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The Gospel of John INTRODUCTION |
J. Deering, AncientPath.net
John Chapter 8,
Introduction
The very beginning of this section is in Chapter 7. 7:53 through 8:11 is not in some of the earliest and best manuscripts and is omitted from some bibles, and sometimes just noted as to this fact. It is included in this study and our rational is included on the pages dealing with that text. Chapter 8 is divided into three sections.
a. The Woman Taken in Adultery, 7:53-8:11
b. The Address to the Pharisees, Jesus Is the Light of the World, 8:12-30
c. The Discourse to the Believing Jews, Jesus is the Truth That Will Set You Free 8:31-59
All of chapter 8 is included in Tenney's Part IV., The Period of Conflict [7:1-11:53] [see our master outline]. It is during this time that Jesus begins to openly teach concerning who He is. Some of His dialogues are quite pointed as to stressing that He is Messiah, Son of man, Son of God, and identified with His heavenly Father.
We'll also deal with what some of the Jews believed when the text says they believed in Him [John 8:30]. It may raise our hopes when we read it, but by the end of the chapter the "many who came to believe in Him" abandon that belief and "pick up stones to throw at Him."
It's a fast moving chapter and an important one that stresses who He really is and why He came. We'll see the overshadowing question concerning Jesus, "Who are you?"
20171212