To read or not to read...

Depending on the version and edition of the Bible that you read you may find that when you come to John 8 the text is slightly different to the rest of your Bible.

In my NIV - my paper and electronic versions - the text is in italics and there is this bracketed introduction which points out that John 7:53-8:11 does not appear in the earliest manuscripts - and in some of these manuscripts the passage appears in different places in John or even in Luke. In the earliest copies of John's gospel that we have the text that we know as 7:52 is followed by 8:12. 

[It is now widely believed that this passage became fixed in its current location in Greek manuscripts from around the 4th century.] 

In his commentary on this passage Gary Burge states that the first question an interpreter must answer when considering these verses is whether to preach or teach from them at all.

What are we to make of all this, and should we be concerned about the reliability of what we believe is the Word of God?

It is true that we do not have access to the original copy of any of the gospels. But what we do have is many very early copies. Personally I find it encouraging that the team of people responsible for the publication of my NIV Bible are not trying to cover up or hide the issues related with these few verses. They make it very clear and obvious - and therefore highlight the fact that similar issues do not apply with the majority of the rest of the text.

We do have evidence of these verses elsewhere in John or Luke (as already seen), as well as evidence that this story was well known within the church from a very early date. [For example, it is believed that Papias refers to this story (approx. AD 125).]

My conclusions from what I have read in preparation for preaching on this passage - and yes I did decide to preach from it - is that whilst this story may not have been written by John, and it may not have been a part of John's original gospel, it is an account of an event that actually took place within the life of Jesus.

I believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. God did not dictate what to write to its authors, but God inspired them. This inspiration was also given to those who were responsible for collecting the books together and deciding what was in and what was out - and the will of God was not negated even when the motives for taking decisions were maybe more political or power hungry than 'spiritual'.

For whatever reason God wanted these verses included here. And these verses have the power to transform us.

Next time we'll look at what the verses actually say and see what God may be saying to us today.