John 8:9

And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. AND THEY WHICH HEARD IT - or, 'But they, when they heard it' [ hoi (G3588) de (G1161), akousantes (G191)], BEING CONVICTED BY THEIR [OWN] CONSCIENCE, WENT OUT ONE BY ONE, BEGINNING AT THE OLDEST, [ apo (G575) toon (G3588) presbuteroon (G4245)] - rather, 'at the elders;' in the offici...

9._And being reproved by their conscience. _Here we perceive how great is the power of an evil conscience. Though those wicked hypocrites intended to entrap Christ by their cavils, yet as soon as he pierces their consciences by a single word, shame puts them to flight. This is the hammer with which we must break the pride of hypocrites. They must be summoned to the judgment-seat of God. Though it is possible that the shame, with which they were struck before men, had greater influence over them than the fear of God, still it is a great matter that, of their own accord, they acknowledge themselves to be guilty, when they thus fly away as if they were confounded. It is immediately added, _Beginning from the eldest even to the last. _Our attention is drawn to this circumstance, that, according as each of them surpassed the others in honorable rank, he was the more quickly moved by his conde...

1-11 Christ neither found fault with the law, nor excused the prisoner's guilt; nor did he countenance the pretended zeal of the Pharisees. Those are self-condemned who judge others, and yet do the same thing. All who are any way called to blame the faults of others, are especially concerned to look to themselves, and keep themselves pure. In this matter Christ attended to the great work about which he came into the world, that was, to bring sinners to repentance; not to destroy, but to save. He aimed to bring, not only the accused to repentance, by showing her his mercy, but the prosecutors also, by showing them their sins; they thought to insnare him, he sought to convince and convert them. He declined to meddle with the magistrate's office. Many crimes merit far more severe punishment than they meet with; but we should not leave our own work, to take that upon ourselves to which we a...

Verse John 8:9. _BEING CONVICTED BY_ THEIR OWN _CONSCIENCE_] So it is likely they were all guilty of similar crimes. _Their own_ is not in the original, and is needless: _being convicted by conscience_ is expressive enough. _BEGINNING AT THE ELDEST_ EVEN _UNTO THE LAST_] Απο των πρεσβυτερων ἑως των εσχατων, _from the most honourable to those of the least_ _repute_. In this sense the words are undoubtedly to be understood. _THE WOMAN STANDING IN THE MIDST._] But if they _all_ went out, how could she be in the midst? It is not said that _all the people_ whom our Lord had been instructing went out, but only her _accusers_: see John 8:2. The rest undoubtedly continued with their teacher....

BEGINNING AT THE ELDEST - As being conscious of more sins, and, therefore, being desirous to leave the Lord Jesus. The word “eldest” here probably refers not to age, but to benefit - from those who were in highest reputation to the lowest in rank. This consciousness of crime showed that the state of the public morals was exceedingly corrupt, and justified the declaration of Jesus that it was an adulterous and wicked generation, Matthew 16:4. ALONE - Jesus only was left with the woman, etc. IN THE MIDST - Her accusers had gone out, and left Jesus and the woman; but it is by no means probable that the people had left them; and, as this was in the temple on a public occasion, they were doubtless surrounded still by many. This is evident from the fact that Jesus immediately...

EXPOSITION Verses 7:53-8:11 (8) _The pericope adulterae. _(A)_ Excursus on the genuineness of _John 7:53-43__John 7:53-43. It is our duty to examine the various grounds on which this passage has been almost universally concluded to have formed no portion of the original Fourth Gospel; and then the internal grounds on which it has been rejected, and some of the speculations as to its origin and value. Doubts have beset the authenticity of the passage from the fourth and fifth centuries in the Eastern Church, both on external and internal grounds. The authority and practice of Augustine, Ambrose, and Jerome gave it a secure resting place till the criticism of Erasmus re-awakened doubt. Calvin expressed a more favourable opinion con

AND THEY WHICH HEARD IT,.... Not all, not the disciples of Christ, nor the multitude, but the Scribes and Pharisees: BEING CONVICTED BY THEIR OWN CONSCIENCE; that they were not without sin, nor free from this; they had a beam in their own eye, who were so forward to observe the mote in another's; and oftentimes so it is, that those who are most forward to reprove, and bear hardest on others for their sins, are as culpable in another way, if not in the same; when sin lies at the door, and conscience is awakened and open, it is as good as a thousand witnesses; and lets in, and owns the sin which lies heavy, and makes sad work; and fills with anguish, confusion, and shame, as it did these men: who WENT OUT ONE BY ONE; from the temple, in as private a manner, and as unobserved as they could: BEGINNING AT THE ELDEST: who might have been most culpable, or however soonest took the hint; bein...

John 7:53. _And every man went unto his own house_. John 8:1. _Jesus went unto the mount of Olives._ That is, as every man went to his own house to rest, so Jesus found rest in secret prayer on the Mount of Olives. There is a very striking contrast here; it is a pity to have brought the dividing saw right through the middle of such charming consecutive sentences. John 8:2. _And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them._ That is always the posture in the East; the teachers sit, and the hearers stand. We may have to try that plan one of these days; it might be better for me, and also for you. There might be less dro

JOHN 8:9 oi` de. avkou,santej evxh,rconto ei-j kaqV ei-j {A} The basic text of the pericope continued to be amplified by the addition of explanatory glosses. The Textus Receptus adds the statement that the woman’s accusers were themselves “reproved by their conscience” (u`po. th/j suneidh,sewj evlegco,menoi)....

CHAPTER 8 _ 1. The Woman Taken in Adultery. (John 8:1 .)_ 2. The Light of the World. (John 8:12 .) 3. His Testimony Concerning Himself and the Father. (John 8:13 .) 4. His Solemn Declarations. (John 8:21 .) 5. Before Abraham Was, I Am. (John 8:48 .) The first verse belongs to the preceding chapter. The officers returned without Him, bearing their testimony that “never man spake like this man.” Nicodemus ventured his timid defense. Then every man went to his own house while the Lord went to the Mount of Olives. The story of the woman