(7:53) “They went each to his own house, but Jesus went to
the Mount of Olives.” (8:1-11) “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.”” (John 7:53–8:11, ESV) (Caps
added to pronouns in ESV referring to God the Father, Son, and Spirit)
One of the things that I really appreciate about the integrity
of our Bible translators is their attention to the accuracy of getting the
words right in all ways. This includes even taking the extra steps to consider
whether or not certain words even belong. One of tools used to assess this last
task is to compare early manuscripts and to analyze when others outside of the
Bible commented on the content of those manuscripts. If something appeared in
the earliest manuscripts and then remained over time then there was greater
assurance that the content was accurate. But if something appears later and is
not included in the earliest manuscripts then there is reason to stop and
question whether or not a particular passage actually belongs there or not.
John 7:53 through 8:11 are among the very small list of
verses which were not included in the earliest known manuscripts. We don’t know
with any certainty the reason for this, and because of that these verses are
generally indicated with some form of citation to indicate their questionable
inclusion. The New American Standard (NAS) and the English Standard Version
(ESV) use a consistent usage of […] to mark such content. In the ESV we even
have included a note prior to the passage indicating the reason for the
brackets. In the New International Version there is generally a bold line
between the verses indication a separation. Some older translations such as the
King James and the New King James provide no indication other than added column-
or foot-notes. Realizing this I am personally reassured as a student of the
Bible by the integrity with which most of our modern translations were handled.
Having said this, it is possible that these are intended
passages that may have been included from a fragment or such, which was not
necessarily a fluid part of a greater manuscript. This is indicated by the fact
that different manuscripts have placed this text in various locations. As such
the text has not been discarded in total but considered in the greater context
of Scripture for its consistency of teaching while being careful to not place
any great importance on what might be a singular passage of questionable
origin.
So, in the greater light of Scripture we will consider the
words of these verses and seek to gain understanding on how we are to walk with
them. It is important that we do this in particular with a passage such as this
as it is one of those passages that some have twisted to support or overlook aberrant
activities. It seems that it has become a license to say that everything is
okay because Jesus did not condemn the woman caught in adultery. But it is
interesting even in the words of Christ recorded here that He does not say go
and do as you please, but rather to “go, and from now on sin no more.” There is
a clear recognition in His words of the sinful nature of the woman’s actions
and an instruction that she move forward and not continue in those actions. He
called her to live differently.
In the context of what had just happened Jesus was ordered
arrested but the guards did not do what they were sent to do. Things must have
been pretty intense at the meeting when they came back and reported such. Verse
53 records that everyone went home after this, and chapter eight begins with
the people gathering again in the morning at the temple where Jesus again began
to teach. In the midst of His teaching, the scribes and Pharisees came into the
temple dragging along a woman who was caught in adultery. They had devised another
plan to trap Jesus in saying something that stood in opposition to the law.
They presented the Mosaic judgment for women caught in adultery which was
stoning, looking to see if Jesus would affirm the words of Moses. They figured
they had Him either way He might respond thinking probably of only two options.
But Jesus turned the table. Our passage indicates that He bent over and
wrote something in the ground with His finger. Whether this passage really is
to be included or not, we don’t know, but I am impressed with the consistency
with which it represents Jesus. Rarely did He directly answer an accusation,
but moved the conversation to another place. Whatever He wrote caught the Jewish
leadership off guard. In the midst of His writing we read that He stood up and
said, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at
her.” (John 8:7, ESV) This was not what they were expecting. Rather than
catching Jesus in a trap and proving Him as a violator of the law of Moses, He
turned the table back on them. If this truly is the law and if they were truly adherents
to the law (regardless of any outside Roman rule or restraint) then do what the
law demands. Oh, but do this only if you can honestly say that you have never
violated any portion of the law yourself. In response to this they left one at
a time beginning from older to younger until Jesus was left alone with the
woman.
In the same way that the guards were amazed by the words of
Jesus, perceiving Him as having spoken as no man has ever spoken, so were they
Jewish leadership. They had no response and could follow through with no
action. As a result, Jesus was left alone with the woman and asked her where
her accusers were. Did any of them throw a stone in condemnation? And the woman
responded that no one had. Her response was more than just a simple “No.” We
read that she called Him “Lord.” She recognized His authority and responded to
Him in regard to that authority. In response Jesus told her, “Neither do I
condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” (John 8:11, ESV) Telling the
woman to leave her life of sin, Jesus sent her on her way.
In the greater context of history and even the book of John
we consistently see our Lord standing against those who put themselves in the
place of God as harsh judges of His people. Ultimately Scripture declares that
judgment belongs to God, and clearly Jesus had already told men like these that
they did not have the word or love of God in them even though they scoured the
Scriptures (John 5:38-40). “…and you do not have his word abiding in you, for
you do not believe the one whom he has sent. You search the Scriptures because
you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness
about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me that you may have life.” (John 5:38–40,
ESV)
We also see in the words of Christ that every man is guilty
of sin. The scribes and Pharisees knew this, and in response they did not lift
a hand themselves against the woman. Sure there might have been some other
intimidation that we don’t know of, but seeing that the older and seemingly
more knowledgeable and prudent ones were the ones who left first over those who
might be younger and more impulsive gives us cause to wonder. Not knowing what
might have been written in the dirt whether it just be some doodling or maybe
even a listing of sins these men had committed from the hand of our Lord who
knows all men’s hearts, these men were moved such that they could not lift a
hand against the woman and as such could not lift a hand against Jesus either.
The list of things could continue, but let’s end with one
more. Recognizing how lost all of us are in sin, Jesus came to seek and to save
those who are lost. He came to offer forgiveness of sin to all who believe, and
quite possibly this woman was saved because of her encounter with the gracious
mercy of our Lord. In response she was instructed to leave and return to her
life changed with the instruction to live changed. Scripture declares how we
are to live, but living that way will never save anyone because none of us has
or can do it perfectly. Our ability to live victoriously over sin is a result
of Christ having made us spiritually alive and the Spirit doing a daily work in
our lives to grow us more and more into His image. For all of us who are saved,
Scripture declares that we have passed (done deal) from judgment into life.
The bottom line, whether this passage belongs or
not, we know that our God stands against those who are proud and who boast in
their own works and that He favors those who humbly submit themselves to Him in
recognition of how lost they are and how much they need His forgiveness.
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