John 8:1

John 8:1, in plain English

While everyone else goes home, Jesus goes to the Mount of Olives. It was His place to be alone with God, to pray and prepare for what was ahead.

Why it's here

This mountain would later be the site of Jesus' most agonizing prayer before the cross. For now, it is a place of peace and communion with the Father.

Who's speaking

The Gospel writer tells you where Jesus went when the day ended.

Where it sits in the story

Jesus needed time with His Father. Before the next day's challenges, He spent the night in prayer on a mountainside. If Jesus needed that time, how much more do you?

The scholarly reading

Jesus goes to the Mount of Olives (to Oros tōn Elaiōn), a location associated with prayer and prophetic significance, likely to spend the night in prayer as was His custom.

Language and setting

The Mount of Olives held deep prophetic significance (Zechariah 14:4) and was Jesus' regular retreat for prayer (Luke 21:37; 22:39). This verse begins the Pericope Adulterae (7:53-8:11), whose textual history is debated.

Voice

The narrator provides a transitional note about Jesus' movement from the temple to the Mount of Olives.

Significance

While the leaders go home, Jesus goes to pray. The contrast is telling: they retreat to plan against Him, and He retreats to commune with His Father. The Mount of Olives would later be the site of His greatest agony.

1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

2Early in the morning He went back into the temple courts. All the people came to Him, and He sat down to teach them.

3The scribes and Pharisees, however, brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before them

Read all of John 8 — A woman caught in adultery, a claim to be the light of the world, and a statement so audacious the crowd picks up stones: before Abraham was, I am.