The Sinner, The Saint and The Saviour

With respect to the main substance of Scripture, more than ninety-nine percent is in agreement in all of the families of the copies; it is in less than one percent of the texts in the Bible that variant readings are found. No major doctrine of the Christian church is affected by those variant readings.

Sproul, R.C.. John: An Expositional Commentary (p. 138). Ligonier Ministries. Kindle Edition.

While I am preaching this, I can sense your spirit resisting to accept it nd that is similar to what was going on with the Pharisees and the scribes. It’s the same spirit

Pharisee and Scribes

Pharisees were a religious sect that arose during the intertestamental period of godlessness to keep to the standards of the law.

The scribes were the teachers and interpreters of the law (lawyers)

For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. Romans 10:2-3

​1 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, 2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. Matthew 23:1-3

To submit to the righteousness of God is to be fully obedient to Christ

They used the Law selectively. v3-6

“If a man is found lying with a woman married to a husband, then both of them shall die—the man that lay with the woman, and the woman; so you shall put away the evil from Israel. 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. Deuteronomy 22:22-24

Where is the man involved in the adultery?

Why is only the woman brought?

They were more interested in the trap they were setting for Jesus. For them, the end justified the means

They had a wrong approach to justice and mercy v7

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Matthew 23:23

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:8-13

Your mercy should be based on you recognizing your own fault and realizing that you have received mercy and extend the same mercy because no one wants justice(Judgement)

They were hypocrites

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Matthew 23:25-28

The woman had visible sin.

The leaders had hidden sin.

Jesus revealed that hidden sin is no less real than visible sin.

Observation

The difference between them and the woman was not guiltlessness.

It was visibility.

The Woman Was Not Innocent

The text does not suggest that the accusation was false.

She is not the hero of the story.

The contrast is not:

Bad Pharisees vs. Good Woman

The contrast is:

Visible sinner vs. hidden sinners

The woman's sin was public.

Both groups are being called to repentance.

Both groups need grace.

Both groups need transformation.

"The woman was guilty of adultery. The Pharisees were guilty of hypocrisy. Jesus excused neither. He offered grace to both, but only one party stayed long enough to receive it."