NT Characters: The Woman Caught in Adultery

<p>For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ <a href="https://www.douglasjacoby.com/jn8w/">website</a>.</p><p><strong>Text</strong><i>: </i><strong>John 8:2-11</strong><br /> </p><p><strong>Comments</strong><br /> </p><p>Today's study is on a well-known passage, even though it is not in the original manuscripts of John's gospel.</p><p>Still, it rings true, is of early origin, and is therefore is found in most Bibles.</p><p>Few scholars doubt its authenticity, even if it was not originally in its present location in John.</p><p>Sometimes it follows Luke 21:38. Or is found after John 7:36, or John 7:44. Sometimes it's even located after John 21:25.</p><p>Although scholars nearly unanimously reject the story as original in the fourth gospel, they are also of one mind in accepting its veracity.</p><p>It is perfectly in character with what we know of Jesus and his attitude towards sin/sinners.</p><p>It is unlikely to be an invention of the later church, since in the second century sin was dealt with much more harshly than it is in this passage.</p><p>Some early Christian preserved the story, and some early copyist of John placed it between chapters 7 and 8, probably because it seemed a good fit (verses about judgment, tensions between Jesus and the Pharisees).</p><p>For more on this--and to find out exactly which early manuscripts contain the passage--please visit the chapter notes on John 8 at this website. (Many of the notes from this study are reproduced below.)</p><p>The setting</p><p>As was Jesus' custom during the feasts, he taught in the day and stayed evenings somewhere on the Mount of Olives (v.1). He probably enjoyed the hospitality of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. (Search your concordance under <i>Bethany.</i>)</p><p>The venue for his teaching was the temple complex. (And by forgiving the adulteress, he was challenging, "usurping," the authority of the priests.)</p><p>The time was early morning, before the heat of the day.</p><p>He taught in the seated position (v.2), which was the normal posture o