A Question of the Law

Have you ever felt, as a believer, that every word you say is scrutinized for the purpose of using your own words against you? Have you ever been asked a question only to give an answer realizing the question was designed to trap you instead of genuine search for information or truth.

If you have ever been in this situation then you are in good company. Because the savior himself was placed in this same situation in today’s text.

This passage of scripture or account is usually titled “The woman taken in adultery”.

I submit to you this morning that this account has very little to do with this woman’s sin. Her sin was simply the pawn used in a game the religious leaders had contrived in an attempt to trick or test the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Rules of the Game.

John 8:2–6 CSB

2 At dawn he went to the temple again, and all the people were coming to him. He sat down and began to teach them. 3 Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, making her stand in the center. 4 “Teacher,” they said to him, “this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. 5 In the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 They asked this to trap him, in order that they might have evidence to accuse him. Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with his finger.

Rule # 1 - Overwhelm Jesus with superior numbers.

One thing that I have noticed is that when ever the religious leaders approached Jesus they never did it alone.

We see this same tactic used today, don’t we? Even so-called Christian churches are denying and trying make any follower of Christ speaking the truth feel isolated and alone.

Knowing that from the very beginning, mankind does not do well alone, God created eve. Even when he sent out his disciples to spread the gospel message. He sent them in pairs. Once Jesus Died and resurrected he created “the gathering” of believers we call the church.

But Jesus being God was never bothered by this type of tactic. He is eternally one with the Father and is completely self -sufficient.

We as created beings are not this way. We need companionship and community.

In fact, I have never seen a spiritually healthy family or person that isolates themselves from the community of Christ.

But even in those times when we feel outnumbered. I want to remind you of this.

Truth is not based upon the number of people who believe or agree.

Truth stands on its own merit. For this reason when we find ourselves in a situation where we feel like people are ganging up on us. Simply state the truth. Truth is never determined by oppinion. Truth is truth.

Rule #2 Ask a question that cannot be answered without creating controversy.

The Religious leaders tactic was a creative well thought out plan.

Let’s look what they did.

They brought a woman who was caught in the act of adultery before Jesus. How they caught her is open to speculation. It could be she was a prostitute soliciting herself to a married man. Or it could be that one of the men bringing her before Jesus was involved in the affair. Since the text doesn’t specify it seems hardly worth our time to speculate.

The lack of detail is also how we know this account is not really about the woman. Instead it is about Jesus reaction to the Pharisees.

So they bring this woman before Jesus and ask him a very tricky question, at least in their estimation.

Should she be tried according to Jewish law and executed?

Here’s the hang up. Roman law did not allow the sanhedrin, the ruling counsel to put anyone to death unless it was for blaspheme.

If Jesus say’s yes she should be tried according to the O.T. law than He is an insurrectionist. If he say’s “no” he breaks the O.T. law. So either way they have grounds to either arrest him themselves or report Him and have the Romans do it.

Part of the reason behind having multiple men come is so they could fulfill the obligation of having enough witnesses.

Of course, Jesus was not confused by the question.

Proverbs 26:4 CSB

4 Don’t answer a fool according to his foolishness or you’ll be like him yourself.

Sometimes in our attempt to win people to Christ we fail to see the real problem is not their foolish accusations or questions, but their own sinful condition. Instead of Jesus playing their game he brought to mind their own sin.

According to Jewish tradition if a crime was punishable by death than the one who was innocent, the person in which the crime was commited against would cast the the first stone.

This was a way of showing the surety of their innocence of the person making the accusation and the guilt of the individual.

But when it came to Jesus defining adultery not by the action, but by the heart.

Matthew 5:28 CSB

28 But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Their was not an innocent man among them. Which one of them could claim they had never lusted. So one by one the accusers aware of their own guilt, left.

Now some are tempted to misuse this passage of scripture to justify not confronting an individual about sin due to our own sin.

or

They make this passage seem as if Jesus is soft toward sin.

This is not what this passage is about.

In fact, if you will notice with me Jesus confronted both groups.

John 8:7 CSB

7 When they persisted in questioning him, he stood up and said to them, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.”

John 8:11 CSB

11 “No one, Lord,” she answered. “Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”]

The accusers and the accused.

To the accusers he pointed out their guilt via a question but to the woman he told her to “go and sin no more” .

No one left that day assuming Jesus was okay with their sin.

In fact, Jesus telling the woman He did not condemn her was not a proclamation of innocence, but rather a proclamation one of forgiveness.

Romans 2:3–4 CSB

3 Do you think—anyone of you who judges those who do such things yet do the same—that you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

Both parties before the Lord Jesus recognized their sin.

One group, no doubt in anger simply walked away.

The woman humbled by Jesus kindness left forgiven.

In this we see the two responses to the Gospel message.

Two Responses to the Gospel

Proverbs 9:8–9 CSB

8 Don’t rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you; rebuke the wise, and he will love you. 9 Instruct the wise, and he will be wiser still; teach the righteous, and he will learn more.

The fool, the mocker will hate you for pointing out sin.

But the wise will recognize the kindness in God’s judgement and will turn to Him in love.

I want to show a true life example of this.

Show video from living waters.

This is why we have to point out sin. Without it no one will realize their need for mercy and a redeemer.

Jesus did not let the sin of the woman go unnoticed he pointed to it, rebuked it and forgave it.

Without a proper understanding of sin, a person will never recognize their need for a redeemer. For this reason we must preach against sin.

Preaching against sin will cause people to call us judgmental.

They make the same argument against God’s judgement in the Old Testament.

A Person must understand they have broken God’s law and need to be redeemed.

Unless they see how much God hates sin in the O.T. they will never understand the greatness of God’s mercy in providing a way for sin to be forgiven.

For this reason, we must accept the labels that the lost world will put on us, yet continue to preach the truth of God’s love. We do this in hope that God will redeem some.