Neither do I condemn you
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Today we are picking up in the Gospel of John, the very last verse of John 7, through John 8:11.
As you look at this passage in your bible, you will likely notice something different about this passage.
The NIV84 has this portion marked off with lines, and a footnote.
The NLT has a note in the text.
The NASB, NET and ESV have it bracketed with a footnote.
The NKJV has a note.
What does this all mean?
Many of the oldest manuscripts that have been found do not have this passage here in John. Some manuscripts do not have this passage at all. Others have it after 8:36, or 8:44. Some put in at the end of the gospel of John, and still others have it in Luke.
This and some literary features make the publishers mark it off to make it clear that they are not 100% certain it belongs here, after John 7:52.
Does that mean it is not true, or not scripture? No.
Our first point of the day is,
We can trust it.
We can trust it.
The bible is God’s Word. We can trust it.
Though it is missing in some of the oldest manuscripts, there is other evidence to show that this is a true account.
Eusebius was the first historian for the church. He lived somewhere between 260 and 340 AD. Eusebius writes that Papias who lived between 60 and 130 AD told of a woman who was accused before Jesus.
There was a also another letter written to bishops in the third century that referenced this situation.
Others also wrote about this, such as Ambrose, Ambrosiaster and Augustine.
Later, Jerome, who compiled many manuscripts to write the church’s authoritative collection of scriptures said he found it in many texts.
So, why was it missing in some of the earliest texts? Augustine said that it was left out of many copies because people were afraid it would encourage adultery.
Sexual immorality is a big issue. Paul wrote about it in a number of his letters.
Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
These are just a few of the passages.
Sexual immorality takes many forms, and all of them are a big deal.
After the apostles passed away, the next generations of church leaders continued to write and encourage believers to avoid this behavior. Sadly, in stressing the importance to avoid sexual sin which is so rampant, they began to teach severe penance for sexual sin. Some, like Tertullian, Origen and Cyprian actually started down the road of saying sexual sins were so bad that there could be no forgiveness.
Against this backdrop, we can understand why Augustine said it this account of Jesus so quickly pardoning this woman caught in adultery was left out because too many thought it would lead people to have a light view of sin, and going down that road themselves.
Is that really what this passage does? Well, let’s study it and find out.
Then they all went home,
but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.
The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group
and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.
In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”
They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.
When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.
Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
The Setting
The Setting
Jesus was in Jerusalem for what feast? Look back into John 7 if you do not remember.
Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. As a part of this Feast in which they remembered how God brought them through the wilderness to the promised land.
Another special feature of this feast is that every seventh year, they read the Covenant God made with Israel.
Then Moses commanded them: “At the end of every seven years, in the year for canceling debts, during the Festival of Tabernacles,
when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place he will choose, you shall read this law before them in their hearing.
They read the Law of Moses, and were refreshed in all that God commanded, and the importance of keeping His commands.
I do not know that this was a seventh year, but I think that this festival was related with remembering the commands of the Lord played a part in what took place.
Another part of the setting that we need to keep in mind is that the Jewish religious leaders of the day did not like Jesus, and wanted to kill Him.
After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him.
At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill?
They wanted to seize Him, but the officers of their temple guard, as well as the crowds were amazed by Jesus.
Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.
Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”
“No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards replied.
These Jewish leaders knew that if they wanted to seize Jesus and kill Him, they were going to have to make Jesus look really bad to all of the people. They were going to have to get Him to contradict the law of Moses publicly for all to see.
That led them to hatch their plan...
The Plan
The Plan
Jesus comes back to the temple and sits in the courts to teach. This festival required everyone to come to the temple to make sacrifices each day. Everyone would be coming and going. So this was going to be a very public confrontation.
As Jesus is sitting there teaching, the teachers of the law, and the Pharisees bring in a woman caught in adultery. Caught in the act. There was no denying what happened.
They made her stand in front of everyone, and then questioned Jesus.
and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.
In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”
Their question emphasized, what do YOU say? They were squarely trying to get Jesus to contradict the Law of Moses.
They called Jesus the friend of sinners because He would go to their homes and gatherings. Jesus hung out with sinners. He showed mercy and compassion even on the Sabbath! That is what really got Him in trouble before. So, they were counting on Jesus to show leniency again, and contradict the law. That was the trap.
The Response
The Response
How did Jesus respond? What was He going to say? Stone her? That would make Him less popular as He would no longer be the friend of sinners. He would no longer be able to say He was wanting to help where the Pharisees only wanted to put burdens on the people.
Would he say, let her go, and fall into the hands of the Pharisees as a law-breaker?
What did Jesus do?
They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.
We really do not know what Jesus wrote. But I find it interesting that this is what He did. There are two other times that I can think of when the finger of God was writing. Can you think of them?
When He wrote the law which they were trying to use to trap Him. God wrote the law on stone for Moses.
When the Lord finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the covenant law, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.
Was Jesus writing out what the law says...
If a man is found sleeping with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel.
Was He writing this, knowing that they did not bring the man. If they caught the woman in the act… where was the man? Or, was the man one of them, so that they could bring her before Jesus?
Knowing that these men were not even after the woman, but after Him, was Jesus writing
“You shall not bear a false report; do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a malicious witness.
These were wicked men, malicious witnesses. They were not after restoring righteousness. They were trying to put an innocent man to death!
Was Jesus writing the actual law, so these men would see and be condemned?
What was the other occasion when the finger of God wrote?
King Belshazzar of Babylon was throwing a wicked, adulterous party and using the gold plates and goblets from the Lord’s temple. While the party was raging...
Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote.
They did not know what it was, or what it meant. He sought all of the wise men, and no one could explain. Then finally they called Daniel, who explained it.
“This is the inscription that was written: mene, mene, tekel, parsin
“Here is what these words mean: Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.
Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.
God sees the heart.
Did Jesus write this again, for these men? They were weighed and found wanting?
Could it be that He wrote what another prophet, Jeremiah recorded would happen?
Lord, you are the hope of Israel; all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the Lord, the spring of living water.
These men forsook the Lord. They had the appearance of religiosity. But their hearts were far from Him. They were more interested in staying in power than finding the true Messiah.
Or, possibly, He was writing from the law what came from His lips...
The hands of the witnesses must be the first in putting that person to death, and then the hands of all the people. You must purge the evil from among you.
If these men were the witnesses, then they are the ones who need to stone her. Not Jesus.
So, after they continue to pester Jesus for an answer, wanting Him to condemn Himself, Jesus turns the tables on them.
When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”
They wanted to look at this woman’s sin, yet here they were sinning in their own hearts, desiring to put another to death.
Maybe he was even more specifically talking about their own adultery. Jesus had already said, as recorded by Matthew,
For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’
But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister, will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
and
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’
But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Were these men guilty of murder and adultery themselves?
As Moses said, and as recorded in the Psalms,
You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.
Was Jesus laying their iniquities before them?
What was the result?
Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.
They all left. They knew. Their hearts condemned them.
The Conclusion
The Conclusion
Now, the most significant part of this whole scene.
Everyone has gone. It is just Jesus and this adulterous woman. He has pointed out the sin in the others. How will He respond to this woman?
Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Neither do I condemn you.
Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world, but the save the world! He came to seek and save the lost!
Here was a lost one. Here is a guilty one.
She was guilty. But He did not condemn.
Here is grace and mercy.
Mercy - He did not give her what she deserved.
Grace - He gave her what she did not deserve, another chance.
But this lack of condemnation was not a license to continue sinning. He told her very specifically, Go now and leave your life of sin.
Jesus gives the perfect response as only He can. He gave her grace, Neither do I condemn you. And, He gave her truth, Go and sin no more.
Just because He gives mercy and grace is no reason to keep sinning. He expects that those He forgives will follow Him, not their old nature with is passions and desires that lead to death.
This is a fantastic example of Jesus, who came full of grace and truth!
This is what the text shows us… now how do we apply this in our own lives?
What about me?
What about me?
How can we apply this passage to our own lives?
the Vilest sinners are often the greatest accusers
Am I like these teachers of the law and Pharisees? What is coming out of my mouth on a regular basis? Am I constantly accusing others, or saying bad things about others? If much of my speech is putting others down, that is a sure sign of wickedness in me. If I am seeking to destroy another, that points to a deep darkness in me.
What is coming out of my mouth? Accusations? Maybe they are true. Maybe I justify my words by saying it isn’t an accusation. Maybe I justify it by pointing out that they really are bad. But, if I am constantly tearing someone else down, am I being like Jesus or the Pharisees? If I am like the Pharisees, it is likely due to the wickedness within me, just like it was the wickedness within them. We avoid our own guilt by focusing on others. Let us confess and renounce that behavior.
Stooping and showing humility overcomes attacks.
Jesus could have lashed back at these men. Instead, he stoops and is quiet. When he does speak, it is humble, and calm. Then He goes back to quietly writing on the ground. I do not respond that well when confronted. When attacked or accused I want to defend. I want to tear the attacker down. When will I learn to follow Jesus’ example, and know that He will make my righteousness shine?
Am I doing what Jesus sent me to do?
Jesus did not come to condemn. Yes, there is condemnation for sin. The Bible warns what is wrong, and that judgment it coming. However, until the judgment comes, Jesus is out to seek and save the lost! And that is a great thing! That is why I am saved!
Now, has Jesus sent us to condemn? No. He has sent us to seek the lost, and share the hope of the gospel.
Does that mean we have no standards? No. There are standards of right and wrong. God’s standards have not changed as much as the world wants us to think they have changed. Wrong is wrong. That is the point of the good news.
But my sharing of what is wrong is not to condemn. We share what is wrong only to bring to light the hope of the good news, that Jesus died to take our condemnation! He rose again to give us new life! That is what we need to share.
I believe we are all are especially prone to sexual sin. And people are especially sensitive to feeling condemned over this sin. May we share what God’s standards are in light of the good news, that they do not have to be condemned!!
Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men
nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
God wants to forgive and change us! That is the hope of the gospel! No more condemnation, but forgiveness and new life.
Forgiveness is a call to Righteous Living
When Jesus forgave this woman, He told her to sin no more. She was not forgiven to go and continue doing this same behavior.
Forgiveness is not the path to the same dark place we have been. It is the door that opens the way to a better place!
I like Psalm 130:4.
But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.
Forgiveness leads us to the place where we can worship and serve our savior!
May we confess our sins, and seek Him this week, instead of our old passions and desires. That is what we are forgiven to do. Not to fall back into the mire, but to move on up the mountain, growing closer to Him!
Let’s press on for that high calling this week!
How will you apply this passage?
Will you confess your Pharisaism? Will you recognize and confess your own darkness as you see yourself condemning and accusing others?
Will you learn to endure attacks with the humility and patience of Christ?
Will you seek to save instead of condemn?
Will you live in forgiveness so you can worship and serve Him?
Whatever way we need apply this passage this week, let’s apply it. Let’s not just be hearers of the word who walk away forgetting what they look like...
Let’s pray.
Homework
Read John 8:1-11. Ask God how you need to apply this passage in your own life this week? Who are you in this account? The Pharisee accusing others? Jesus, humbly and patiently enduring? Jesus, not condemning, but seeking to save the lost? Or the woman, finding forgiveness and needing to live in the light of that forgiveness?
Read Psalm 130.