesus wrote?
16. What convicted the accusers?
17. What question did Jesus ask the woman?
18. What name did she call Jesus by?
19. What did Jesus tell her?
20. In verse 12, what did Jesus call Himself?
21. Where do Jesus' followers walk?
22. What did the Pharisees accuse Jesus of in verse 13?
23. Why did Jesus say His record was true?
24. How did Jesus say they judged?
25. Who is the second witness with Jesus?
26. Tell of two times when the voice from heaven said, "This is my
    beloved Son".
27. In verse 18, who does Jesus specifically mention as two
    witnessess?


                                 Notes