What exact words did he write? We don’t know, but whatever portion of God’s law he wrote must have related to the hearts of these scribes and Pharisees, and it definitely exposed their guilt before him as Judge and King.

We’ve been digging in Deuteronomy and grabbing gold from John’s Gospel as we’ve been unearthing some of the riches that these two books of the Bible open up for us. This is part four of a five-post series on Jesus, John’s Gospel, and Deuteronomy. The question in this series has been, “Who is the Messiah?” or in another way of asking it, “How does Deuteronomy show us the coming Christ?” First, we delighted in Jesus as our Sabbath Rest. Second, we dined with the Messiah as our Manna and Passover. The question in the Gospel of John has been, “Who is this person, Jesus?” Third, we beheld Jesus enthroned as Judge. Time and again, our eyes ever widen to behold the treasures hidden in Christ through Deuteronomy and John’s Gospel. And now we turn the pages to Deuteronomy 17 and John 8. Our textual focus is all of Deuteronomy 17 and John 7:53-8:11.

A brief note on the text: The version you have in your hands, if it’s a more modern translation, will have some way to set apart John 7:53-8:11. The ESV, for instance, has brackets around the text, and there’s a footnote that reads, “Some manuscripts do not include 7:53-8:11.” Remarkably, this note is confusing, since the opposite is the case. Only some manuscripts omit this section, but the vast majority of ancient manuscripts retain these verses as the Received Text. This text is preserved and kept pure in many pre-modern texts, and is best kept in the KJV. I will not be so ambitious as to make an argument why we should keep this text. We must retain the text, but I will simply assume it. The connections between this literary unit and Deuteronomy 17 are obvious enough to demonstrate the legitimacy of its inclusion. Indeed, I would even venture to say that of all the inter-textual connections, the passages under review here make the strongest case for binding Deuteronomy and John together in our minds.

All of Deuteronomy 17 parallels John 7:53-8:11. In three brief sub-units, the instruction and themes here point us forward to John 8. In Deuteronomy 17:1-7, the LORD through Moses instructs the people on the all-important matter of worship. God strictly forbids certain forms of worship. Fundamentally, God forbids idolatry. In vv. 1-7, Moses provides the way forward when false worship is suspected in the camp. If anyone, man or woman, is found out “transgressing his covenant” (v. 2) by worshipping “other gods” (v. 3), then this spiritual adultery must be investigated (v. 4). If the investigation reveals the guilt of the suspected idolator/adulterer (adulteress), the guilty person must be brought to the gates (where judicial matters were executed) to be stoned (v. 5). It is the witnesses’ hands themselves that must throw the first stone (v. 7). By executing the spiritual adulterer/adulteress, the people of God purge the evil from their midst (v. 7). The reason I’ve joined idolatry and adultery is because of this pervasive connection throughout the Bible (see Ezekiel 16 and Hosea, for instance). Also, what is “transgressing his covenant” if not spiritual adultery and idolatry?

Move with me now to Deuteronomy 17:8-13. Moses gives instructions concerning difficult cases. In more complex cases, the Levitical priests and the judge must be consulted to hear the case in order to adjudicate the matter with wisdom and righteousness (vv. 8-9). Difficult cases rise to church leadership, and whatever the verdict, it must be obeyed (vv. 10-11). Everyone disregarding the judge’s pronouncement shall die, and so this evil is purged from the land (v. 12).

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