JESUS AND THE WOMAN CAUGHT IN ADULTERY

Scriptures

* John 7: 53-8:11

For starters

Oh, how we scream for justice! Crucify him!! Incarcerate that man!! We perhaps even pray that God exercises his powerful hand of holiness to rid the world of evil. But what do we truly desire? Have we ever been selfish? Have we ever been rude? Have we ever been impatient? Have we ever been unkind? Have we ever hated someone (if even for just one minute)? Have we ever wanted to do evil? Have we ever denied God? Have we ever lied? Have we ever stolen? Have we ever been angry? Have we ever done unto others what we would not have them do to us? Have we ever crucified the son of the Almighty God? It's easy to watch others burn, especially when we feel they deserve it. It's almost as if we feel vindicated by the fact they are suffering in the way they should be. However, we know that all sin leads to death and we know that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Trust me when I say we don't want justice. We desire mercy.

So what's the story?

The situation trap was set as Jesus appeared in the temple courts at dawn. Jesus began teaching to those around him when the Pharisees and the teachers of the law brought in a women who had been caught in the very act adultery--no doubt about her guilt. They presented her in front of the crowd and asked the question:

"In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such a women what do you say?" The dilemma was if Jesus condemned the adulteress to death he would be assuming authority which belonged only to Roman rulers, and could therefore be accused of being a usurper under Roman law. However, Jesus could not deny the Law of Moses either.

How could Jesus get around this one?!! Well, writing in the sand was as good a start as any. It is unknown for certain what Jesus wrote, but it has been appealingly suggested that He may have been writing the Ten Commandments. When Jesus' opponents persisted for an answer, Jesus gave them more than what they were ready for, "Let he that is without sin cast the first stone." Then he continued writing in the dirt--maybe the rest of the Ten Commandments.

The text tells us that the crowd that had gathered for the "lynching" dispersed one by one--beginning with the oldest people there. No more cries for justice; no more taunting; no more accusations. Possibly the only sound heard was one stone after another being humbly dropped.

After a period of time had passed Jesus looked up at the woman and asked, "Is no one condemning you?"

"No one, Lord," she said.

"Neither do I condemn you; go your way; from now on sin no more," Jesus told her

Questions of content

* What was the dilemma into which theJewish leaders tried to put Jesus?
* What did Jesus bend down and do after they asked him their question?
* Who was the first to leave the "lynch mob" after Jesus said, "Let he that is without sin cast the first stone"?
* What did Jesus tell the woman to do afterward?

Thinking it over

* Does Jesus offer any judgment toward this woman or her actions anywhere in this story? (consider vs. 11d) What is this story generally told to teach (the lesson for which people usually cite it)? Does Jesus not condemn adultery? What is this story teaching?
* Why does the Bible mention that Jesus bent down to write in the sand? What do you suppose Jesus was writing in the sand? How does that contribute to the impact of the story told in the text?
* Why do you suppose that it was the older members of the crowd that left first? Why does this story generally have such a powerful impact on people even today? How good are we at remembering our own faults at a time of anger and passion?