Chapter Summary

The woman taken in adultery. Discourse after the feast on Jesus as Light of the world. Satan, the original liar and murderer, and the Satanic brotherhood.

Discussion Questions for John, Chapter 8

1. Some of your Bibles will say that the first 11 verses are not included in original manuscripts. What do you think this means? How do we continue to trust the truth of Scripture when there are debatable passages like these verses?
2. Why were the Pharisees so eager to "trap" (HCSB) Jesus with the woman caught in adultery? What does this say about their hearts that they exploited someone for their own gain? How does this differ from Jesus's response to the woman?
3. Why did the Pharisees believe that Jesus's testimony about Himself was not "valid" (HCSB)? What was the standard of accepting testimony in this time period? Who ultimately testifies to Who Jesus is?
4. What does Jesus mean by the phrase that they will "lift" Him up? What event does this foreshadow? Why do you think the Pharisees still did not understand all that Jesus was saying?
5. How does the truth "set you free" (HCSB)? What does this verse mean to you specifically? In what ways has God's truth set you free?
6. In what ways can we be a "slave" (HCSB) to sin? How has Jesus brought freedom to you from your sin?
7. Why did the Pharisees say "Our Father is Abraham" (HCSB)? What does this geneology have to do with their spiritual condition? In what ways can we be tempted to place our trust in our associations or the things that we have?
8. In verses 42-47, why do you think Jesus uses such harsh language to confront the religious leaders? What does this reveal about their spiritual condition? In what ways does Jesus's harsh tone reveal the seriousness of the Pharisee's sins?
9. What is the significance of Jesus's statement in verse 58? In what ways might the phrase "I Am" reflect God's words in the Old Testament? How is Jesus expressing His identity in this passage?
10. This chapter begins and ends with an attempted stoning. What does this say about how the religious leaders viewed Jesus? How does their exploitation of the adulteress compare with their treatment of Jesus?

Key Words/Phrase

Light of the world, v. 12.

Characters

Jesus, adulterous woman, Moses, Pharisees, scribes, Abraham, Satan.

Strong Verse(s)

7, 12, 32, 36, 42, 44, 47.