John 7:53-8:11
Notes
Transcript
Pray
Please pick up your Bible or phone. I’d like you to physically open the Word today and read along.
They went each to his own house, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst
they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?”
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. 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.”
And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 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.
Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
Thank you, did any you notice anything different within your Bible?
Verses contained in [blocks] or as mine says [The earliest manuscripts do not include 7:53-8:11]
What is this about? Per-ick-O-Pee adulter-ray or text-criticism. pericope adulterae or text -criticism
Which I personally find super encouraging in the seriousness of what God gives in up-holding is Word.
So what is going on here?
Not one manuscript before 400 AD has these verses in it.
This means the manuscripts that are the most reliable, the closest to it’s time of writing, don’t include these verses.
After 400 AD, among the manuscripts that do contain some or all of this story, there are variations of placement within scripture.
Some are placed after John 7:36, some after John 21:25, and some have even been found in Luke.
There is also evidence in just how this passage doesn’t quite fit with the flow of the story, with the Celebration of Booths or Tabernacles and Jesus identifying Himself within this celebration.
If you were to jump from John 7:52 to John 8:12, the story flows quite well.
Another thing, the vocabulary used within these verses is different verse what is found in the rest of John.
Ok, so why is it here?
It doesn’t contradict itself within the character and teachings of Jesus.
But the main reason...
The sheer number of manuscripts that do have it after 400 AD is something like 1,476.
That is a lot!
So, what to do? We don’t ever want to exclude any Words of God but at the same time we don’t ever want to include or add in words, claiming them as His word.
After study and prayer, I personally can not preach these verses as authoritative scripture.
Although with as many manuscripts after 400 AD that do have it and the consistent Christ like teaching that comes within it. I do believe the story is true.
But do I believe John to be the author? No.
I believe it to be this.
Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
Many other great and wonderful things given but this one I believe was not given through the divine writing of John by the power of the Holy Spirit.
And if the Holy Spirit seems to have left the story out during its writing, I personally have a hard time preaching it as God’s Word to you all this morning?
So what to do?
First of all, either side we camp on this question, doesn’t change anything about Jesus nor His doctrine and therefore doesn’t need division.
Secondly, take heart that God’s Word is so seriously upheld. That these type of questions are openly shared and not hidden. For most of us, we would never know.
So how much of the New Testament is like this? Less than 1% of the New Testament is questioned like this and where it is questioned, it is not hidden. We can take great comfort in the gift of scripture and the teachings of Jesus.
The hand of God is over His Word.
Man nor the enemy can change the unchanging.
Thank God His Word is upheld in honor, truth, and love!
Ok, so now what?
I can’t say with 100% confidence that it is scripture or that it is not scripture?
So, with that, I was led to not discard it but to preach it’s teachings using scripture that is not within the 1%.
Let’s look at some similar teachings.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
and
Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?
You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
Today’s teaching, “Unrighteous and unloving judgement”.
Let’s look into the first set verses.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’
How many of us has heard this one before?
Most of us, right?
It sounds a bit harsh within the scope of Christianity right? Love thy enemies, walk two miles, turn your cheek, etc.
But on the other hand, we say, “no, this is right dealing with wrong”.
He stole from me, there’s consequences to your actions.
So what do we make of this?
Hold people accountable or forgive?
Both!
What do I mean by both?
Let’s start with this subject “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth”
Let’s go back into the Old Testament and look at Deuteronomy 19:15-21
“A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established. If a malicious witness arises to accuse a person of wrongdoing,
then both parties to the dispute shall appear before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days. The judges shall inquire diligently, and if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely,
then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. And the rest shall hear and fear, and shall never again commit any such evil among you.
Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
We have law, correct? And law is good.
It corrects us, guides us, and gives us order.
From God’s laws to our country’s laws, this is what law is meant for. It is a good thing.
However, what can’t it do? Make people be truthful or make people be unbiased.
Hence we have the judicial system. Law enforcement, courts, & judges.
And this is what these type of talks are about, in fact anytime these talks a brought up in the Old testament, it is in reference to the judicial system.
Not a rogue warrior, taking the law into his own hands, seeking revenge or using something bad for personal gain.
Why is this important? Why is a judicial system needed over personal justice taken into one's own hand?
First, not all accusations are just as referenced within this scripture.
There are people that falsely accuse for all types of reasons. From seeking monetary gain, to just a dislike or distrust of someone.
This can lead others to act upon others unrighteously. From hate speech to down right murder.
Secondly, does the punishment fit the crime?
Are we taking an eye or their whole head?
A tooth or a slap on the wrist.
Are we fit as the only one that knows every detail to the altercation at hand, to righteously judge and deliver judgement?
Can we be bias?
Hence, we have here a gift within our brokenness. After all things are presented, and based off more than one witness, we have lawful judgement.
We have hope for the innocent to be made known and hope that the guilty will be held accountable. No more, no less.
This is the context for and “eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth”.
It protects, governs, & upholds justice for both the innocent & the guilty.
Judicial, not self appointed judge, jury, and executioner and definitely not for what most seek this verse for...revenge.
That would be our flawed sinful nature poking through there...our natural bias.
This is the heart of the Scribes and Pharisees within this story.
The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery.
Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 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.
No justice, just personal vendetta against Jesus using ones sin to try and prove a point.
They don’t care about the woman or the destruction this sin has brought to the families. Just themselves.
A plain disregard for human life.
Talk about sinful!
They knew the law, one must first be tried but even with that there’s another problem.
The Roman government that they are governed by.
They were not authorized to practice capital punishment.
Only the Romans were authorized for that, hence the killing of Jesus was executed by the Roman government.
This is unrighteous & and very unloving judgement practiced upon this women by the Scribes and Pharisees.
Let's look at Matthew again.
But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
At first glance you might be saying “why would I not be wanting to resist one who is evil”?
But in the context of this teaching, it’s not meant as a separation of good and evil but an equal to.
Do not set yourself apart from but remember what your apart of.
Fallen, broken, sinful yourself.
Do not resist them but help them as you need help with your sin.
To practice love as you’ve been practiced love upon.
To practice mercy and grace as you’ve been given mercy and grace.
Turn the other cheek.
Step out of our self-righteousness for just a moment.
What this woman did was bad no doubt. But to be drug out through public, possibly naked (cause it sounds like she was caught in the act), for all to see.
Demoralized, humiliated, did the punishment fit the crime. Maybe, maybe not but before you answer that...
Stop and ponder your sins.
We are no different than this woman.
We all have sins requiring death in the eyes of God.
Would you like your sins to be publicized to this depth?
This is the context of this teaching
“Do not resist the one that is evil”
Do not set yourself apart from but remember what you’re apart of.
Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?
You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
How many of us are this way?
Have all the answers to everyone’s problems. Namely they aren’t doing what I think they should be doing.
Looking at everyone, judging, while this whole time never clearly seeing anything but your self-righteousness.
How can we practice righteous judgement or loving judgment with such blinding log in our eye?
We can’t, this is the whole point.
We must first love. The log that is in our eye is everything but love.
It is self-righteousness, hate, envy, prideful, arrogant, & revengeful. Just plain unloving.
This is our log, while dealing with someone's speck.
Without love for all we’re blind.
Example, John MacArthur shares a story about someone breaking into his home and the thoughts that transpired after that.
What if that person had end up hurting his child, possibly even, heaven forbid, killing one of his children.
What are we as Christians called to do?
We are to love our enemies! What! No way. That’s different.
No, it’s not.
Don’t get me wrong, we are first called to protect our children, and if harm is coming for them, we stop it.
But outside of protecting them because it is the loving thing to do, we do not take the law into our own hands & we do not seek revenge.
We are called to love them. Thirsty, give them water. Hungry, give them food to eat. Share Christ with them.
We are not the judge, jury, & executioner.
That is what the law is for and ultimately God will execute the perfect, unbiased, loving, & righteous judgement.
All of us, this will be practiced on! It’s not an us versus them. We’re all sinners needing mercy, grace, & forgiveness.
We need to get off our high horse so to speak and remember what’s been practiced on us.
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.”
We need to get off our high horse so to speak and remember what’s been practiced on us.
We practice our faith by being faithful to the one that knows all & loves perfectly.
We have faith in the wrongs being made right.
Why? Because if He can do it in us, He can do it in others!
We are called to first love.
So, remember at the start of this I asked.
Do we hold people accountable or forgive?
And I said both.
This is the both part.
We hand evil over to the law and ultimately God, they/we are accountable for our evil.
The law and ultimately God practices judgement on all.
And what are we called to do, scratch that, commanded to do?
Practice love and forgiveness as it’s been practiced upon us. Point to the cross.
The perfect symbol of righteous judgement and perfect love.
Amen!
