and enemies of the Christian faith, insomuch that, afraid of its giving their wives impunitj^ of sinning, they struck out of their copies of the Gospel this that our Lord did in pardoning the woman taken in adultery; as if He granted leave of sinning, when he said, " Go and sin no more." Augustine, be it re- membered, lived about 400 a.d.
Those who wish to look further into the subject of this dis- puted passage will find it fully discussed by Gomarus, Bloom- field, and Wordsworth.
1. — [Jesus went... mount... Olives.] The division of the chapter in
{this place is to be regretted. The last verse of the preceding chapter and the verse before us are evidently intended to be taken together. While the Pharisees and members of the council " went every man to his own house," our Lord, having no home of His own, retired "to the Mount of Olives," and there spent the night in the open air. In such a climate as that of Judea there was nothing remarkable in His doing this. The garden of Gethsemane, at the foot of the mount, would supply sufficient shelter. That this was our Lord's habitual practice, we are distinctly told in Luke xxi. 37.
Lampe remarks that we never read of our Lord lodging, sleeping, or tarrying a night in Jerusalem.
2. — [And early in the morning.'] This expression is worth notic- ing, because, according to some, it explains our Lord's subse- quent use of the figure — " I am the light of the world." They think that it refers to the break of day, or rising of the sun.
[He came again. ..temple.] This means the outer courts of the temple, where it was customary for the Jews to assemble and listen to teachers of religion. In eastern countries and in the times when there was no printing, it must be remembered, much instruction was given in this way, by open-air addresses or conversations. Thus Socrates taught at Athens.
[All the people came unto Him.] " All " here must mean great multitudes of the people. After all that had happened in the last three or four days, we may easily understand that our Lord's appearance would at once attract a crowd. His fame as a teacher and speaker was established.
[He sat down, and taught.] That it was common for the teachers to sit, and the hearers to stand, is evident from other texts. "I sat daily with you teaching in the temple." (Matt. xxvi. 55.) In the synagogues of Nazareth, when our Lord began to preach, He first " gave the book to the minister, and sat down." (Luke iv. 20.) " He sat down and taught the people out of the ship." (Luke v. 3.) " We sat down and spake to the women." (Acts xvi. 13.)
3. — [The Scribes and Pharisees.] This is the only place in St. John's Gospel where he mentions the " Scribes " at all. He names