The Pericope de Adultera, and the Feast ob Tabernacle.

[Moses10]

First off, as this evening begins the Jewish Feast of Tabernacle, let me wish you a hap;y week plus one day for this time of year.

In one of the most disputed passage of scripture we read of this feast and the plus one (also known as the eight day assembly.) The passage is John 7:53-8:11, many scholars believe this passage is not inspired or was not part of John's Gospel, it is also known as the pericope de adultera--the story of the adulteress. If one looks at the beginning of John 7, verse 2, we read, "Now the Jews feast of tabernacles was at hand" But what happens on the last day of the feast. (37) In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying. If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. (38) He that believeth om Me, as the scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (39) (But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given: because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) John 7:37-39, Jesus is telling us here that we are to become the Tabernacle of God or the Temple of God (I Corithians 3:16;6:19).

So what does all this have to do with the woman caught in adultery. Will first one of the argurements, against this passage being inspired or part of John's Gospel is the question many scholars ask, why would John state "And every man went unto his own house." John 7:53 For many scholars this proves this passage in spurious, but a closer look tells it fits just perfectly for this is the same day that Jesus promise rivers of living water that is the Holy Spirit, which is the last day of the feast of tabernacles (john 7:37-53), and when Jewish people celebrate this holiday most would have stayed in a Sukkot, so that very eveining at sunset the feast of tabernacle, was done (Leviticus 23:33-36), and the eight day assembly began, so every man could now go home and leave his temporary tabernacle, just as one day we all will go home and leave this tabernacle (II Corinthians 5:1-8). The eight day assembly would also explain John 8:1-2, for on this day the Jews finish and restart their Torah Reading, so Jesus would have wanted to in the Temple early in the morning.

The rest of the story of the adulteress is not about an adulteress woman, but mankinds adultery/idolatry against God. For these Jewish leaders refused Jesus and His offer of rivers of liviing water/Holy Spirit. But the adulteress woman just as many of us his saints, was full of sin, but just as we accepted His gift of live (Romans 6:23), so did she (John 8:10-11). I truly believe this passage of the woman caught in adultery fulfilled a prophecy by Jeremiah. Which also helps us to understand what Jesus wrote in the ground the first time (John 8:6) and what He wrote the second time. Remember that in John 7:37-39, Jesus promises "rivers of living water/the Holy Spirit, but the Jewish leaders would not accept this gift for if they did why wpi;d they tempt Jesus (John 8;3-6). So Jesus knowing that these leaders refuse His gift wrote this passage from Jeremiah: "O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from Me, shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters. (Jeremiah 17:13). I think that next Jesus began writing their names in ground (John 8:8-9) begiinnin g from the eldest to the last.

These are just my views on this passage.