John 8

The Woman Taken in Adultery Is Brought before Christ

Jesus talking to the woman taken in adultery

While Jesus was teaching in the temple, some scribes and Pharisees brought a woman to Him who had committed adultery. They asked Him if she should be stoned according to the law of Moses (see Leviticus 20:10). Jesus’s response to them and to the woman can give you great insights into His character and help you feel the power of His mercy.

Focusing on students. As you teach, focus on the individual needs of students. Don’t allow your plans to become more important than students in the classroom. Continually assess students’ engagement, and look for ways to invite students to participate in the lesson.

Student preparation: Invite students to think of a time when they extended mercy to someone or when they needed or hoped for mercy.

Possible Learning Activities

Attributes of Jesus Christ

Display the following questions for students to see as they come in. Students may benefit from working in partnerships or small groups before sharing their responses with the class.

When has someone been kind to you even when you felt you didn’t deserve it?
What effect did that have on you?

Jesus showed profound kindness to the woman taken in adultery, which in turn had a deep effect on her. Read John 8:1–5 and look for why this situation would have been difficult to respond to.

When scribes and Pharisees brought the woman to Jesus and asked if she should be stoned to death, they intentionally placed Him in a difficult situation (see John 8:6). If Jesus said no to stoning the woman, He would be accused of disregarding the law of Moses (see Exodus 20:14). If He said yes, He would be going against the popular views of the people as well as Roman law. He would also not be showing mercy to the woman, which was something Jesus did repeatedly during His ministry (see New Testament Student Manual [2018], ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

As you study the Savior’s response to this challenging situation, you can identify several attributes that can help you better understand what the Savior is like. Looking for attributes of the Savior is a skill that you can use throughout your study of the New Testament. Understanding these attributes can increase your desire to come closer to Christ.

Read John 8:6–11 looking for the attributes of Jesus Christ we can see in His interactions with the accusers and the woman.

You may want to watch “Go and Sin No More” (3:21), available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org. The following questions could be helpful to think about as you watch:

It may be helpful to display the following questions so that students can refer to them as needed.

What attributes did the Savior demonstrate in His interactions with the men who accused the woman?
What attributes did the Savior demonstrate in how He treated the woman?

If needed, help students see that while the Savior was being patient and merciful toward the woman, He was not granting forgiveness to her at that moment. (See President Oaks’s statement in the “Commentary and Background Information” section.)

What phrases in the scriptures illustrate these attributes?

Consider allowing students to share their observations together as a class or in small groups. If needed, help students identify attributes of the Savior, such as being patient in an emotionally charged situation, being discerning of the situation, showing mercy and compassion toward the woman, and so on.

You may want to mark the phrases in John 8:6–11 that show these attributes of Jesus. Notice that the Savior did not grant this woman forgiveness of her sins at that time but instead encouraged her to “go, and sin no more” (John 8:11).

It may be helpful to invite a student to give an example of a phrase that shows an attribute of Jesus or for the teacher to share an example. If students would benefit from reflecting on an attribute to develop, the following questions could help. Students could be given time to reflect on the questions and respond to them in their study journals.

Which one of these attributes would you like to better develop? Why?
How could you allow the Savior to help you develop or strengthen this attribute in your life?

The Savior’s mercy motivates us to change

One of the divine attributes of Jesus Christ is that He is merciful. “Mercy is the compassionate treatment of a person greater than what is deserved” (Gospel Topics, “Mercy,” topics.ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave the following insights about the Savior’s compassionate mercy and the effect it had on the woman:

Surely, the Savior did not condone adultery. But He also did not condemn the woman. He encouraged her to reform her life. She was motivated to change because of His compassion and mercy. The Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible attests to her resultant discipleship: “And the woman glorified God from that hour, and believed on his name” [Joseph Smith Translation, John 8:11 (in John 8:11, footnote c)].

(Dale G. Renlund, “Our Good Shepherd,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2017, 30)

If available in your scriptures, consider marking the Joseph Smith Translation in John 8:11, footnote c.

What effect did the Savior’s mercy have on the woman?
Why do you think His mercy can have that kind of influence?
How does knowing that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love mercy affect how you feel about Them?

Although the Savior does not condone sin, He is forgiving. He wants you to feel motivated to repent and continue trying to be better.

Some students may benefit from discussing how the Savior wants us to keep trying when we make mistakes. If that is the case, consider using the statement from Elder Lynn G. Robbins in the “Commentary and Background Information” section.

Consider giving students a quiet moment to reflect on what they have learned to help them better connect with the Savior and feel His mercy. The questions listed below (or others) could be listed on the board, and students could be invited to respond to them in their journals.

What have you learned about the Savior today that motivates you to repent and keep trying to become like Him?
What do you feel the Savior would want you to do or change in your life as you strive to become more like Him?

Consider concluding by sharing testimony and personal feelings about the Savior’s compassion and mercy.

Commentary and Background Information

How are we blessed by the Savior’s mercy?

Speaking of the Savior’s desire for us to keep trying when we make mistakes, Elder Lynn G. Robbins of the Seventy taught:

While we are grateful for second chances following mistakes, or failures of the mind, we stand all amazed at the Savior’s grace in giving us second chances in overcoming sin, or failures of the heart.

No one is more on our side than the Savior. … To become like Him will require countless second chances in our day-to-day struggles with the natural man, such as controlling appetites, learning patience and forgiveness, overcoming slothfulness, and avoiding sins of omission, just to name a few. …

I am eternally grateful for the loving-kindness, patience, and long-suffering of Heavenly Parents and the Savior, who allow us countless second chances on our journey back to Their presence.

(Lynn G. Robbins, “Until Seventy Times Seven,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 22–23)

How can I learn to be more merciful like the Savior?

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the First Presidency taught:

In a world of accusations and unfriendliness, it is easy to gather and cast stones. But before we do so, let us remember the words of the One who is our Master and model: “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone” [John 8:7].

Brothers and sisters, let us put down our stones.

Let us be kind.

Let us forgive.

Let us talk peacefully with each other.

Let the love of God fill our hearts.

“Let us do good unto all men” [Galatians 6:10].

(Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “The Merciful Obtain Mercy,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2012, 76)

Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

To be Christlike, a person loves mercy. People who love mercy are not judgmental; they manifest compassion for others, especially for those who are less fortunate; they are gracious, kind, and honorable. These individuals treat everyone with love and understanding, regardless of characteristics such as race, gender, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and tribal, clan, or national differences. These are superseded by Christlike love.

(Dale G. Renlund, “Do Justly, Love Mercy, and Walk Humbly with God,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2020, 111)

How did the Savior show mercy without condoning unrighteous behavior?

President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency taught:

The Lord obviously did not justify the woman’s sin. He simply told her that He did not condemn her—that is, He would not pass final judgment on her at that time. … The woman taken in adultery was granted time to repent, time that would have been denied by those who wanted to stone her.

(Dallin H. Oaks, “‘Judge Not’ and Judging,” Ensign, Aug. 1999, 8)