Interesting. One of the most famous stories (8:1-11) in scripture was actually added by someone other than John. According to my Bible, this passage does not appear in the earliest manuscripts and many other ancient witnesses do not record it.
So why is it here?
It reiterates the spirit of Christ – that He is here to save the world, no condemn it. Here we have a woman who was clearly in the wrong and, based on the law, should be stoned to death. Yet Jesus turns the mirror of condemnation onto those who would condemn. This is a common theme in Jesus’ teachings and in His dealings with those who seek to carry out the letter of the law with no regards to mercy or forgiveness.
What did Jesus write on the ground? I have no idea. Was He doodling? Thinking?
Verse 11 is interesting. Interesting because of the New International Version translation which is slightly – but importantly – different from just about every other translation.
In other translations, Jesus tells the woman to: “Go and sin no more.” KJV, NLT, The Message, NCV, The Good News, NKJV, and NRSV – they all have some variation of this language.
Yet, take another look at the NIV version. Jesus says: “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Do you see a difference or am I reading too much into it or both?
The other translations have Jesus asking the woman to do something that is simply impossible for anyone but Jesus – “Go now and sin no more.”
In the NIV version, Jesus is asking the woman to stop being a harlot. He doesn’t tell her specifically to stop sinning at all.
In other words, the NIV translation has Jesus giving the woman a much more manageable task.
Amen.
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