From John 7-8
The judgment of man can often be heartless and cruel. Implicit in Jesus’ response is that we have all sinned at some point in time. Jesus could stone us to death if he wanted. But Jesus is also compassionate and forgiving. Those he forgives he asks to sin no more.
This post is part of my bible in a year series.
Passage and Comments
The following passage is not included in the earliest manuscripts of Johns gospel. Which means that John may not have authored it. I liked it nonetheless.
53 They went each to his own house, 1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. (Jn 7.53-8.6a)
One wonders how they could have caught her in adultery especially if that implies sex. Did they know before hand? Wait til it happened and then bust her? These guys are dirty from the start. But adultery isn’t necessarily having sex with someone other that your husband or wife. Adultery is breaking a covenant of marriage. (e.g. Israel’s idolatry broke their covenant with God. Isa 57.3-8; Jer 3.9) The upshot of this is that she must have done something breaking her marriage covenant. She could have run away or betrayed her husband in some manner. Whatever she did, she sinned.
6b Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. (Jn 8.6b-9)
I like the fact it was the older ones who leave first. Older, more opportunity to sin. Wiser, more able to recognize this. The younger ones take more time. But eventually they work it out.
What do you think Jesus wrote on the ground?
10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” (Jn 8.10-11)
Jesus was the only one in the whole world who could condemn her because he had no sin. He didn’t condemn her. Knowing Jesus is both loving and just do you think he felt anger towards her? I don’t get that feeling here. I think he was responding in compassion to the treatment they were giving her. He told her to sin no more. Jesus gave a similar instruction to a man he healed (Jn 5.14).
About Jesus
The judgment of man can often be heartless and cruel. Implicit in Jesus’ response is that we have all sinned at some point in time. Jesus could stone us to death if he wanted. But Jesus is also compassionate and forgiving. Those he forgives he asks to sin no more.
Copyright © Joshua Washington and thescripturesays, 2014. All Rights Reserved.
