Neither Forgery nor Fiction

Abstract

The account of the woman caught in adultery, traditionally located in John 7:53–8:11, remains one of the most debated passages in the New Testament. This paper examines whether the Pericope Adulterae is original to the Gospel of John, whether it should be regarded as inspired Scripture, and how its textual uncertainty should shape theological interpretation. The study evaluates the earliest manuscript evidence, noting the passage’s absence from key Alexandrian witnesses and its unstable location in later manuscripts. It also considers linguistic arguments against Johannine authorship, the narrative disruption between John 7:52 and 8:12, and the historical reception of the passage among early Christian writers. While the evidence strongly suggests that the passage was not original to John’s Gospel, this conclusion does not require dismissing the account as fraudulent, theologically dangerous, or spiritually worthless. Patristic references indicate that a story of Jesus and an accused woman circulated early within Christian tradition, even before its later stabilization in the Johannine textual tradition. This paper argues that the Pericope Adulterae is best understood as non-Johannine yet deeply Christian: a historically valued tradition that reflects the mercy, wisdom, and grace of Christ while requiring careful handling in preaching, doctrine, and textual criticism.