8:31 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman
taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
(1) While the wicked go about to make a snare for good men,
they make a snare for themselves.
8:72 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself,
and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let
him first cast a stone at her.
(2) Against hypocrites who are very severe judges against other
men, and flatter themselves while they are sinning.
8:103 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the
woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine
accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
(3) Christ would not take upon himself the office of the civil
magistrate: he was content to bring sinners to faith and
repentance.
8:124 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.
(4) The world, which is blind in itself, cannot come to have
any light but in Christ alone.
8:135 The Pharisees therefore said unto him, a Thou bearest
record of thyself; thy record is not true.
(5) Christ is without all exception the best witness of the
truth, for he was sent by his Father for that purpose, and
his Father showed his approval of him to the world by
infinite miracles.
(a) You bear witness of yourself, which is worth nothing in
the opinion of all men, and for a man to commend
himself is very uncommendable.
8:14 Jesus answered and said unto them, b Though I bear record
of myself, [yet] my record is true: for I know whence I
came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come,
and whither I go.
(b) That which he denied before in (Joh 5:31) must be
understood as Christ granting their position in a way,
for in that place he talked of himself somewhat in line
with the opinions of his hearers, who acknowledged
nothing in Christ but his humanity, and therefore he
was content they should not regard his own witness,
unless it were otherwise confirmed. But in this place
he stands and affirms Godhead, and praises his Father,
who is his witness, and agrees with him.
8:15 Ye judge after the flesh; I c judge no man.
(c) I am presently only teaching you, I condemn no man: but
yet if I want to do it, I might lawfully do it, for I
am not alone, but my Father is with me.
8:18d I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father
that sent me beareth witness of me.
(d) The Godhead is plainly distinguished from the manhood,
or else there would not be two witnesses: for the
accused party is not taken as a witness.
8:196 Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus
answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had
known me, ye should have known my Father also.
(6) No man can know God except in Christ alone.
8:20 These words spake Jesus in the e treasury, as he taught
in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; 7 for his
hour was not yet come.
(e) This was a certain place appointed for the gathering of
the offerings.
(7) We live and die according to the pleasure of God, and not
of men: therefore it behooves us that we constantly go forward
in our calling.
8:218 Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye
shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye
cannot come.
(8) Because men naturally abhor heavenly things, no man can be
a fit disciple of Christ unless the Spirit of God makes him
so: in the meantime nonetheless, the world must necessarily
perish, because it refuses the life that is offered unto
it.
8:259 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith
unto them, Even f [the same] that I said unto you from
the beginning.
(9) He will eventually know who Christ is who will diligently
hear what Christ says.
(f) That is, I am Christ, and the Saviour, for so I told
you from the beginning that I was.
8:2610 I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he
that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things
which I have heard of him.
(10) God is the avenger of Christ's despised doctrine.
8:2711 They understood not that he spake to them of the
Father.
(11) Even the contempt of Christ results in his glory: and
this thing his enemies will eventually feel to their
great pain.
8:3112 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him,
If ye continue in my word, [then] are ye my disciples
indeed;
(12) The true disciples of Christ continue in his doctrine,
that profiting more and more in the knowledge of the
truth they may be delivered from the most grievous
burden of sin, into the true liberty of righteousness and
life.
8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall g make
you free.
(g) From the slavery of sin.
8:33h They answered him, We be i Abraham's seed, and were
never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be
made free?
(h) Some of the multitude, not they that believed: for this
is not the speech of men that agree with him, but of
men that are against him.
(i) Born and begotten of Abraham.
8:3713 I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill
me, because my word hath no place in you.
(13) Our wicked manners declare that we are obviously born of a
wicked nature: but we are changed, and made part of the
household of God according to the covenant which he made
with Abraham by Christ alone, apprehended and laid hold on
by faith: and this faith is known by a godly and honest
life.
8:43 Why do ye not understand my k speech? [even] because ye
cannot hear my word.
(k) Or, language: as though he said, "You do not understand
what I say any more than if I spoke in a strange and
unknown language to you."
8:44 Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your
father ye will do. He was a murderer from the l
beginning, and m abode not in the n truth, because
there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he
speaketh of his o own: for he is a liar, and the p
father of it.
(l) From the beginning of the world: for as soon as man was
made, the devil cast him headlong into death.
(m) That is, did not continue constantly, or did not
remain.
(n) That is, in faithfulness and uprightness, that is, he
did not remain in the manner in which he was created.
(o) Even from his own head, and from his own mind or
disposition.
(p) The author of it.
8:4614 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the
truth, why do ye not believe me?
(14) Christ thoroughly executed the office that his Father gave
him.
8:4815 Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not
well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?
(15) The enemies of Christ act bravely for a while, but the
Father will appear in his time to avenge the reproach that
is done unto him in the person of his Son.
8:50 And I seek not mine own glory: there is one q that
seeketh and judgeth.
(q) That is, that will avenge both your despising of me and
of him.
8:5116 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my
saying, he shall never r see death.
(16) Only the doctrine of the gospel apprehended by faith is
a sure remedy against death.
(r) That is, he will not feel it: for even in the midst of
death the faithful see life.
8:5217 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou
hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou
sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of
death.
(17) Against those who abuse the glory of the saints to debase
Christ's glory.
8:5418 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is s
nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say,
that he is your God:
(18) There is no one further from seeking glory than Christ,
but his Father has set him above all things.
(s) In saying this Christ grants their opinion, though not
agreeing with it, as if he had said, "Be it so, let
this report which I give of myself be of no force;
yet there is another that glorifies me, that is, that
honours my name."
8:5519 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I
should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto
you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
(19) There is no right knowledge of God without Christ, neither
is there any right knowledge of Christ without his word.
8:5620 Your father Abraham t rejoiced to see my u day:
and he x saw [it], and was glad.
(20) The power of Christ showed itself through all former ages
in the fathers, for they saw in the promises that he would
come, and very joyfully laid hold of him with a
living faith.
(t) Was very desirous.
(u) A day is a space that a man lives in, or does any
notable act in, or endures any great thing in.
(x) With the eyes of faith; (He 11:13).
8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before
Abraham was, I y am.
(y) Christ, as he was God, was before Abraham: and he was
the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world.
8:5921 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid
himself, and went out of the temple, going through the
midst of them, and so passed by.
(21) Zeal without knowledge eventually breaks out into a most
open madness: and yet the wicked cannot do what they
desire.
