81 But Jesus went to the mount of Olives. 2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came to him; and he sat down and taught them. 3 And the scribes and the Pharisees bring [to him] a woman taken in adultery, and having set her in the midst, 4 they say to him, Teacher, this woman has been taken in the very act, committing adultery. 5 Now in the law Moses has commanded us to stone such; thou therefore, what sayest thou? 6 But this they said proving him, that they might have [something] to accuse him [of]. But Jesus, having stooped down, wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 But when they continued asking him, he lifted himself up and said to them, Let him that is without sin among you first cast the stone at her. 8 And again stooping down he wrote on the ground. 9 But they, having heard [that], went out one by one beginning from the elder ones until the last; and Jesus was left alone and the woman standing there. 10 And Jesus, lifting himself up and seeing no one but the woman, said to her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? Has no one condemned thee? 11 And she said, No one, sir. And Jesus said to her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
12 Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world; he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 13 The Pharisees therefore said to him, Thou bearest witness concerning thyself; thy witness is not true. 14 Jesus answered and said to them, Even if I bear witness concerning myself, my witness is true, because I know whence I came and whither I go: but ye know not whence I come and whither I go. 15 Ye judge according to the flesh, I judge no one. 16 And if also I judge, my judgment is true, because I am not alone, but I and the Father who has sent me. 17 And in your law too it is written that the testimony of two men is true: 18 I am [one] who bear witness concerning myself, and the Father who has sent me bears witness concerning me. 19 They said to him therefore, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye know neither me nor my Father. If ye had known me, ye would have known also my Father. 20 These words spoke he in the treasury, teaching in the temple; and no one took him, for his hour was not yet come.
21 He said therefore again to them, I go away, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sin; where I go ye cannot come. 22 The Jews therefore said, Will he kill himself, that he says, Where I go ye cannot come? 23 And he said to them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above. Ye are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I said therefore to you, that ye shall die in your sins; for unless ye shall believe that I am [he], ye shall die in your sins. 25 They said therefore to him, Who art thou? [And] Jesus said to them, Altogether that which I also say to you. 26 I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but he that has sent me is true, and I, what I have heard from him, these things I say to the world. 27 They knew not that he spoke to them of the Father.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on John 8:1-27
Commentary on John 8:1-11
(Read John 8:1-11)
Christ neither found fault with the law, nor excused the prisoner's guilt; nor did he countenance the pretended zeal of the Pharisees. Those are self-condemned who judge others, and yet do the same thing. All who are any way called to blame the faults of others, are especially concerned to look to themselves, and keep themselves pure. In this matter Christ attended to the great work about which he came into the world, that was, to bring sinners to repentance; not to destroy, but to save. He aimed to bring, not only the accused to repentance, by showing her his mercy, but the prosecutors also, by showing them their sins; they thought to insnare him, he sought to convince and convert them. He declined to meddle with the magistrate's office. Many crimes merit far more severe punishment than they meet with; but we should not leave our own work, to take that upon ourselves to which we are not called. When Christ sent her away, it was with this caution, Go, and sin no more. Those who help to save the life of a criminal, should help to save the soul with the same caution. Those are truly happy, whom Christ does not condemn. Christ's favour to us in the forgiveness of past sins should prevail with us, Go then, and sin no more.
Commentary on John 8:12-16
(Read John 8:12-16)
Christ is the Light of the world. God is light, and Christ is the image of the invisible God. One sun enlightens the whole world; so does one Christ, and there needs no more. What a dark dungeon would the world be without the sun! So would it be without Jesus, by whom light came into the world. Those who follow Christ shall not walk in darkness. They shall not be left without the truths which are necessary to keep them from destroying error, and the directions in the way of duty, necessary to keep them from condemning sin.
Commentary on John 8:17-20
(Read John 8:17-20)
If we knew Christ better, we should know the Father better. Those become vain in their imaginations concerning God, who will not learn of Christ. Those who know not his glory and grace, know not the Father that sent him. The time of our departure out of the world, depends upon God. Our enemies cannot hasten it any sooner, nor can our friends delay it any longer, than the time appointed of the Father. Every true believer can look up and say with pleasure, My times are in thy hand, and better there than in my own. To all God's purposes there is a time.
Commentary on John 8:21-29
(Read John 8:21-29)
Those that live in unbelief, are for ever undone, if they die in unbelief. The Jews belonged to this present evil world, but Jesus was of a heavenly and Divine nature, so that his doctrine, kingdom, and blessings, would not suit their taste. But the curse of the law is done away to all that submit to the grace of the gospel. Nothing but the doctrine of Christ's grace will be an argument powerful enough, and none but the Spirit of Christ's grace will be an agent powerful enough, to turn us from sin to God; and that Spirit is given, and that doctrine is given, to work upon those only who believe in Christ. Some say, Who is this Jesus? They allow him to have been a Prophet, an excellent Teacher, and even more than a creature; but cannot acknowledge him as over all, God blessed for evermore. Will not this suffice? Jesus here answers the question. Is this to honour him as the Father? Does this admit his being the Light of the world, and the Life of men, one with the Father? All shall know by their conversion, or in their condemnation, that he always spake and did what pleased the Father, even when he claimed the highest honours to himself.