Matthew Poole and continuators on John 8:3

3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,

There were (as they say) three sorts of Scribes amongst the Iews. The first were Secretaries to Princes and great men; so Sheva was Scribe to David, 2 Sam. 20.25. A Second sort, were such as we call Scriveners, or Publick Notaries, who made Instruments for People, and were employed in their more private Bargains and Contracts Neither of these seem to have been of Authority enough to have done this Act; and besides, the Pharisees being joyned with them, makes it evident, that these Scribes were those who expounded the Law in the Temple, and in the Synagogues, and are therefore called Lawyers; they are often joyned with the Pharisees in our Saviours Discourses, Mat. 23.13, 14, 15, &c. And we find them often joyning with them in their Discourses and Actions, tending to entrap our Saviour; such was their Design at this time.