There are many structures which overlap this whole chapter structure, and nearly every element makes it own smaller structure:
Joh 8:1-59 chiastic structure:
1a) Joh 8:1, But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives;
1b) Joh 8:2, Early in the morning He came again into the temple/ He sat down and taught the people;
1c) Joh 8:3-11, The woman caught in adultery/ Let him without sin be the first to throw a stone at her;
1d) Joh 8:12, Jesus: I AM the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life;
1e) Joh 8:13-18, Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true/ I judge no one, but My judgment is true;
1f) Joh 8:19-20, Jesus: You know neither Me nor My Father;
1g) Joh 8:21-30, When you lift up [crucify] the Son of Man/ I speak what I have heard/ I do what pleases Him;
1h) Joh 8:31-32, Jesus: If you abide in My word, you are My disciples/ you shall know the truth + it shall make you free;
1i) Joh 8:33a, They answered: We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone;
1j) Joh 8:33b, They answered: How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?
central axis) Joh 8:34-35, Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever;”
2j) Joh 8:36, Jesus: Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed;
2i) Joh 8:37a, Jesus: I know that you are Abraham’s descendants;
2h) Joh 8:37b, Jesus: You seek to kill Me because My word has no place in you;
2g) Joh 8:38-41, I speak what I have seen/ you seek to kill Me/ you do your father’s deeds;
1a.1) Joh 8:38b, You do what you have seen with your father;
1a.2) Joh 8:39a, They answered: Abraham is our father;
1b) Joh 8:39b, Jesus: If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham;
central axis) Joh 8:40a, But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God;
2b) Joh 8:40b, Abraham did not do this;
2a.1) Joh 8:41a, You do the deeds of your father;
2a.2) Joh 8:41b, They said: We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God;
2f) Joh 8:42-47, Jesus: If God were your Father, you would love Me/ you are of your father the devil;
1a) Joh 8:42, Jesus: If God were your Father, you would love Me/ He sent Me;
1b) Joh 8:43, Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word;
1c) Joh 8:44, You are of your father the devil, / he is a murderer and a liar, and the father of it;
1d) Joh 8:45, But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me;
central axis) Joh 8:46a, Which of you convicts Me of sin?
2d) Joh 8:46b, And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?
2c) Joh 8:47a, He who is of God hears God’s words;
2b) Joh 8:47b, Therefore you do not hear;
2a) Joh 8:47c, Because you are not of God;
2e) Joh 8:48-57, There is One who judges/ Even if I honor Myself, My honor is nothing;
2d) Joh 8:58, Jesus: “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM;”
2c) Joh 8:59a, Then they took up stones to throw at Him;
2b) Joh 8:59b, But Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple;
2a) Joh 8:59c, Going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
The central axis is not what one might expect. He who commits sin is a slave of sin (Paul expounds on this teaching in his letters) and does not abide in the house forever, but sons abide forever. He is saying that sons are not compelled to sin – they are free (J pairs). If a son sins, it is because he has chosen to do so, not because he had no power to choose to do so or not. If you are a son or daughter, then what is the Word of God telling you? You have been set free from sin!
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