Equipped 2024 - Into The Word: "Where Does John 7:53-8:11 Fit, Or Does It Fit?" by Bart Warren

April 20, 2024 - Saturday 9:00AM MPR 4 Speaker

Speaker: Bart Warren

John 7:53 - 8:11 (ESV)

[THE EARLIEST MANUSCRIPTS DO NOT INCLUDE 7:53–8:11.]

The Woman Caught in Adultery

53 [[They went each to his own house, 1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”]]

Problem:

Why are these brackets and footnotes here?

No missing verses controversy

Those searching the ancient manuscripts and trying to be faithful

In year 1611, KJV was made with about 25 manuscripts

Now we have about 5,000  manuscripts

Thankful for those who have found these manuscripts

2 Peter 1:3

Psalm 19:7

Proverbs 30:5

Acts 24:14

Where does it fit historically?

Textual criticism

Original manuscripts were copied by hand on perishable material

Seeks to retrieve original texts from manuscript descendants

We have so many manuscripts, experts believe the original text can be found

A few things that sound ominous

NIV archeological study Bible - no early New Testament text or early church father includes this text

Incorrect

Daniel Wallace - inclusion of this text is a tradition of timidity should be removed

Incorrect

This passage found 5 different places in ancient manuscripts

Possible explanations to stay

Widely believed to be a true story about Jesus that was preserved through oral tradition then written down later

David Chapman - while earliest Greek manuscripts omit, some testimony of early fathers includes

Bruce - has all earmarks

Case for inclusion

Decasalia (sp?)

Ditimis the Blind - story of the adulterous found in certain gospels

Codex D includes

Greek orthodox includes

Catholic includes

Leon Morris - can profitably study

Wayne Jackson - widespread evidence

How does this passage fit theologically?

Does not mention how many caught her?

Need more than one witness

Insincere accusers are trying to test Jesus

Where's the man caught in the act?

Unfair trial

The trap is:

If execute - violates Roman law

If doesn't execute - violates Old Testament law

Jesus' First response is quiet time

Let them think

What does it mean - let him without sin, cast the first stone

Does not mean No one can charge because we are all sinners

Take the plank out of your own eye

The sick need a physician

Jesus didn't forgive her here but opened the door for forgiveness

We don't know what happened to the woman.

Video: https://youtu.be/IPVyod_goZA?feature=shared

Duration 39:27