The Defender of the Weak

John 8:1–2 NKJV

1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.

John 8:3–11 NKJV

3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” 6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. 7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

The venue where Jesus is teaching was a public one. So it easy and normal to bring up hard cases in such a public way.

But scribes were the recognized students and expositors of the law of Moses. Also most scribes by conviction where Pharisees as well

And the law of Moses was central to how life was lived and governed.

This wasn’t a uncommon practice, the scribes were seen as theologians ,lawyers, Philosophers, jurist ( judge).

Most of the scribes not all where Pharisee by conviction.

vs 4 Adultery isn’t a sin commited in isolation: so we wonder why the man was not brought with her.

2 possible reasons why the man wasn’t brought to the temple to be judged.

1. He was Usian bolt and took off on foot and escaped.

2. The accusers were sufficiently chauvinistic and focused exclusively on the women.

The inequity arouses the feeling of compassion, but doesn’t change the fact that she was guilty.

Though the compassion and empathy is real it doesn’t change the nature of the crime which is Adultery.

This is a grievous offence where some men will be willing to do time in prison because of the pain and hurt behind it.

Adultery is no joke marriages are destroyed divorce. Kids could be involved there could be trama there.

Adultery curries along with it so much pain. The trajectory of peoples lives are altered when adultery happens.

8:3-4 -

Dt 22:23-24 “23 “If a young woman who is a virgin is betrothed to a husband, and a man finds her in the city and lies with her, 24 then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones, the young woman because she did not cry out in the city, and the man because he humbled his neighbor’s wife; so you shall put away the evil from among you.”

Lv. 20:10 “10 ‘The man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, he who commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress, shall surely be put to death.”

But the authorities didn’t care about justice being served.

All they cared about was tripping up Jesus and proving Him wrong.

They tried to use to the question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing Him.

When unjust is down are you quick to say I told you so to the opposser or guinely help the victims and do what ever it take to minstry. And not just a facebook post.

The the synoptic gospels there are many parallels

Mark 3:2 NKJV

2 So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him.

Mark 10:2 NKJV

2 The Pharisees came and asked Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” testing Him.

Luke 6:7 NKJV

7 So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him.

We are not clear about what Jesus wrote.

Some people believe He wrote grace

Some say Jeremiah 17:13 “...“Those who depart from Me Shall be written in the earth, Because they have forsaken the Lord, The fountain of living waters.””

But really its UNCLEAR.

But what is clear is what Jesus said “if any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.

Deut. 13:9 “9 but you shall surely kill him; your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people.”

Deut. 17:7 “7 The hands of the witnesses shall be the first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So you shall put away the evil from among you.”

Lv. 24:14 “14 “Take outside the camp him who has cursed; then let all who heard him lay their hands on his head, and let all the congregation stone him.”

The Gospel according to John Excursus: The Woman Caught in Adultery (7:53–8:11)

the witnesses of the crime must be the first to throw the stones, and they must not be participants in the crime itself