Attempted Stonings at the Temple

Lots of hard cases being tried. 

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Transcript

Attempted Stonings in the Temple

by Eric Engelmann

All content © 2025 Static Force, LLC

When are we?

About 29 AD. Months ahead of Jesus' death, resurrection and ascension. More months after Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist.

Where are we?

The temple in Jerusalem. We know it in our time as Herod's temple -- an extension of the temple built by Zerubbabel after the return from Babylon.

Why are we here now?

Jesus is about to pardon a known sex offender. We're going to compare the cases brought from parties in the temple against the woman and against Jesus. The Gospel of John in the 8th chapter shares the stories of these two attempted high-level stonings that were being planned at the temple. Jesus interrupted both of them. Those stonings are talked about in two passages found in the Gospel of John Chapter 8.

First Scripture Passage

John 8:1-11

Verse 1: But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

NOTE: Jesus went to the Mount of Olives as opposed to where everyone else went. Everyone else slept in their home, but Jesus -- who arguably could have slept in the temple (the house of God) -- spent the night at the Mount of Olives.

Verse 2: Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. 3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 

NOTE: This was an early morning trap! Scribes and Pharisees brought the woman to Jesus. They participated in a theme of confrontation with Jesus that would continue through the end of the chapter.

Verse 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” 

NOTE: Don't kid yourself. This question BREAKS the law of Moses. The law of Moses said in Lev 20:10, ‘The man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, he who commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress, shall surely be put to death.' If the man is not included in the charge, the charge is not according to the law of Moses. it's not what Moses commanded. 

Most debates about Scriptures follow this same pattern. They leave out some important details. 

These people start in the chapter wanting to stone the woman. Many will be wanting to stone Jesus by the end of the chapter.

Verse 6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.

NOTE THE MOTIVATION: Part of the command is left out so they can accuse Jesus without risking the life of one of their buddies.

Verse 7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”

11 She said, “No one, Lord.”

And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

That's the end of the first passage.

These accusers dropped their rocks and their charges. Jesus brought peace to the undeserving woman. Before the end of the chapter, Jews who supposedly believe in Jesus will pick up rocks to attack Him.

Second Scripture Passage

Parts of John 8:31-59

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”

NOTE: Judah was a territory occupied by Rome. They weren't free. JTB warned that to get ready for the Messiah, people should learn not to say, "We have Abraham for our Father." The people Jesus is talking to now are failing to take the Baptist's warning. The Scripture says these people believed in Jesus, but they weren't ready to become disciples. It looks like Jesus' problem with these people is they kill the word that is trying to live in their hearts by saying, "Abraham is our Father." (see Luke 3:8)

Verse 37 “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but *you seek to kill Me*, because *My word has no place in you*. 38 I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.”

NOTE: Jesus is calling attention to peoples' spiritual inspiration. And He's doing it in the temple.

Verse 39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.”

Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now you *seek to kill Me*, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 You do the deeds of your father.”

Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.”

42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 

NOTE: First they said "Abraham is our Father." Now they're saying "God is our Father." Could there be some pride in their hearts?

Verse 47 He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”

Verse 48 Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?”

49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50 And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 51 Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”

52 Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ 53 Are You greater than our father *Abraham*, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?”

NOTE: Jesus isn't making himself out to be anybody. Jesus said He was sent by His Heavenly Father.

Verse 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”

57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”

58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

That's the end of the second passage.

It looks like they wanted to kill Jesus after all! They didn't have room in their hearts for the "I AM" quote. Jesus may have had a lot of help from angels getting away from mad mobs with rocks. One strategy might be to go out through the middle of them so if they do throw rocks they'll hit other accusers.

In the Future

In the next chapter of John, Jesus will heal a blind man who will see and understand more than the people who throw him out of the synagogue.

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