Year of the Bible
John 8
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Commentary on the Gospel According to St. John, Chapter 8:
A trap has been laid when Jewish leaders ask Jesus to judge a sinful woman. Jesus’ response should either break Jewish Law or Roman Law and thus discredit Him. Instead, Jesus points out that all people have sinned. As the only person who has not sinned, Jesus can forgive the woman and set her free. He preaches that He is the light of the world, and those who believe in Him will have freedom and life. A contrast is made between Jesus who offers truth and the devil who is a lying murderer. This leads to a debate over who follows demons, and Jesus reveals Himself as “I am,” God’s personal name (Exodus 3:14). This action causes the leadership to want to stone Jesus, the very punishment He was asked to judge at the start of the chapter.
The Gospel According to St. John, Chapter 8:
The Authorities and The Woman Caught in Adultery
1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple; all the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in their midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such. What do you say about her?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus looked up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again.”
Jesus and the Light of the World
12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 The Pharisees then said to him, “You are bearing witness to yourself; your testimony is not true.” 14 Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness to myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I have come from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh, I judge no one. 16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone that judge, but I and he who sent me. 17 In your law it is written that the testimony of two men is true; 18 I bear witness to myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness to me.” 19 They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father; if you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20 These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
Jesus Alludes to His Death
21 Again he said to them, “I go away, and you will seek me and die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come.” 22 Then said the Jews, “Will he kill him self, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” 23 He said to them, “You are from be low, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. 24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he.” 25 They said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Even what I have told you from the beginning. 26 I have much to say about you and much to judge; but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” 27 They did not understand that he spoke to them of the Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority but speak thus as the Father taught me. 29 And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.” 30 As he spoke thus, many believed in him.
True Disciples of Jesus
31 Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham, and have never been in bondage to any one. How is it that you say, ‘You will be made free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, every one who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not continue in the house for ever; the son continues for ever. 36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you. 38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”
Jesus and Abraham
39 They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do what Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God; this is not what Abraham did. 41 You do the works of your father.” They said to him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I proceeded and came forth from God; I came not of my own ac cord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s de sires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But, be cause I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 He who is of God hears the words of God; the reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”
48 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I have not a demon; but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it and he will be the judge. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if any one keeps my word, he will never see death.” 52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, as did the prophets; and you say, ‘If any one keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you claim to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing; it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is your God. 55 But you have not known him; I know him. If I said, I do not know him, I should be a liar like you; but I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see my day; he saw it and was glad.” 57 The Jews then said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they took up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple.
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
Lord, you say that you are the light of the world. Please show me the "false lights" in my life and shine your light into my darkness.
Biblical Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan, an adult faith formation apostolate. Catholic Biblical School of Michigan (cbsmich.org/join).
Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this. If you're looking for a good Catholic edition of the Bible, look no further
Juan 8
1 Jesús marchó al Monte de los Olivos.
2 Muy de mañana volvió de nuevo
al Templo, y todo el pueblo acudía a él; se
sentó y se puso a enseñarles.
3 Los escribas y fariseos trajeron a
una mujer sorprendida en adulterio y la
pusieron en medio.
4 –Maestro –le dijeron–, esta mujer
ha sido sorprendida en flagrante adulterio.
5 Moisés en la Ley nos mandó lapidar
a mujeres así; ¿tú qué dices? 6 –se
lo decían tentándole, para tener de qué
acusarle.
Pero Jesús, se agachó y se puso a escribir
con el dedo en la tierra.
7 Como ellos insistían en preguntarle,
se incorporó y les dijo:
–El que de vosotros esté sin pecado
que tire la piedra el primero.
8 Y agachándose otra vez, siguió escribiendo
en la tierra. 9 Al oírle, empezaron
a marcharse uno tras otro, comenzando
por los más viejos, y quedó Jesús
solo, y la mujer, de pie, en medio. 10 Jesús
se incorporó y le dijo:
–Mujer, ¿dónde están? ¿Ninguno te
ha condenado?
11 –Ninguno, Señor –respondió ella.
Le dijo Jesús:
–Tampoco yo te condeno; vete y a
partir de ahora no peques más.
12 De nuevo les dijo Jesús:
–Yo soy la luz del mundo; el que me
sigue no andará en tinieblas, sino que
tendrá la luz de la vida.
13 Le dijeron entonces los fariseos:
–Tú das testimonio de ti mismo; tu
testimonio no es verdadero.
14 Jesús les respondió:
–Aunque yo doy testimonio de mí
mismo, mi testimonio es verdadero porque
sé de dónde vengo y adónde voy;
pero vosotros no sabéis de dónde vengo
ni adónde voy. 15 Vosotros juzgáis según
la carne, yo no juzgo a nadie; 16 y si
yo juzgo, mi juicio es verdadero porque
no soy yo solo, sino yo y el Padre que me
ha enviado. 17 En vuestra Ley está escrito
que el testimonio de dos personas es
verdadero. 18 Yo soy el que da testimonio
de sí mismo, y el Padre, que me ha enviado,
también da testimonio de mí.
19 Entonces le decían:
–¿Dónde está tu Padre?
–Ni me conocéis a mí ni a mi Padre
–respondió Jesús–; si me conocierais a
mí conoceríais también a mi Padre.
20 Estas palabras las dijo Jesús en el
gazofilacio, enseñando en el Templo; y
panadie
le prendió porque aún no había
llegado su hora.
21 Jesús les dijo de nuevo:
–Yo me voy y me buscaréis, y moriréis
en vuestro pecado; adonde yo voy
vosotros no podéis venir.
22 Los judíos decían:
–¿Es que se va a matar y por eso
dice: «Adonde yo voy vosotros no podéis
venir»?
23 Y les decía:
–Vosotros sois de abajo; yo soy de
arriba. Vosotros sois de este mundo; yo
no soy de este mundo. 24 Os he dicho que
moriréis en vuestros pecados, porque si
no creéis que yo soy, moriréis en vuestros
pecados.
25 Entonces le decían:
–¿Tú quién eres?
Jesús les respondió:
–Ante todo, lo que os estoy diciendo.
26 Tengo muchas cosas que hablar y
juzgar de vosotros, pero el que me ha
enviado es veraz, y yo, lo que le he oído,
eso hablo al mundo.
27 Ellos no entendieron que les hablaba
del Padre. 28 Les dijo por eso Jesús:
–Cuando hayáis levantado al Hijo
del Hombre, entonces conoceréis que
yo soy, y que nada hago por mí mismo,
sino que como el Padre me enseñó
así hablo. 29 Y el que me ha enviado está
conmigo; no me ha dejado solo, porque
yo hago siempre lo que le agrada.
30 Al decir estas cosas, muchos creyeron
en él.
31 Decía Jesús a los judíos que habían
creído en él:
–Si vosotros permanecéis en mi palabra,
sois en verdad discípulos míos,
32 conoceréis la verdad, y la verdad os
hará libres.
33 Le respondieron:
–Somos linaje de Abrahán y jamás
hemos sido esclavos de nadie. ¿Cómo es
que tú dices: «Os haréis libres»?
34 Jesús les respondió:
–En verdad, en verdad os digo: todo
el que comete pecado, esclavo es del pecado.
35 El esclavo no se queda en casa
para siempre; mientras que el hijo se
queda para siempre; 36 por eso, si el Hijo
os da la libertad, seréis verdaderamente
libres. 37 Yo sé que sois linaje de Abrahán
y, sin embargo, intentáis matarme porque
mi palabra no tiene cabida en vosotros.
38 »Yo hablo lo que vi en mi Padre, y
vosotros hacéis lo que oísteis a vuestro
padre.
39 Le respondieron:
–Nuestro padre es Abrahán.
–Si fueseis hijos de Abrahán –les
dijo Jesús– haríais las obras de Abrahán.
40 Pero ahora queréis matarme, a
mí, que os he dicho la verdad que oí de
Dios; Abrahán no hizo esto. 41 Vosotros
hacéis las obras de vuestro padre.
Le respondieron:
–Nosotros no hemos nacido de fornicación,
tenemos un solo padre, que es
Dios.
42 –Si Dios fuese vuestro padre, me
amaríais –les dijo Jesús–; pues yo he salido
de Dios y he venido aquí. Yo no
he salido de mí mismo sino que Él me
ha enviado. 43 ¿Por qué no entendéis mi
lenguaje? Porque no podéis oír mi palabra.
44 Vosotros tenéis por padre al diablo
y queréis cumplir las apetencias de
vuestro padre; él era homicida desde el
principio, y no se mantuvo en la verdad,
porque no hay verdad en él. Cuando habla
la mentira, de lo suyo habla, porque
es mentiroso y el padre de la mentira.
45 Sin embargo, a mí, que digo la verdad,
no me creéis. 46 ¿Quién de vosotros podrá
acusarme de que he pecado? Si digo
la verdad, ¿por qué no me creéis? 47 El
que es de Dios escucha las palabras de
Dios; por eso vosotros no las escucháis,
porque no sois de Dios.
48 Los judíos le respondieron:
–¿No tenemos razón cuando decimos
que tú eres samaritano y estás endemoniado?
49 Jesús respondió:
–Yo no estoy endemoniado, sino
que honro a mi Padre; y vosotros me
deshonráis a mí. 50 Yo no busco mi gloria;
hay quien la busca y juzga. 51 En verdad,
en verdad os digo: si alguno guarda
mi palabra jamás verá la muerte.
52 Los judíos le dijeron:
–Ahora sabemos que estás endemoniado.
Abrahán murió y también los profetas,
y tú dices: «Si alguno guarda mi palabra,
jamás experimentará la muerte».
53 ¿Es que tú eres más que nuestro padre
Abrahán, que murió? También los profetas
murieron. ¿Por quién te tienes tú?
54 Jesús respondió:
–Si yo me glorifico a mí mismo, mi
gloria nada vale. Mi Padre es el que me
glorifica, el que decís que es vuestro
Dios, 55 y no le conocéis; yo, sin embargo,
le conozco. Y si dijera que no le conozco
mentiría como vosotros, pero le conoz
co y guardo su palabra. 56 Abrahán, vuestro
padre, se llenó de alegría porque iba
a ver mi día; lo vio y se alegró.
57 Los judíos le dijeron:
–¿Aún no tienes cincuenta años y
has visto a Abrahán?
58 Jesús les dijo:
–En verdad, en verdad os digo: antes
de que Abrahán naciese, yo soy.
59 Entonces recogieron piedras para
tirárselas; pero Jesús se escondió y salió
del Templo.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
Señor, tu nos dices que tú eres la luz del mundo. Por favor muéstrame las "luces falsas" en mi vida y haz brillar Tu luz en mi oscuridad.
La Biblia de Navarra
Permiso para usar esta versión de la primera edición de la Biblia de Navarra
para el Año de la Biblia del Obispo
dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).