A Simple Exposition of John 8:1-11
Early in the morning, Jesus had returned to the temple to
teach. Many people gathered around
him. All were welcome to hear him
preach, even those who were angry at him.
While he’s teaching, the teachers of the law and Pharisees didn’t want
to listen patiently themselves, instead they disturbed him. They brought in a woman caught in the act of
adultery. Obviously, adultery is an act
of darkness and of secrecy. Yet, here
she is found out, caught IN the act, and shamefully brought in front of a crowd
of people. She could not plead, not
guilty.
I imagine this woman, ashamed, embarrassed, and
petrified. Her life was exposed, laying
bare her lust in front of her peers. Now, her life was in jeopardy, for punishment
of her crime was death. But, she was
also a lure for the religious crowd to trap Jesus into saying something they
could use against him. The Pharisees seemed to have great zeal against this
particular sin, even though it seems they themselves were not free from it, as
we will find out. Shamefully so, those
who tolerate their own sin can judge severely against the sins of others.
They plead her case before Jesus and were practically poised
with a stone in their hands and then ask Jesus, “So, what do you say?” This was their accusation. If he confirmed the sentence of the law, they
would say he was being inconsistent with the character of the Messiah. If he should acquit her, they would call him
an enemy to the Law of Moses and say he came to destroy the law and the
prophets. As well, he would be a friend
to sinners, which would translate favor of sin, so not punishing the sin would
not be characteristic of a prophet.
In the meantime, the woman must have been reeling with
emotions, looking to Jesus for his answer while living in fear of the
Pharisees. What would happen next?
Then Jesus seemed to ignore their question. He stooped down and wrote something on the
ground. It appeared that he wasn’t
paying attention to their words, but then in his writing, he proved that he not
only heard their words, but knew their thoughts. What did he write? No one knows exactly.
I wonder how long he wrote.
Because the Pharisees kept after him, questioning him as he continued. The scene probably grew even livelier as they
pressed Jesus for an answer. Voices rose
against Jesus’ apparent calm and reserve.
And again, the waiting for the woman.
Can you just picture her eyes darting back and forth from the religious
leaders to Jesus, their angry voices getting louder and louder, she wondering
what is to come of her life, and Jesus wasn’t saying anything?
Then Jesus stood up and said, “Let anyone of you who is
without sin be the first to throw a stone at her,” and then he stooped down to
continue writing. Jesus was in complete
control of the situation. He avoided the
trap that had been set for him. He
didn’t discuss the law, he didn’t encourage the prosecution, he didn’t agree
with their strong attack, and he didn’t excuse the woman’s guilt. Indirectly, his point was made with his thoughtful
and wise exposition of truth written on the ground for all to see, for truth is
all Jesus can communicate.
The Pharisees had set a snare and now find themselves tangled
in it. They are the accused. We must not
punish the offences of others, while living the life of an offender. Whenever we find fault in someone else, we
should reflect upon and be humbled by the obvious sin in our own hearts, rather
than accusatory of the sin we see in others.
We don’t need to excuse sin but should seek to restore the sinner in
meekness as we consider ourselves and our very own corrupt nature. To remain pure must be our resolve.
Jesus came to save, show mercy, bring the prisoner to
repentance, and also to expose sin. This
scene reveals all of this.
Previously, it seemed that Jesus had not paid attention to
their accusations and questions. Now
Jesus didn’t seem to care if they replied to what he had written in the
sand. Jesus gave them time to pause and
evaluate their own hearts. He could have
listed their sins. Yet, no matter what
he wrote, they were blown away with his words to the point that they stopped
badgering Jesus and their prosecution of the woman. Starting with the oldest ones first (possibly
because they were the most guilty), the accusers left one by one. Jesus had exposed them as their true selves,
and if they stuck around, they may have been shamed before men, just as they
tried to shame the woman they brought to trial.
They didn’t even seem to walk away in a huff! They had been plenty noisy before. Silently they retreated, cowardly leaving the
scene they had initiated.
The tables had turned.
The leaders were now exposed, and they didn’t even have the desire or
courage to repent. However, the woman is
another story. The self-righteous
prosecutors quit and fled the scene, yet the guilty woman stood there, vulnerable
to the rest of the crowd before her Righteousness. Jesus could have cast the first stone, but he
is compassionate to sinners, full of grace and mercy. There she stands with the only One who can
forgive and deliver her, and she waits to see what would become of her life of
sin. Did her eyes melt with fear or did
they pierce the gentle eyes of her Savior and discover for the first time, true
love? Did she understand that Mercy was
present?!
Jesus asked the woman, “Where are your accusers? Does anyone accuse you?” She answered, “No one, sir.” She didn’t even answer the first question. With what she just witnessed, she could have
had cause to accuse them, but she didn’t.
She’s humbled in her reply as she realizes that in this moment in time
something out of the ordinary was about to take place. No one was there to ridicule her
anymore.
Then Jesus does the perfectly beautiful thing. He pardons her sin. To not condemn her was to forgive her. Then he dismissed her with a caution. She was forgiven but needed to be careful to
not fall into Satan’s trap for her soul.
This was it! Love had come! The adulterous was finally able to be free!
Jesus knew the hardened hearts of the Pharisees and the
tenderness and sincere repentance of the woman.
Our sins of our past should compel us to go and sin no more, considering
that Jesus could, but doesn’t, condemn us.
It is his delight and purpose to forgive. We certainly don’t deserve it, but he gladly
paid the price that we may enjoy the free gift of salvation and eternity with
him.
We are that woman. We
are also the Pharisee. Yet, most
profoundly, when we place our trust in Jesus our Savior, we meet Mercy.
