What was the specific trap being set for Jesus by the Pharisees in John 8?

Question

In the story of the woman caught in adultery, John indicates that the question of the Pharisees was a "trap".

2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
John 8:2-6 (NIV)

What specifically was the trap they were trying to get Jesus to fall into?

Answer 1

At this time in history Israel was under the rule of the Romans. The Jewish law required that a woman caught in adultery was to be stoned to death.

Leviticus 20:10 NIV

“‘If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress are to be put to death.

But under Roman law a person could only be put to death by the judge, otherwise it was murder. Much like our law today. Christ did not have the "authority" as a man under Roman law to sentence anybody to death.

Thus, if Christ had answered that the woman was to be stoned He would have be breaking the Roman law. Not only this, but the act of stoning this woman would have gone against the mercy, grace and forgiveness that He had been preaching about.

But if He answered to let the woman go, then He would not have been upholding the Jewish law. Christ himself had been teaching the people that whoever loves God will obey God. So to not Stone this woman would mean that Christ was not in obedience to God, which is also a sin.

Answer 2

They wanted to get Jesus in trouble with them (disregarding Moses' Law) or with the Roman government -- or both, if possible.

Adulterers were to be put to death, but the Law required two witnesses minimum to prosecute and convict before executing -- or at least two witnesses to cast the first stones (Deut 17:7). I'm not sure how easily the adultery was proven. Note that the man involved in the adultery was not recorded as being brought to Jesus, only the woman. It's possible that the law-professors set up the adultery situation themselves, laying a stumbling block in her path in order to lay a different one in Jesus' path.

Answer 3

This seems like a good place to start: http://www.gospeldoctrine.com/NewTestament/John8.htm

From the article:

"Christ’s mission was a mission of mercy and not judgment."

If Jesus tells them to carry out the law and stone her, he is not being merciful. If he shows mercy, he is construed to be disobeying the law God handed down in Leviticus. Whichever action he chose, in the Pharisees' minds, would enable them to accuse him of doing wrong.

Answer 4

I realize another answer has been accepted, but I doubt that the Pharisees really did what is reported. In my view, the reason the Pharisees are reported to do this is because at the time the story was written or inserted, there was a controversy in the church over whether the church was only for saints, or whether it should include sinners as well. The Pharisees represent churchmen who wanted to exclude habitual sinners. Jesus represents those who wanted to include them. The former view is represented for example by The Shepherd of Hermas, a highly popular work which warns that sins after baptism will not be forgiveness. The latter by the emerging tradition of confession and forgiveness of post-baptismal sins.

The story does not exist in the earliest manuscripts. Manuscript History and John 8:1-8:11 by Chris Keith reports:

Interestingly enough, the earliest manuscripts of the Gospel of John do not contain this beloved passage. Indeed, the first manuscript to contain the story is from around 400 C.E. Around 4% of Greek manuscripts that include the passage place it in locations other than John 8:1-8:11; the earliest of these is from around the ninth and tenth centuries C.E. This perplexing manuscript history fuels debates about whether the story was originally in John’s Gospel and, if so, where. The majority of scholars believe a later Christian scribe inserted the passage into John’s Gospel at John 8:1-8:11

It is debatable whether the Pharisees of this time would have had women stoned for adultery. The Gospels are our main source for the issue of capital punishment in the 1st c. so we can't say for certain, but the Talmud quotes 2nd c. rabbis as being against it. The Talmud states:

A Sanhedrin that executed one person in a week is called a “murderous” [court]. Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya states: “Even one person in 70 years [would be denoted a murderous court].” Rabbi Tarfon and Rabbi Akiva state: “If we had been members of the Sanhedrin, no defendant would ever have been executed.”

So IMO the answer to the question is that the story was not part of the original Gospel of John and the reason these Pharisees try to trap Jesus is that the author [or the person who inserted the story] wanted to portray exclusivist churchmen of his day as heartless while portraying his inclusive view as in line with what Jesus would have done.

Answer 5

Yahawashai’ s actions in Yoḥanan chapter 8 False claim to support Yahawashai abolished Elohim’s law:

1. In Yoḥanan chapter 8, Yahawashai abolished the commandment of stoning. If this is the claim, Yahawashai Himself would have breaking the Law of Elohim, thus sinning. 1 Yoḥanan 3:4 4 Everyone doing sin also does lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

Did Yahawashai sin? He did not sin and was our perfect sacrifice.

Yoḥanan 8:1-12 1 And יהושע went to the Mount of Olives. 2 And at dawn He came again into the Set-apart Place, and all the people were coming to Him. And having sat down, He was teaching them. 3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And having set her in the midst, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 And in the Torah Mosheh commanded us that such should be stoned. What then do You say? 6 And this they said, trying Him, so that they might accuse Him. But יהושע, bending down, wrote on the ground with the finger, as though He did not hear. 7 But as they kept on questioning Him, He straightened up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And bending down again, He wrote on the ground. 9 And when they heard it, being reproved by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning from the older ones until the last. And יהושע was left alone, and the woman standing in the middle. 10 And יהושע, straightening up and seeing no one but the woman, said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Did no one condemn you?” 11 And she said, “No one, Master.” And יהושע said to her, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.” 12 Therefore יהושע spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall by no means walk in darkness but possess the light of life.”

False claim reasoning:

1. The Pharisees correctly stated that it is a commandment in the Law of Mosheh to stone adulterers.
2. The Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery to Yahawashai.
3. Yahawashai did not stone her and also told everyone else not to, thus Elohim’s law must no longer apply. Their supposed logical reasoning is founded on the fact that Yahawashai stated “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

False claim position: Anyone that has sinned cannot judge others.
The error Scripture is clear that we are to judge others in matters of sin. Three step process:

1. Private.
2. Semi-Private.
3. Public rejection.

The only way to know them ‘So then, by their fruits you shall know them’. MattitiYah 7:15-20 15 “But beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are savage wolves. 16 “By their fruits you shall know them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 “So, every good tree yields good fruit, but a rotten tree yields wicked fruit. 18 “A good tree is unable to yield wicked fruit, and a rotten tree to yield good fruit. 19 “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 “So then, by their fruits you shall know them –

If Yahawashai is teaching that we should not judge others then obeying such verses as is actually quite impossible? Romans 16:17-18 17 Now I call upon you, brothers, watch out for those who cause divisions and stumbling, contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. 18 For such ones do not serve our Master יהושע Messiah, but their own stomach, and by smooth words and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the innocent.

Who would want to be living in sin (bondage)? Proverbs 10:17 17 He who heeds discipline is in the way of life, But he who refuses reproof goes astray. Proverbs 12:1 1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, But he who hates reproof is stupid. Proverbs 15:10 10 Discipline is grievous to him who forsakes the way; He who hates reproof dies. YirmeYah 5:3 3 O יהוה, are Your eyes not on truth? You have stricken them, but they have not grieved. You have consumed them, but they have refused to receive instruction. They made their faces stronger than rock, they refused to turn back.

The Pharisees and scribes accused Only the women of breaking the Law of Elohim: Deuteronomy 22:22 22 “When a man is found lying with a woman married to a husband, then both of them shall die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman. Thus, you shall purge the evil from Yisra’ĕl. Leviticus 20:10 10 ‘And a man who commits adultery with the wife of another man, who commits adultery with the wife of his neighbour: the adulterer and the adulteress shall certainly be put to death.

In bringing the woman to Yahawashai and after referring to the Law of Mosheh they say: 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 And in the Torah Mosheh commanded us that such should be stoned. What then do You say?

The Pharisees and scribes were attempting to trick Yahawashai into doing something contrary to the Law of Elohim. 6 And this they said, trying Him, so that they might accuse Him.

The penalty for adultery was death under Moses, but it was to be death for both the man and woman Where’s the man?

1. The Pharisees claim they caught her in the act, which means they would have caught a man in the act too.
2. They take time to drag this woman all the way into the Temple grounds to face Yahawashai.
3. Why didn’t they apprehend both man and woman and bring them both before Yahawashai?

If Yahawashai carried this sentence out, what would be their accusation against Yahawashai? If Yahawashai does not agree that she should be put to death? Then Yahawashai is teaching and practicing against the Law of Mosheh. That would be defined as sin. 1 Yoḥanan 3:4 4 Everyone doing sin also does lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

Yahawashai did not sin, so how was it that the woman was not put to death? If Yahawashai was teaching against the Law of Mosheh, then Yahawashai would fail the test of the Messiah provided in Elohim’s law and He would be defined as a false prophet? Deuteronomy 13 and 18 are to be used to determine if a prophet was true or false. Deuteronomy 18:15,18 15 יהוה your Elohim shall raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brothers. Listen to Him, 18 I shall raise up for them a Prophet like you out of the midst of their brothers. And I shall put My Words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.

Typical process in the first century: This is why the scribes tested Yahawashai

1. A Prophet like me from your midst, from your brothers.
2. Any prophet that deviated from the Law of Mosheh was considered a false prophet and also destroyed as prescribed by the Law of Mosheh.
3. A Prophet will speak what Elohim commanded.

Messiah a True Prophet: Yoḥanan 12 49 “Because I spoke not from Myself, but the Father who sent Me has given Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.

The Law of Mosheh also says (which the Pharisees conveniently did not bring up): Deuteronomy 19:15 15 “One witness does not rise up against a man concerning any crookedness or any sin that he commits. At the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses a matter is established.

The Pharisees claimed The women committed adultery. Yet no evidence of any witnesses standing to condemn her. Capital Punishment:

1. Though it is true that the women should be stoned according to the Law of Mosheh, that is not everything that needs to be considered in this matter.
2. There are requirements and criteria that need to be presented to the courts to establish the matter.
3. If there were not two to three witnesses to establish the sin then there is no case to condemn her to death. If Yahawashai would have carried out the punishment
4. It would have violated the Law of Mosheh.
5. It would have been murder and he would not be our perfect sacrifice.
6. It would have been just as guilty and under the curse of the law as anyone else.

He then asks her... “Did no one condemn you?” 10 And יהושע, straightening up and seeing no one but the woman, said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Did no one condemn you?”

The Biblical number of witnesses to stand to condemn her was not present. Deuteronomy 19:15 15 “One witness does not rise up against a man concerning any crookedness or any sin that he commits. At the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses a matter is established.

Yahawashai asks: “Did no one condemn you?” The fact of the matter is this; Yahawashai did not fall for their trickery. If he would have participated in her stoning

1. He would have fallen for their trap.
2. It would have been as law breaking as the stoning of Stephanos in Acts 7 when he was falsely accused of teaching against the Law