Untitled Sermon

Intro

Contact: Kevin Davies 0413 344 722

Thanks Pr David for the invitation to come and preach here at Landsborough.

A pleasure for the family and I to be with you all here again.

Text Overview

The pericope is not found in most of the early Greek Gospel manuscripts.

Scholars differ on whether it belongs here, but many also point out the similarity between the pericope's style and the style of the rest of the gospel. They claim that the details of the encounter fit very well into the context of the surrounding verses. While this passage doesnt appear in the oldest manuscripts, the fact that it appears in the majority of manuscripts, is evidence of its authenticity.

The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Volume 5 1. Jesus Went

However, they admit that the narrative appears to be authentic and that it is in full harmony with what Jesus did and taught. This commentary takes the position that the narrative is authentic.

Setting the Scene

v2

Early in the morning. This incident occurred the following morning, on the eighth day of the Feast of Tabernacles.

The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Volume 5 Sat Down

Sat down. For this posture while teaching see on Matt. 5:1.

The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Volume 5 Taught

Taught. Rather, “began to teach,” as He had earlier (ch. 7:14)

The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Volume 5 3. Brought Unto Him

3. Brought unto him. Such cases should properly be brought to the courts. The scribes and Pharisees had contrived a plot to ensnare Jesus so that they might secure His condemnation. Their procedure was contemptible. There was no need to make such a public show of the case before the multitudes assembled at the Temple. Their own public humiliation that followed (v. 9) was fully merited.

The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Volume 5 5. Stoned

5. Stoned. The law of Moses prescribed death for adultery when a married woman was involved, but did not specify the manner of death. According to the Mishnah death in these cases was inflicted by strangulation (Sanhedrin 11. 1, Soncino ed. of the Talmud, p. 558). The law prescribed death by stoning when a betrothed woman was involved (Deut. 22:23, 24). This is also the rule of the Mishnah (Sanhedrin 7. 4, 9, Soncino ed. of the Talmud, pp. 359, 451, 452). It seems likely, therefore, that the case in question was one of a betrothed woman.

The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Volume 5 What Sayest Thou

What sayest thou? In the Greek the word “thou” is in the emphatic position. Jesus is set over against Moses. The Pharisees were more concerned with entrapping Jesus than with punishing the woman. They felt that no matter what answer Jesus gave they could involve Him in condemnation. They doubtless knew of His willingness to forgive, and perhaps expected that He would recommend leniency. In this case they could charge Him with setting aside the law. If He recommended carrying out the penalty, they could charge Him with usurping the authority of Rome, which at that time reserved jurisdiction in capital cases.

The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Volume 5 Wrote

Wrote. This is the only record of Jesus writing. Much indeed has been written about Him, but none of His writings have been preserved. The characters He wrote on the pavement dust were soon obliterated by the Temple traffic. According to tradition He wrote down the sins of the accusers (cf. DA 461). The practice of writing in the sand is referred to in the Mishnah (Shabbath 12. 5, Soncino ed. of the Talmud, p. 503).

The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Volume 5 7. Without Sin

7. Without sin. Jesus gives the persistent inquirers an answer they are not expecting, and for which they are unprepared. None of them can lay claim to sinlessness. Perhaps before Heaven’s tribunal some of them are more guilty than the woman (cf. DA 461). None of them accepts the challenge.

The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Volume 5 9. Convicted

9. Convicted. They had come to convict the woman. They went away convicted by their own conscience. They left the scene doubtless fearing that the guilty secrets of their lives, and particularly their own complicity in this case (see DA 461), would be revealed to the multitude. Their defeat could not have been more dramatic.