Episode 56 - A Need for Mercy, A Call to Holiness - John 7:53-8:11

John 7:53   [[They went each to his own house, John 8:1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 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.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 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. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”]]

In many English translations of this section, you will notice a footnote for it or, as in this case, there may be brackets around the text. The reason for this is that a number of scholars believe this story was not in this part of John’s Gospel, or at least not in this location. They have their reasons for that view and I am not equipped to argue one way or the other. But, whatever the answer is, no one is saying that this is not a true story. Most importantly, the story is consistent with Jesus’ actions and teaching. In this story, we find a beautiful balance of a call to living in a manner that is right and pure as well as a demonstration of grace and mercy.

The scribes and Pharisees bring a woman to Jesus who was caught in the act of adultery. (v4) They inform Jesus of the charge and tell him that the Law was given by Moses “commanded us to stone such women.”(v5) This may seem harsh to us that adultery would call for capital punishment. But, we must be careful to not impose our own cultural values upon a people two thousand years removed and half a world away. The view of adultery in the twenty-first century of Western culture is mixed. Adultery leads to much pain and divorce in many marriages. But, there are others who think nothing about it. 

When we look at the creation of marriage in the opening chapters of the Bible, we see that this is a special relationship intended by God to be a tangible expression of unity and harmony that is perfectly existing in the divine Godhead. A marriage relationship is supposed to demonstrate covenant faithfulness. Adultery is a clear and strong violation of that relationship. Therefore, it is an expression of our rebellion against the character of God. In light of that, it becomes more clear as to why God told Moses that this sin merits the death penalty. 

But, there’s a problem here. Did you notice it? They only brought one of the guilty parties. If they caught this woman in the act, did they not catch the man in the act? If so, why did they not bring him as well? The Law didn’t call for the woman to be put to death. The Law required that both of them be put to death. (See Leviticus 20:10 and Deuteronomy 22:22-24) Something is fishy here.

John tells us their motivation in bringing her to Jesus. They wanted to trap Jesus. Nothing in this story lessens the offense of the woman. However, these people who are using this woman for their own evil desires are violating the Law themselves in various ways. 

Jesus’ response is to bend down and draw in the dirt with his finger. He does it twice. What is he drawing? Some have suggested that he’s writing the sins of these accusers. Others have suggested that just as God wrote the Ten Commandments with His “finger,” Jesus is writing the Ten Commandments in the dirt. The text doesn’t tell us. But, I’m inclined to suspect this latter suggestion to be the answer. These two writings in the dirt are split by Jesus standing and telling them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.”

Whether they are convicted concerning their own sin or simply smart enough to realize their objective had failed is uncertain. But, their response is simply to leave. Jesus is the lone individual who had the right to throw the first stone. According to the Law, he would have been just in doing so. But, he demonstrates mercy and does not condemn her. He also doesn’t downplay her sin. He tells her to stop sinning. 

God’s grace and mercy are never to give us a pass to do what we want. It is not God turning a blind eye to our rebellious actions. God’s grace and mercy are for us to see God’s love toward us and that we should desire to live in a manner that demonstrates God’s faithfulness, love, and mercy to others.