Let me begin by stating that I am a Bible-believing Christian. I trust it as God’s infallible, inerrant word that is authoritative for our lives. I preach and teach it as the foundation of all I know to be true.

With that said, I need to address my thoughts on John chapter 8 and the story of the woman caught in adultery. Even the most conservative Bibles have a mark denoting that the story recorded in John 7:53-8:11 are not found in most manuscripts. Basically, that means that when you get the oldest Bible copies, this story is not present, and it was added in later centuries as something Christians thought might be true. Once a few accepted it, addressing its presence in the scriptures was difficult. But I want to do that now, knowing that some will be angry and others disappointed in me. I am convinced I need to do this more and more as I hear this story quoted in Christian teaching. 

I am convinced this story is NOT an original account, and we must be cautious in using it. Let me give you some reasons I have developed through the years. 

1. The story is not found in the most reliable manuscripts. Just because we like the story is not a reason to keep it. The 1800-year-old documents give us the Bible as the first Church read it, and we must accept that as reliable.
2. Upon careful investigation, this one story gives us numerous words only used here in the gospel of John. John uses simplistic writing throughout the rest of the book, and this section reads thoroughly differently (you will have to trust me here).
3. The passage says there was a “woman caught in adultery.” That implies she was caught in the act. Basic knowledge of human reproduction would inform you that she was not alone in this. So where is the man? He would be as responsible as her, possibly more in their society. The Old Testament law required they both be stoned and not her alone.
4. The Old Testament law did not require a person to be sinless to perform capital punishment. Since we know all have sinned, that would make humanity unable to execute the law. And if Jesus lets her off the hook, is he not violating the law he came to fulfill? 
5. The Pharisees considered themselves flawless. The Apostle Paul describes himself this way, “…circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the Church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. (Italics added / Philippians 3:5-6 – NIV 2011). No respectable Pharisee would have hesitated to stone her.
6. Roman law forbids the Jews to kill someone without their consent. Remember the trial of Jesus and how Pilate needed to give the final approval? So even if Jesus provides the mob with the green light, there are other things to consider before the story moves forward.

These are some of the reasons I do not preach and teach this passage. I cannot do it with a clear conscience. Romans 3:23 is still valid and tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Perhaps this is a good illustration of that truth. Definitely do not build a theology based on this passage alone.

I believe the words of the Bible are true and good, but this story made it in when it should not have been allowed. Now that we know, we move forward using the other 99.5% of scripture.