John 8:6 NLT,NIV,ESV

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - John 8:5-6

John 8:5-6. Now Moses commanded that such should be stoned If they spoke accurately, this must have been a woman who, having been betrothed to a husband, had been guilty of this crime before the marriage was completed, for such only Moses commanded to be stoned. He commanded, indeed, that other adulteresses should be put to death; but the manner of death was not specified. It may be inferred, however, from Ezekiel 16:38-40, that though the law of Moses did not expressly enjoin it, the Jews... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - John 8:1-11

88. Woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11)When Jesus returned to the temple the next day, the scribes and Pharisees brought to him a woman whom they had caught in adultery, and asked him to give a judgment. This was not because they wanted to find out God’s will, but because they wanted to trap Jesus and so have an accusation to bring against him. If he did not condemn the woman to death, they could accuse him to the Sanhedrin of defying the law. If he did condemn her to death, they could... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - John 8:6

tempting = testing. The temptation was in the word "such", and of two cases they mention the punishment without defining what it was: for the one in Deuteronomy 22:23 , Deuteronomy 22:24 (a virgin) the death was stoning; but in the case of a "wife" the punishment was not stoning, but required a special procedure (Numbers 5:11-31 , which left the punishment with God. that = in order that. Greek. hina. on, &o. = into (Greek eis. App-104 .) [the dust of] the earth ( App-129 .). read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - John 8:6

John 8:6. This they said, tempting him, &c.— The reason upon which they grounded their insidious intention was, that had he declared against stoning the adulterers, they certainly would have represented him to the people, as contradicting Moses, and favouringadultery; hoping by that means to have lessened his authority with them. On the other hand, had he ordered her to be stoned, it would have afforded a plausible pretence for accusing him to the governor, as a person who stirred up the... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - John 8:6

6. stooped down—It will be observed He was sitting when they came to Him. with his finger wrote on the ground—The words of our translators in italics ("as though He heard them not") have hardly improved the sense, for it is scarcely probable He could wish that to be thought. Rather He wished to show them His aversion to enter on the subject. But as this did not suit them, they "continue asking Him," pressing for an answer. At last, raising Himself He said. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 8:5-6

Jesus’ critics were correct in their interpretation of the Mosaic Law (cf. Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22-24). However the Jews of Jesus’ day apparently did not enforce this law often, especially in urban areas. [Note: Ibid., p. 335.] The writer said the authorities wanted to trap Jesus into saying something they could use against Him (cf. Matthew 22:15-22; Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:20-26). They appear to have wanted Jesus’ execution more than the woman’s.If Jesus advocated not executing the... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 8:6

There have been several suggestions about what Jesus may have written in the dust, all of which are guesses. Perhaps He wrote the words of Jeremiah 17:13 b: "Those who turn away on earth will be written down, because they have forsaken the fountain of living water, even the Lord." Perhaps He wrote Exodus 23:1 b: "Do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a malicious witness." [Note: Derrett, p. 187.] Perhaps he wrote the sins of the woman’s accusers. Jesus may have written the same words... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - John 8:1-59

The Feast of Tabernacles Continued. Christ the Light of the WorldJohn 7:53 to John 8:11. The woman taken in adultery. All modern critics agree that this section is no original part of the Fourth Gospel. It is not in the author’s style; it breaks the sequence of our Lord’s discourses, and is omitted by most of the ancient authorities. Probably it is an authentic apostolic tradition inserted here to illustrate the principle of John 8:15. Some MSS place it at the end of the Gospel. The incident... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - John 8:6

(6) On the text, see Note on John 8:4. The last words, in italics, which are an explanatory gloss, should also be omitted. The verse will then read, “But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground”—or, more exactly, was writing on the ground. It is the imperfect of the continued action, and it points to the narrator’s vivid remembrance of the scene. What precise meaning we are to attach to this action is, and must remain, uncertain. Any inquiry as to what He wrote is excluded... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - John 8:1-59

John 8:11-12 See what the Light said of Himself, John viii. 11 and 12: 'Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.' These two verses ought never to have been severed. Their meaning consists in their union; the 'neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more,' the sanctifying forgiveness of God manifested in Christ is the light of life,... read more