John 8:1-11
Jesus Helps an Adulteress
1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11 “No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Jesus helps people...And it is very tough to help people that make us feel uncomfortable, or that we disagree with, or that we just see them as being and doing things quite wrong...While the Pharisees and teachers of the law were unkind, calloused, and curt with the woman they caught in the act of adultery, Jesus is not...It is as if the Pharisees and teachers of the law are testing Jesus on His very values of helping others and His knowledge of Moses Law and the Bible...The author writes that they were using the adulteress and their questions as a trap for Him...
Jesus cannot be trapped in right or wrong, because He is Right and He is Truth, Absolute Truth...He writes something on the ground and with His finger that seems to be significant...The waiting crowd and those questioning Him want justice...But He Himself gives Perfect Justice...Jesus tells the group that the one without sin be the first to cast his stone at her...And then again He stoops and writes something else on the ground with His finger...
At this point, those who heard Him began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus and the girl are left...With the girl still standing beside Him, He asks, "Woman, where are they?...Has no one condemned you?"...“No one, Sir,” she said....“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared...“Go now and leave your life of sin.”...
Jesus has given mercy to the one who has committed adultery...He gives her hope in her time of great trouble and despair...He gives her mercy and forgiveness...On this day, He is her Savior...She has been saved...