The Gospel Of John 8: 8-11 Essay

The passage from the Gospel of John spanning from 7:53 to 8:11 tells the story of a woman caught in adultery brought in front of Jesus. With an ulterior motive, the scribes and Pharisees that bring the adulteress in front of Jesus demand his verdict on whether she should be stoned to death according to the Law of Moses. The passage in itself has been the center of controversy among scholars and theologians on whether it is authoritative enough to be part of the original manuscripts. Some believe that its literary characteristics make its authority too weak to be regarded as part of the original texts (Harrison, 431). However, the message within the passage itself is hard to ignore or even be considered as something that was made up.

The setting for this scene is as follows. Jesus comes back from Mount of Olives early in the morning to the temple in Jerusalem. On his arrival, a congregation gathers and Jesus takes his position as the teacher. Then, a group of scribes and Pharisees confront him interrupting his lesson. Previously in the gospel, the scribes and Pharisees as rulers of the Jews feel offended by

This particular painting was subsequently copied about 20 times, where even Bruegel’s sons recreated it in a more colorful style. Although the painting shows a possible historical occurrence within the life of Jesus on an account from the Biblical texts, a particular trait stands out to people. Bruegel decides to write the words said by Jesus in Dutch instead of the original Hebrew unlike the other images in the scene such as the tunic worn by one of the Pharisees. Some believe that it is a plea for clemency and “intended to serve as a call for religious tolerance amid mounting sectarian antagonism” (Prodger). In addition to that, one can say that it signifies the doctrine that Jesus was sent to lead and prevent all of humanity from going astray and not just the