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Page Range

44-59

Keywords

pericopae adulterae, John 7:53-8:11, woman caught in adultery

Abstract

Broadly speaking, two types of answers to the question of whether John 7:53-8:11, the Pericope Adulterae (PA) should be considered part of the authentic biblical text have been offered by scholars. The first type includes those who conclude the PA does not report an actual account in the life of Jesus and should not be in the Bible. The second type comes from those who argue that the PA does present an account from the life of Jesus and should be in the Bible (although not all in the last group agree that the account is of Johannine origin). For the present purpose, two advocates of the first type of answer to the question of the PA’s authenticity are discussed; from the non-Christian perspective, Barth Ehrman, and from the Christian perspective, Daniel Wallace. Both of their views will be briefly presented, followed by an argument against their perspective and in favor of the PA. Findings will suggest that historical evidence (what will be referred to below as external reasons), as well as linguistic and literary evidence (what will be referred to below as exegetical reasons) support the PA’s inclusion in the biblical canon as reasonably defensible and that it should be considered a bona fide part of divine revelation given through John.

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