John 8 - Introduction

CHAPTER EIGHT

Chapter Eight, omitting the interpolation of John 7:53, John 8:11, is a continuation of the Lord's discourses at the Feast of Tabernacles. This commentary will omit printing the text of John 7:53, John 8:11 for new textual evidence now makes it even more certain that this passage was not a part of the original text.

Our earliest and best Greek manuscripts do not contain this passage. Codex Vaticanus (B), Codex Sinaiticus (Aleph) and Codex Washingtonianus (W)three of the most important MSSdo not give the slightest indication that the story of the woman taken in adultery is part of the original. In fact, no Greek manuscript prior to the ninth century (with the exception of the bilingual manuscript Codex Bezae) has the story. None of the church fathers who wrote in Greek commented on this passage until the twelfth century, although many of them made reference to the passages which immediately precede and follow it.
A recent manuscript discovery (also in the Bodmer library) of a Coptic version of the Bible in the Bohairic dialect, contains the Gospel of John which is dated by its editor in the fourth century (300-400 A.D.). Passages which textual scholars have previously recognized as critically suspect (John 5:3 b - John 5:4, etc.) and the passage under discussion (John 7:53, John 8:11) are not present in this manuscript.

The most crucial evidence against this spurious passage, however, comes from the Bodmer II Papyrus (P66). It is highly significant that this earliest complete text of John's Gospel does not have the account of the adulterous woman. There is no mark or hint at either John 7:53 or John 8:12 of this MS that either scribe or corrector knew anything additional belonging here (see Vol. I, p. 13, and Vol. II, Special Study No. One, pgs. 11, 12 for the value of Bodmer II in textual criticism).

In many of the late Greek manuscripts which do have the story, it is marked so as to inform the reader that it is an insertion. Furthermore, the manuscripts which have the account vary so much from each other in wording that there are at least sixty different readings. Someone has determined that this is an average of five variants for each verse of the twelve-verse unita much higher average than is found in the rest of John's Gospel. The account also occurs in other locations in the New Testament. Some have it after John 7:36; others after John 21:24; still others after Luke 21:38.

The style and vocabulary of the story in Greek are quite different from that which John employs in the rest of the book. It does not in any way contribute to John's account, but to the contrary, disrupts the context. How meaningful the two declarations of Jesus becomethe Water of Life and the Light of the Worldwhen we understand their setting coincident with the last day of the great Feast of Tabernacles. But if the unit John 7:53, John 8:11 remains in the text of John's Gospel, then both the incident of the adulterous woman and the discourse on light occur at the Temple on the day after the feast has closed, for John 8:2 reads, Early in the morning he came again to the temple.

We, therefore, do not accept the passage John 7:53, John 8:11 as part of John's Gospel and have omitted it from our commentary. We continue our outline as follows:

II.

The Word Manifested to the Jews and their rejection of Him, John 1:19, John 12:50

D.

Public Ministry, Third Year

2.

Later Judean Ministry, John 7:1, John 10:21, The Feast of Tabernacles

a.

The Light of the World, John 8:12-20

b.

Fatal Unbelief, John 8:21-30

c.

Truth brings Freedom, John 8:31-36

d.

Abraham's Children, John 8:37-40

e.

Satan's Children, John 8:41-47

f.

Christ Defamed, John 8:48-59

EXPOSITORY SERMON NO. EIGHT

SYMPTOMS OF UNBELIEF (Continued)

John 8:1-59

Introduction

I.

UNBELIEF MAY TAKE MANY FORMS, AS WE HAVE SEEN IN John 7:1-53

A.

But all doubting or investigating is not condemned by the Scriptures. The Bible definitely teaches that men are to seek evidence for believing. By their fruits ye shall know them. ... try every spirit. ... prove all things, hold fast that which is good. The Bereans searched the Scriptures to establish the validity of Paul's preaching. We do not follow Jesus because we have been deluded, deceived or duped. Our faith is founded on historical fact.

B.

Doubt is condemned, however, when it is born of a refusal to accept incontrovertible fact. Or, when unbelief is simply a carnal refusal to obey the truth when one has seen itdoubt then becomes damning.

II.

LET US STUDY FURTHER THE SYMPTOMS OF UNBELIEF AT THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES

A.

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. so we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Hebrews 3:12; Hebrews 3:19

B.

Could it be that we may be guilty of any of these symptoms which will lead to our final expulsion from the streets of Heaven? Friend, some of these symptoms are evident even within the church of Christ todayamong those who profess to follow Jesus we may find these symptoms of growing unbelief.

Discussion

I.

PRIDE IN RELIGIOUS HERITAGE, John 8:32-40

Pride in ancestral religion was an ever-abundant source of unbelief for the Jews. They could not believe that God would nail the exclusive Jewish heritage of Judaism to the cross and open the door for heathens to come into His favor. The Jews staked all his claims to Heaven upon his illustrious ancestry of Abraham, Moses, David and the prophets. God had separated them from all the heathen nations in a special way and they proposed to tell God that He could never give them up (remember Jonah). They enjoyed a unique religious standing because of their nationality. They continually pointed back to their ancestors and their accomplishments. they based their salvation on their physical lineage and upon their national heritage. Many people today rest all their hopes concerning the here-after on Mother's religion or Father's religion. The members of my family have been (ists) since the Mayflower and that's good enough for me, they say. But Jesus said, Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. Neither Mother's religion, nor the religion of the majority, nor your fiance's religion will save youthe revealed truth of God only brings salvation. There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12). Some members of the Christian church are, in fact or in theory, resting all their hopes in the prestige and traditions of an Alexander Campbell or in an institutionalized church. The Scriptures state unequivocally that we dare not rest our hopes upon men and traditions of men. John the Baptist told the Jews, Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham (Luke 3:8).

II.

ABUSE OF THE WORD OF GOD, John 7:45-52; John 8:37

Some of the Pharisees were infamous abusers of the Word of God. They had a certain mystical reverence for it but they revered their traditions above the pure Word (cf. Mark 7:6-13). They had no qualms about wresting the Scriptures and interpreting them to serve their own ends. They dishonored their aging parents refusing to supply their material needs by pronouncing their own possessions Corban (devoted to God). They gave perverted interpretations of the Law in order to welch on business deals. And here in our text Jesus accuses them of prohibiting the Word of God from having free course in their hearts (John 8:37). They accused Jesus of blasphemy and condemned Him to death by a perversion of the law. They grossly perverted the intent of the Word of God when they refused to let Him heal a man on the Sabbath. Yet they would, in turn, violate the very letter of the law and rescue an expensive animal from a ditch on the Sabbath. Any time a person or a group of persons (whether the group be called a church or not) wrests the Scriptures to serve their own selfish ends, they are in a state of evil unbelief. Such an action tries God just as surely as the actions of the Israelites in the wilderness (cf. Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-16). Denominationalism is itself a perversion of the Bible. The Bible nowhere allows for men to construct and maintain the multitude of divisions and contrary doctrines taught in the name of Christ. Men and women who persist in perpetuating division by going beyond what is written in the Scriptures must come under the same condemnation as the Phariseesabusers of God's Word!

III.

NO LOVE FOR THE TRUTH, John 8:45-46

Jesus accused the Pharisees of deliberately hating the truth! For the very reason that Jesus was telling them the truth, they would not believe Him. What a terrible accusation! He told them they were children of the devil, who stands in no relationship to anything that is true. When the devil speaks a lie, he speaks out of his very nature, for he is a liar and the father of liars. When the truth about the Pharisees became unpleasant, they sought for the pleasant thing, even if it had to be a lie in order to be pleasing. Such are those today who have itching ears and heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts. and turn away from the truth and turn aside unto fables. Those who hate truth and have no love for righteousness will be deceived and believe a lie (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). This is the crux of the matter with hundreds of people todaythey have no love for the truth because they take pleasure in unrighteousness. They simply close their eyes and ears to the truth, because they have more pleasure in believing a lie! Such a state of heart makes fertile ground for the devil to plant his half-truths. The Jews wanted to believe a lie about the nature of their Messiah and thus the devil obliged them. So many men and women today do not want to face the reality of the temporal nature of this worldthe reality of Hellthe reality of sin; these are symptoms of unbelief.

IV.

INFLUENCED BY HEARSAY, John 7:12; John 7:40-43

The very fact that some of the multitude was led astray in their thinking by rumors and hearsay is evidence of their unbelief. Many people without courage and faith to think for themselves allow themselves to be swayed by the reports and rumors and opinions of others. These murmuring Jews had not come to their opinions of Jesus by personal investigation of His claims. They had heard the rulers pronounce judgment upon Him and they had not enough personal conviction or courage to make up their own minds. Uncommitted people are easily influenced and tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine. James describes this type of person who is wishy-washy and unstable (cf. James 1:6-7). Here one day, there the nextevery new idea that comes along they become dupes for it because they haven-'t enough conviction of what is real truth. The church has a ministry to perform in establishing its members in the truth, which is as important as evangelism (cf. Ephesians 4:13-14). The matter of belief is a matter of growing in knowledge of Jesus Christ; so is the matter of Christian unity; and so is the matter of progress and victory for Christ and the church.

V.

LOVING THE HONOR OF MEN MORE THAN GOD'S HONOR, John 7:50-52

Nicodemus spoke up timidly once in defense of Jesus. But after the browbeating he received from his important and powerful colleagues, he is conveniently silent! In another place we are told that Nicodemus was a secret disciple of Jesus. We do not have the right to judge or pronounce sentence upon Nicodemus, but we do maintain that cowardice is a manifestation of unbelief (cf. Matthew 10:28). As trusting disciples of Christ we must take Him at His word to protect us in all circumstances. There are other illustrations of this symptom (cf. John 12:42; John 9:1-41). Shallow faith which withers under tribulation and persecution is the product of rocky soil. The unbelief which will not openly confess Christ will result in Christ's denial of the unbeliever before the Father at judgment (cf. Matthew 7:21-23). When faced with opportunities every day of life to profess Christ and salvation to a lost and dying world, HOW DO YOU MEASURE UP? Do you have the dread symptom of unbelief known as loving the honor of men more than the honor of God?

VI.

MORAL CARNALITY, John 8:12

By carnality we do not necessarily mean sensuality. Sometimes this word carnal is used to mean only an unregenerate way of thinking which may be true even of baptized believers (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:1-2). When Jesus accused the Pharisees of judging after the flesh, He did not mean they were sensual or immoral, but He was warning them that they were judging Him and the works of God by their earthly standards. They strained the gnat and swallowed the camel. They left undone the weightier matters of the law, justice, mercy and faith. Men may be carnal and not immoral. The Pharisees were such mengenerally on the outside they were strictly moral. Their carnality consisted in rejecting Jesus because He demanded sacrifice of self-righteousnesssomething they did not want to give up. So is every man carnal who desires to be justified before God by His good works alone. He is not eager to admit that he is still a long way from what God demands even in the Law. He will grasp at and hold to every denial of a perfect standardthis is why the Jews killed Jesus. Such men will gladly welcome unbelief because it removes from their sight the accusing high standard of Christ's teachings which pass judgment on their inability to keep the law of commandments.

Conclusion

I.

THESE, THEN, ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF UNBELIEF

A.

Human nature has not changed in 2000 years, nor has the devil gone to sleep.

B.

We are just as susceptible to every symptom of unbelief here as were the Pharisees.

II.

CHRIST IS ALWAYS THE BURNING ISSUE!

A.

He has made claims to be the Son of God.

B.

Here at the Feast of Tabernacles He said.

1.

... except that ye believe that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

2.

Unbelief takes a man into eternity with all the sentence of his sins upon his own person. where he will have to suffer the eternal punishment for them.

III.

CHRIST FACES YOU NOW WITH HIS CLAIMS

A.

If you have seen me you have seen the Father.

B.

He that hath the Son hath the Father.

C.

Believe in God, believe also in Me.

D. Don-'t be deceived by Satan and trapped into the snare of unbelief.

EXAMINATION, Chapter S 7 and 8

True or False

1.

Jesus may have purposely missed some Jewish feasts.

2.

There is a contradiction in the Bible at John 7:8-10.

3.

We are commanded by Jesus, in chapter 7, to judge.

4.

The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit was given to men while Jesus lived on earth.

5.

The best manuscript evidence indicates that the story of the woman taken in adultery (John 8:1-11) is not a part of John's gospel.

6.

The Jews had never been in bondage to anyone.

7.

Jesus challenged anyone to convict Him of sin.

Who Said This

1.

For no man doeth anything in secret, and himself seeketh to be known openly.

2.

Hath not the Scripture said that the Christ cometh of the seed of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?

3.

Never man so spake.

4.

But this multitude that knoweth not the law are accused.

5.

Doth our law judge a man, except it first hear from himself and know what he doeth?

6.

He that is of God heareth the words of God.

Supply the Scriptural Answers to These Questions

1.

Q.

Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you doeth the law? Why seek ye to kill me?

A.

2.

Q.

Why did ye not bring him?

A.

3.

Q.

Will he kill himself, that he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come?

A.

4.

Q.

If I say truth, why do ye not believe me?

A.

Multiple Choice

1.

The Feast of Tabernacles commemorated:

a.

Passing over of the death angel in the time of exodus

b.

Rededication of the temple

c.

Wandering in the wilderness

2.

Jesus-' brothers:

a.

Saw His miracles and did not believe

b.

Saw His miracles and believed

c.

Believed in Him without seeing His miracles

3.

The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit:

a.

Is to be kept

b.

Is to become a source of life flowing from us to others

c.

Is given only to a select few

4.

The multitudes:

a.

Were all in favor of Jesus

b.

Were silent about Jesus

c.

Were disagreeing among themselves about Jesus

5.

To die in one's sins means:

a.

To die while committing a particular sin

b.

To die as a result of some terrible sin

c.

To die, not having one's sins forgiven, and having to pay the penalty forever

6.

To lift up the Son of man means:

a.

To glorify Him by praise

b.

To put Him upon the throne

c.

To crucify Him

7.

The Jews slandered Jesus by:

a.

Calling Him a Samaritan

b.

Calling Him a liar

c.

Calling Him prince of demons

8.

Abraham saw Jesus:

a.

Before He (Abraham) was born

b.

In a vision

c.

By faith

9.

The Jews could not understand Jesus because:

a.

He spoke in a different language

b.

They did not know what He was talking about

c.

They could not tolerate His teaching

10.

Jesus said that in order to be free:

a.

We must have a democratic form of government

b.

We must be free from all restraints of religion

c.

We must abide in and obey His word

11.

When the Jews said, We were not born of fornication; they probably meant:

a.

Our physical parents were not adulterers

b.

We were not born of fornication, but you were

c.

We are not descendants of spiritual fornicators (idolators)

Match These Scriptures

1.

If any man willeth to do his will,

a.

but judge righteous judgment.

2.

But because I say the truth

b.

from within him shall flow rivers of living water.

3.

If a man keep my word

c.

ye shall be free indeed.

4.

Judge not according to appearance

d.

ye shall die in your sins.

5.

He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said,

e.

and the truth shall make you free.

6.

If therefore the Son shall make you free,

f.

he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from myself.

7.

... except ye believe that I am he,

g.

he shall never see death.

8.

... and ye shall know the truth

h.

ye believe me not.

9.

If ye abide in my word,

i.

then are ye truly my disciples.

10.

The world cannot hate you:

j.

but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that its works are evil,