Christian apologist Wes Huff is becoming a household name after he presented the gospel in such a succinct and powerful way to nearly six million viewers on “The Joe Rogan Experience.” Huff recently sat down with Christian YouTuber Ruslan to discuss the history of a controversial Bible passage and whether or not it should be referenced from the pulpit.
“I do not think it is an inspired piece of Scripture that John wrote,” argued Huff.
‘I Don’t Think It’s Scripture,’ Says Wes Huff of the Story of the Adulterous Woman in John 8
Within John 7:53-8:11, Jesus teaches the crowds who have gathered. He is interrupted by a group of Pharisees who bring an adulterous woman to be tried against the law and stoned. Testing Jesus, they ask him what to do. Jesus writes something in the sand on the ground and says, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” After the crowd leaves, Jesus doesn’t condemn the woman—instead, he tells her to leave her life of sin.
In modern translations of the Bible, however, the above verses are preceded by a note, “Most ancient Greek manuscripts do not include John 7:53-8:11.”
“What’s to say there isn’t a story floating around of something Jesus actually did that testifies to the character of Jesus,” said Huff, the Central Canada director for Apologetics Canada.
“There is a lot of evidence for that being something Jesus would have actually done,” argued Huff, “because it is not outside the realm of the character of who we know Jesus [to be].” Jesus often called out the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. Ruslan also pointed out that under the Mosaic law, the man should stand trial for adultery right alongside the woman.
Regardless of the story lining up with the character of Jesus, Huff claimed, “I don’t think John wrote it.”
“This is what some scholars refer to as a ‘floating passage,'” explained Huff. It’s “looking for a home.” He continued, “Scribes seem to think this is an authentic story,” but added, “We just don’t know where it goes.”
Of course, not every word and action of Jesus and his ministry was recorded in Scripture. John mentioned that if that were so and if the whole sky were a scroll, it wouldn’t contain all of it.
“I treat it like I do the writings of the early church fathers,” explained Huff. “It’s valuable for edification and understanding and kind of gives us another angle on who Jesus is, but I don’t think it’s Scripture.”
Huff said he understood when preachers use the passage alongside scribal editions of the text. “I still think it testifies to the character of Jesus,” he said.
“I wouldn’t preach through it,” admitted Huff, especially within an expository context. “I would have a conversation with my congregation about textual criticism.”
