Forever Hope Week 25

FH Week 25

(NLT)

John 8:1–11 (NLT)

(NLT)

1 Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives,

Jesus retreats away from the arguments of the crowd. Jesus constantly models retreating.

Jesus retreats away from the arguments of the crowd.

Jesus constantly models retreating.

2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them.

Jesus also models persistence He was teaching again. In the midst of the pressure of the religious leaders. They were plotting his death and were looking for the right time to ensure Jesus.

Jesus also models persistence He was teaching again.

In the midst of the pressure of the religious leaders. They were plotting his death and were looking for the right time to ensure Jesus.

3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.

The teachers and Pharisees were looking for ways to entrap Jesus. So, imagine this scenario: the religious leaders are plotting. And this woman has been in sin and the religious establishment goes to great lengths to use her shame for their own ends. They shame her by putting her on display in front of the people. Who knows the state she was in. But, in general women were less valued and if you were an adulterous woman, you would be despised. They’ve totally overlooked her intrinsic value as a human being. Whatever their motivations were for suppressing Jesus, they discount this woman as a religious commodity in their power struggle. John is going to great lengths to show the contrast between the way of Jesus and the way of the religiously powerful. Religious systems tend to dehumanize people and to present them as the sum of their moral actions when.

The teachers and Pharisees were looking for ways to entrap Jesus.

So, imagine this scenario: the religious leaders are plotting. And this woman has been in sin and the religious establishment goes to great lengths to use her shame for their own ends.

They shame her by putting her on display in front of the people. Who knows the state she was in. She was caught in the act of adultery. In general women were less valued and if you were an adulterous woman, you would be despised.

They’ve totally overlooked her intrinsic value as a human being. Whatever their motivations were for suppressing Jesus, they discount this woman as a commodity in their power struggle.

She exists on the scene only to provide them leverage against Jesus. John is going to great lengths to show the contrast between the way of Jesus and the way of the religiously powerful. Religious systems tend to dehumanize people and to present them as the sum of their moral actions when the religion, the morality or the TRADITION is on the line.

4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery.

Their intention is to harm her and him For the sake of their own sense of righteousness Teacher: maybe a sardonic title.

Their intention is to harm her and him For the sake of their own sense of righteousness Teacher: maybe a sardonic title. Sarcastic.

5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”

Their is no implication of honesty in this question. Rather, it is a set up question with a forgone conclusion. We should learn from these religious leaders—how empty it is to have all the answers…so much so that questions asked have answers already. Religion tends to be solution oriented, but true faith always has room for open questions for we are seeking the truth, not just comfortable with our current conception of it. Back to the woman: she has been caught and the punishment is death. She is at the end of her life! But, the law also said the man should die too? Where is the man? Perhaps John, who often celebrates and affirms woman is sure to present the disingenuous and mysioginistic situation for what it was.

Their is no implication of honesty in this question. Rather, it is a set up question with a forgone conclusion. We should learn from these religious leaders—how empty it is to have all the answers…so much so that questions asked have answers already. Religion tends to be solution oriented, but true faith always has room for open questions for we are seeking the truth, not just comfortable with our current conception of it. Back to the woman: she has been caught and the punishment is death. She is at the end of her life! But, the law also said the man should die too? Where is the man? Perhaps John, who often celebrates and affirms woman is sure to present the disingenuous and misogynistic situation for what it was.

6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger.

John provides the play by play here. He let us know what is obvious: these leaders had no go intention. They weren’t honest seekers, but rather dishonest question askers. There is huge implication for us: do we use our belief in the Word of God as a power play or do we honestly seek truth? Jesus stoops to write in the dust. Why? Perhaps Jesus is drawing the attention of the crowd away from the shamed woman?

John provides the play by play here. He let us know what is obvious: these leaders had no go intention. They weren’t honest seekers, but rather dishonest question askers. There is huge implication for us: do we use our belief in the Word of God as a power play or do we honestly seek truth in grace? Jesus stoops to write in the dust. He pauses. The tension is this moment is profound! If Jesus disagrees with the law (that adulterers should be put to death), than he is seen as against the Law of God, but if he is hard on her, than his kind reputation towards sinners is at risk AND he could be charged with inciting an execution, which was legally administrated by the Romans alone. Why did Jesus stoop to write in the dust? We don't know what he wrote...anything that he wrote or why he wrote is pure speculation. Perhaps Jesus is drawing the attention of the crowd away from the shamed woman? That would make sense...

7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!”

Religion demands certainty on its own terms. And it is doggedly committed to pressing the issue and the cost of humanity. But, Jesus cuts to the heart of the issue: it is not our place to judge beyond the end of our own noses. If we cannot uphold the standard of judgement on ourselves, we have no stones to throw.

Religion demands certainty on its own terms. And it is doggedly committed to pressing the issue and the cost of humanity. But, Jesus cuts to the heart of the issue: it is not our place to judge beyond the end of our own noses. If we cannot uphold the standard of judgement on ourselves, we have no stones to throw. (NLT)

8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

"You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things."

9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman.

(NASB95)

They are convicted. The older probably left first because the older we get, the more clearly we see our sinfulness. Younger people can be cocky.

1 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged.

10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

11 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

"the redundance suggests that Jesus may now be trying to avert the crowd’s critical attention from the accused’s accusers and from their shame, just as he had earlier sought to protect the woman from her shame and shamers." - Bruner

The overwhelming thrust of this episode: acceptance. Often Christians quote this: “Go and sin no more.” But, the sin of adultery here is minor compared to the gentle scolding the religiously elite get here. Who has power? Who has none? Jesus forces the bigger power of Love onto the scene.

Bruner, Frederick Dale. The Gospel of John: A Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI;Cambridge, U.K.: Eerdmans, 2012. Print.

9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman.

They are convicted. The older probably left first because the older we get, the more clearly we see our sinfulness. Younger people can be cocky.

10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

Jesus asks this most simple question. Perhaps she has her head down and doesn't yet know of her release from judgement. But, he treats her with so much dignity. It is so dignifying to have people ask us questions.

11 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

Notice that she is not defensive. Perhaps she is indefensible, but also Jesus gives her space to be treated with dignity. And, the contrast was huge! She was treated like rotten meat before. The overwhelming thrust of this episode: forgiveness and acceptance.

“For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him."

Often Christians quote this: “Go and sin no more.” But, the sin of adultery here is minor compared to the gentle scolding the religiously elite get here. Who has power? Who has none? Jesus forces the bigger power of Love onto the scene.