HarperCollins Study Bible, page 480
n Or the Christ
o Or the Christ
p Or the Christ
q Gk him
7.1–52 On the order of the chapters, see note on 5.1–7.52.
7.1–10 Jesus’ puzzling words and actions here may be meant to portray him as coming and going only when he is ready, since only he knows his time (vv. 6, 8), or hour (v. 30).
7.1 Jews, perhaps “Judeans,” but more likely the Jewish authorities (see note on 7.13). On the Jews’ efforts to kill him, see 5.18.
7.2 The festival of Booths, or Tabernacles (Hebrew Sukkoth), was a seven-day harvest festival observed in October (Lev 23.34–43; Deut 16.13–17; Neh 8.14–18; see “Jewish Festivals in the Gospel of John,” p. 1820). The whole of chs. 7–8 is set during this festival, which drew many pilgrims to Jerusalem in the first century CE. It also included ceremonies involving the pouring out of water (see vv. 37–38) and the lighting of great lights (see 8.12) in the temple.
7.6 Jesus’ time, his hour in (see note on) 7.30.
7.7 The world…hates. See 3.19–21; 15.18–19, 24–25.
7.8 It is conceivable that not going (lit. “not going up”) to this festival also means that Jesus is not “going up” (i.e., returning to God; see 20.17) at this festival, because his time has not yet fully come (see notes on 7.6; 7.30).
7.10 In secret. See also v. 1; Jesus’ hiding in 8.59; 11.54; 12.36.
7.11–15 Jesus’ arrival at the festival causes division and uncertainty.
7.12 Complaining, or “whispering.” Note the similar divisions among the crowds in vv. 30–31, 40–44; 8.30;9.16; 10.19–21.
7.13 For fear of the Jews. See 9.22;19.38; 20.19 (also 12.42). In all these places (as in 7.1, 11, 15, 35) the Jews means the authorities, since the people who are afraid are Jewish themselves. See also Introduction.
7.15 Never been taught. Cf. Acts 4.13.
7.16–24 This section has many parallels with ch. 5: cf. 7.16–17 with 5.19, 30; 7.18 with 5.31, 41–44; 7.19–23 with 5.16–18.
7.16–17 On the source of Jesus’ teaching, see 5.19–24; 8.26–28; note on 14.10.
7.18 On seeking glory, see 12.43.
7.20 The crowd (also vv. 12, 31, 40–44, 49) seems to be identical with neither the Jews (see note on 7.13) nor the people of Jerusalem (vv. 25–30). You have a demon. In ancient times insanity was often understood as demonic possession. Thus the crowd is claiming that Jesus is “out of his mind.” See also 8.48–52; 10.20–21.
7.21 One work, i.e., the healing narrated in 5.1–9. Astonished. See 5.20; Hab 1.5.
7.22 Moses gave you circumcision. See Gen 17.9–14; Lev 12.3. Rules and procedures for circumcising on the sabbath had been developed in Jewish tradition.
7.23 For a similar defense of healing on the sabbath, cf. Mt 12.5. On controversies over the issue, see note on 5.1–18; see also 9.13–17.
7.24 Cf. 8.15.
7.25–44 Throughout the Festival of Booths Jesus’ words continue to cause disputes among his hearers, and there are repeated attempts to arrest him.
7.26 The authorities. See v. 48.
7.27–29 Where this man is from, an important subject in John. The world’s claim to know Jesus’ origin (cf. vv. 41–42; see also 6.42) is in fact false (see 8.14; 9.29; cf. 3.8; 19.9). Jesus’ retort (vv. 28–29) is therefore ironic or sarcastic.
7.28 I have not come on my own. See v. 17; see also 5.30; 8.28, 42;12.49–50; note on 14.10. You do not know him. See 8.19, 55; 15.21; 16.3; 17.25.
7.30–31 On the division of opinions here, see note on 7.12.
7.30 Jesus’ hour is that of his death and glorification (see note on 12.23; see also notes on 4.23; 16.25). Until that hour, no one can harm him (see vv. 6, 8, 44; see also 2.4; 8.20, 59; 10.31, 39).
7.31 Signs. See notes on 2.11; 6.14–15.
7.32 The combination chief priests and Pharisees refers to the Sanhedrin, or governing council (11.47), which had at its disposal a small force of police, mainly for keeping order in the temple (see 18.3).
7.33–36 This kind of misunderstanding (see also 8.21–22), which ironically proves to be more true than the speaker knows, is common in John (see 6.52; 8.53, 57; 11.51–52; 19.14; note on 3.4).
7.33 A little while. See also 14.19; 16.16. Going to him who sent me. See 13.1–3; 20.17.
7.34 See 8.21; 13.33.
7.35 The Greeks points to the later success of the Christian mission among Gentiles (cf. 12.20).
7.37 Festival. See note on 7.2. On Jesus’ satisfaction of thirst, see 4.13–14; 6.35.
7.38 The scripture intended is uncertain; cf. Isa 44.2–3; Zech 14.8 (Zech 14 is read at the Festival of Booths). Out of the believer’s heart, lit. out of his belly (see text note d on p. 1829). His here may refer to Jesus rather than to the believer as the source of living water; see 4.10; 19.34.
7.39 There was no Spirit, i.e., no outpouring of the Spirit in the Christian community. Glorified. See note on 12.23.
7.40–41 The prophet, the Messiah. See notes on 1.21;6.14–15.
7.42 Bethlehem. See 1 Sam 16.1–13; 2 Sam 7.12–16; Pss 89.3–4; 132.11–12; Mic 5.2. If John accepts the story of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem (Mt 2.1–12; Lk 2.4), the opponents’ ignorance of Jesus’ origin ironically fulfills their expectations (v. 27).
7.43 Division. See note on 7.12.
7.44 See note on 7.30.
7.45–52 The authorities, unable to arrest Jesus, ridicule those who believe in him.
7.47 Deceived too. See v. 12.
7.48–52 The question in v. 48 is intended to be ironic, but Nicodemus, who was one of them, i.e., an authority (leader) and a Pharisee, has shown tentative interest in Jesus (3.1–21). Whether John presents Nicodemus as one who truly believed in him, however, is in doubt. Here Nicodemus begins to defend Jesus but goes no further than an appeal to the law (i.e., the Pharisees’ law). See also notes on 3.1–21; 12.42–43; 19.39.
7.52 Galilee was regarded by many Pharisees as religiously lax; see also 1.46. Search, i.e., the scriptures. No prophet is to arise, or, with some manuscripts, “the prophet is not to arise” (see vv. 40–41).
7.53–8.11 On the basis of the best manuscripts and other ancient evidence (see text note f), scholars generally agree that this story was not originally part of the Gospel of John. It may, however, be based on early oral traditions about Jesus.
John 8
The Woman Caught in Adultery
53Then each of them went home, 1while Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them. 3The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, 4they said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. 5Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground.a 9When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11She said, “No one, sir.”b And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”c
Jesus the Light of the World
12Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” 13Then the Pharisees said to him, “You are testifying on your own behalf; your testimony is not valid.” 14Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid because I know where I have come from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15You judge by human standards;d I judge no one. 16Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is valid; for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Fathere who sent me. 17In your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is valid. 18I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me testifies on my behalf.” 19Then they said to him, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20He spoke these words while he was teaching in the treasury of the temple, but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
Jesus Foretells His Death
21Again he said to them, “I am going away, and you will search for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” 22Then the Jews said, “Is he going to kill himself? Is that what he means by saying, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” 23He said to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. 24I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he.”f 25They said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Why do I speak to you at all?g 26I have much to say about you and much to condemn; but the one who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” 27They did not understand that he was speaking to them about the Father. 28So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he,h and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me. 29And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.” 30As he was saying these things, many believed in him.
True Disciples
31Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 33They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, ‘You will be made free’?”
34Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. 36So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. 37I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you look for an opportunity to kill me, because there is no place in you for my word. 38I declare what I have seen in the Father’s presence; as for you, you should do what you have heard from the Father.”i
Jesus and Abraham
39They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doingj what Abraham did, 40but now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41You are indeed doing what your father does.” They said to him, “We are not illegitimate children; we have one father, God himself.” 42Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own, but he sent me. 43Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot accept my word. 44You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God.”
48The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is one who seeks it and he is the judge. 51Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” 52The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets; yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ 53Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets also died. Who do you claim to be?” 54Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, he of whom you say, ‘He is our God,’ 55though you do not know him. But I know him; if I would say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him and I keep his word. 56Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad.” 57Then the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?”k 58Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
next chapter
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a Other ancient authorities add the sins of each of them
b Or Lord
c The most ancient authorities lack 7.53—8.11; other authorities add the passage here or after 7.36 or after 21.25 or after Luke 21.38, with variations of text; some mark the passage as doubtful.
d Gk according to the flesh
e Other ancient authorities read he
f Gk I am
g Or What I have told you from the beginning
h Gk I am
i Other ancient authorities read you do what you have heard from your father
j Other ancient authorities read If you are Abraham’s children, then do
k Other ancient authorities read has Abraham seen you?
8.1–2 Cf. Lk 21.37–38.
8.3 Though the scribes are often named alongside the Pharisees in the other Gospels, they are not mentioned elsewhere in John.
8.5 Such women. In contrast, Lev 20.10; Deut 22.22 require that both offending parties be put to death.
8.6 To test him. See Mk 10.2; 12.14–15. What Jesus wrote (see also v. 8) is not known, despite many guesses.
8.7 Deut 17.7 requires that the witnesses be the first to stone a condemned person (cf. Acts 7.58).
8.9 The elders, or “the oldest.”
8.11 Do not sin again. See also 5.14.
8.12–20 On the themes of judgment and testimony that are prominent here, see esp. 5.22, 30–38; see also 12.47–49; 19.35; 21.24.
8.12 Light, darkness. See 1.4–5, 9; 3.19; 9.4–5; 11.9–10;12.35–36, 46; cf. Mt 5.14; 1 Jn 1.5–7; 2.8–11. Originally (without 7.53–8.11), the author may have intended a connection between light here and Galilee in 7.52, based on Isa 9.1–2. See also Zech 14.7; notes on Jn 7.2; 7.37; 7.38.
8.13 See note on 5.31.
8.14 Where I have come from. See note on 7.27–29; cf. 3.8.
8.15 Cf. 7.24.
8.17 Two or more witnesses are required for a capital offense according to Num 35.30; Deut 17.6; Deut 19.15 also speaks of criminal charges. Here the principle of multiple witnesses is extended to another type of testimony.
8.18 On the testimony of the Father, see also 1 Jn 5.10.
8.19 You know…Father. See note on 7.28. If you knew…Father also. See 14.7–9.
8.20 His hour. See note on 7.30.
8.21–30 A dialogue in which Jesus’ hearers repeatedly fail to understand his mysterious words; yet at the end, many believe in him.
8.21–22 On the ironic misunderstanding here, see note on 7.33–36. Jesus is not going to kill himself, but he is going to give up his life, and John makes clear that his death is fully under his control (10.17–18; 15.13;18.4–8; 19.28–30).
8.23 I am from above. See also 3.3, 31; 19.11. I am not of this world. See also 18.36; note on 17.14–16.
8.24 I am he (lit. I am), part of Jesus’ revelation of his divine identity in John. It functions virtually as a divine name, based on OT assertions of God’s identity (see, e.g., Ex 3.14; Isa 43.10–11, 25; 51.12). Sometimes other predicates (such as light or bread) are added to the I am. See 4.26; 6.20, 35; 8.12, 28, 58; 10.11;11.25; 13.19; 14.6; 15.1; 18.5–6.
8.26 The one who sent me is true. See 7.28–29.
8.28 Lifted up, i.e., both crucified and glorified; see notes on 3.14; 12.32; 12.34. I am he. See note on 8.24. I speak…as the Father instructed me. See v. 38; see also 3.11, 34; 5.19–20; 12.49–50.
8.31–59 This increasingly hostile dialogue involves Jews who had believed in Jesus (see Introduction). Jesus’ word plays an important role throughout it; see also 14.23–24; 15.7.
8.32 The truth, Jesus himself (14.6); also that to which Jesus testifies (18.37), God’s word, which he makes known (17.14, 17). See also 1 Jn 2.21; 2 Jn 1.
8.33 Never been slaves. By contrast, in Deuteronomy the people are frequently urged to remember that they were slaves in Egypt (Deut 6.20–21;15.12–15; 16.12; 24.17–22). Many Jews in the first century also regarded Roman rule as a kind of slavery.
8.34 A slave to sin. See Rom 6.15–23; 2 Pet 2.19.
8.35 See Gen 21.9–10; Gal 4.1–7; Heb 3.5–6 (cf. Num 12.7).
8.37 Look for an opportunity to kill me. See 5.18;7.1, 19.
8.38 I declare…in the Father’s presence. See note on 8.28. You should do what you have heard from the Father, or “You are doing what you have heard from your father” (see text note a; vv. 41, 44).
8.39 Abraham is our father. Cf. Mt 3.9; Rom 4.1; Gal 3.16.
8.41 Your father. The identity of this “father” is indicated in v. 44. Illegitimate children. See Hos 1.2; 2.4. The language may reflect charges that Jesus was illegitimate. One father, God himself. See Ex 4.22; Deut 32.6; Isa 63.16; 64.8; Jer 3.4; 31.9, 20; Hos 11.1; Mal 2.10.
8.42 I did not come on my own. See 7.28.
8.43 Accept my word. See also 6.60.
8.44 Your father the devil. Cf. 1 Jn 3.8–15. This harsh language indicates the intensity of the conflict between the Jewish Christian community for which John was written and the synagogue authorities (see Introduction).
8.46 Which of you convicts me of sin? Cf. 2 Cor 5.21; Heb 4.15; 1 Jn 3.5.
8.47 Cf. 1 Jn 4.6.
8.48 Samaritan. See note on 4.9. Demon. See note on 7.20.
