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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - John 8
Verse Commentaries:
Chapter Level Commentary:
FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL
This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five modern translations. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.
1. First paragraph
2. Second paragraph
3. Third paragraph
4. Etc.
TEXTUAL BACKGROUND TO Joh_7:53 to Joh_8:11
A. Joh_7:53 to Joh_8:11 was not part of the original Gospel of John.
B. Evidence for this passage (one sentence in Greek) being omitted from the Gospel are
1. External evidence
a. absent from the oldest Greek manuscripts
1) papyrus - P65 (early third century), P75 (third century)
2) uncials - à (fourth century), B (fourth century), probably absent from A and C. These are damaged at this point in John, but when the surviving leaves of the manuscript are measured there is no room for this passage.
b. many of the later Greek manuscripts that include it mark it with a special sign or symbol, like an asterisk, to show it was not original
c. it is found in several different locations in different later manuscripts
1) after Joh_7:36
2) after Joh_7:44
3) after Joh_7:25
4) in Luke after Luk_21:38
5) in Luke after Luk_24:53
d. absent from the ancient translations
1) the old Latin
2) the old Syriac
3) the early copies of the Peshitta (later Syriac)
e. there is no comment on this text by any of the Greek fathers (until the twelfth century)
f. it is present in codex D (Bezae), a western manuscript of the sixth century, the Latin Vulgate, and the later editions of the Peshitta.
2. Internal evidence
a. the vocabulary and style are more like Luke than John. It was placed in some Greek manuscripts after Luk_21:38 and in others after Luk_24:53.
b. it totally breaks the context of Jesus' discussion with the Jewish leaders after the feast of Tabernacles, Joh_7:1-52; Joh_8:12-59.
c. there are no parallels in the Synoptic Gospels
3. For a complete technical discussion see Bruce M Metzger's A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, pp. 219-221.
C. This account may be genuine oral tradition from Jesus' life. However, there are many accounts of Jesus' life that Gospel writers chose to not record (Joh_20:30-31). It is the Gospel writers themselves who were inspired. Later scribes had no right to include an account of Jesus' life, even if authentic, that was not included by the inspired original author. The original authors alone had the insight under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to select, arrange, and adapt the works and words of Jesus. This passage is not original and, therefore, not inspired and should not be included in our Bibles!
D. I have chosen not to comment on this passage because I do not believe it is from the pen of John and, therefore, not part of an inspired text (even if historical).
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.
1. Is Joh_7:53 to Joh_8:11 an original part of the Gospel of John?
Why or why not?
2. What is the background to Jesus' statement "I am the light of the world"?
3. Why were the Pharisees so antagonistic to Jesus?
4. Explain the use of the term "believe" in Joh_8:30 in light of the context that follows.