THIS MONTH'S CALENDAR GIRL
~THE WOMAN FOUND IN ADULTERY~
~THE WOMAN FOUND IN ADULTERY~
“Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.”
John 8:5-6
I LOVE this event in Jesus’ life! I don’t know if I can adequately express how significant this whole story is to every believer. Jesus shows us how to handle our accusers in the most calm and coolest way. IGNORE them! First the Pharisees reminded Jesus what Moses had commanded concerning adultery; then they tempted Him. They were after Jesus, this man who called himself the “Son of God”. So in essence although they brought the adulterous woman, they were actually looking for something illegal with which to accuse Jesus.
What Jesus chose to do next was absolutely ingenious. By stooping down and writing in the dirt, he spoke volumes. This said he knew what the Pharisees were up to. They didn’t care about this woman. They weren’t seeking justice for her or anyone else. They wanted Jesus! He knew this and He chose to ignore them. How aggravating that must have been for the Pharisees. He had nothing whatsoever to say to the accusers about the accused. Had Jesus told them, “Yeah, you are right. She should indeed be stoned”, what would this have said about the mercy of God. Had he told them to leave her be, some would have saw this as blatant disregard to the law of Moses. Either way, Jesus was in a pickle. So He said nothing, except:
“…He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”
John 8:7
Jesus returned to his writing in the dirt. We know the story. No one could throw a stone. They went away just as easy as they had come.
“And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.”
John 8:9
Now that Jesus was alone with the woman, He could minister to her without the outside distractions of hypocrites. Because He didn’t answer the accusers did not mean Jesus made light of the sin in this woman’s life. Sin is sin, whether there are accusers or not. The wages for it is death, and Jesus would have no one dying in sin. So he spoke to her about those who had accused her.
“When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord….”
John 8:10-11a
Jesus then gave her the greatest pardon and advice for a blessed life:
“…Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”
John 8:11b
An accuser is one who brings charges against someone. The accuser claims to know that you have committed some unlawful act, and he seeks your punishment for it. Is there room for this kind of behavior in the kingdom of God? I’ll answer ‘no’ to that question. If we are truly concerned about souls and exemplifying the love of God to a dying world, we’ll purpose to do what we can to save the lost. Even when the “lost” is one of our own, a brother or sister who has fallen to sin, we’ll do what the apostle Paul encourages.
“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”
Galatians 6:1-2
Does this restoration mean tolerance of habitual sin in the kingdom? No. It means we’ll seek to help the fallen heal and get back in fellowship with God. There are times when this is not going to happen right away, especially if the accused continues to practice sinful behavior and is not sorrowful and repentant. If we are faced with this situation we are instructed to keep away. This person brings a reproach to the church and the name of Christ.
“…I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.”
1 Corinthians 5:11
John 8:5-6
I LOVE this event in Jesus’ life! I don’t know if I can adequately express how significant this whole story is to every believer. Jesus shows us how to handle our accusers in the most calm and coolest way. IGNORE them! First the Pharisees reminded Jesus what Moses had commanded concerning adultery; then they tempted Him. They were after Jesus, this man who called himself the “Son of God”. So in essence although they brought the adulterous woman, they were actually looking for something illegal with which to accuse Jesus.
What Jesus chose to do next was absolutely ingenious. By stooping down and writing in the dirt, he spoke volumes. This said he knew what the Pharisees were up to. They didn’t care about this woman. They weren’t seeking justice for her or anyone else. They wanted Jesus! He knew this and He chose to ignore them. How aggravating that must have been for the Pharisees. He had nothing whatsoever to say to the accusers about the accused. Had Jesus told them, “Yeah, you are right. She should indeed be stoned”, what would this have said about the mercy of God. Had he told them to leave her be, some would have saw this as blatant disregard to the law of Moses. Either way, Jesus was in a pickle. So He said nothing, except:
“…He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”
John 8:7
Jesus returned to his writing in the dirt. We know the story. No one could throw a stone. They went away just as easy as they had come.
“And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.”
John 8:9
Now that Jesus was alone with the woman, He could minister to her without the outside distractions of hypocrites. Because He didn’t answer the accusers did not mean Jesus made light of the sin in this woman’s life. Sin is sin, whether there are accusers or not. The wages for it is death, and Jesus would have no one dying in sin. So he spoke to her about those who had accused her.
“When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord….”
John 8:10-11a
Jesus then gave her the greatest pardon and advice for a blessed life:
“…Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”
John 8:11b
An accuser is one who brings charges against someone. The accuser claims to know that you have committed some unlawful act, and he seeks your punishment for it. Is there room for this kind of behavior in the kingdom of God? I’ll answer ‘no’ to that question. If we are truly concerned about souls and exemplifying the love of God to a dying world, we’ll purpose to do what we can to save the lost. Even when the “lost” is one of our own, a brother or sister who has fallen to sin, we’ll do what the apostle Paul encourages.
“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”
Galatians 6:1-2
Does this restoration mean tolerance of habitual sin in the kingdom? No. It means we’ll seek to help the fallen heal and get back in fellowship with God. There are times when this is not going to happen right away, especially if the accused continues to practice sinful behavior and is not sorrowful and repentant. If we are faced with this situation we are instructed to keep away. This person brings a reproach to the church and the name of Christ.
“…I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.”
1 Corinthians 5:11
