Read John 8:1-11
I Love Throwing Stones.
It was early in the morning that Jesus went to the temple courts to teach. A large group gathered around him. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery and made her stand in front of the group. They spoke to Jesus and announced in front of everyone what sin this woman committed. “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 asked this in order to trap Jesus and thus have a basis to make accusations against him.
What is the “TRAP?”
The Law Of Moses says that when a man and woman commit adultery, they both are to be stoned to death. Leviticus 20:10.
However, the Jews were currently living under Roman law which says no one could be put to death except by a judge.
So here is Jesus’s predicament:
1. If Jesus says to Stone her, in order to keep the Law of Moses, then he would be breaking the Roman law. That would give the teachers of the law and Pharisees reason to accuse him.
2. If Jesus said, don’t Stone her, in order to keep the Roman law, then they could accuse him of being a false prophet or false teacher because he broke the Law of Moses.
However, Jesus gave the perfect response by saying, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” This was the perfect response because it gave no room for accusation against him but it also reinforced the message of mercy, grace, and forgiveness that he had been preaching.
So how will we treat people if we keep with the message of mercy, grace, and forgiveness?
1. Will we be like the teachers of the law and Pharisees who proclaim to everyone the sin of another person? Do we love to gossip about the wrongdoings of others while thinking we are without sin ourselves? Don’t you see the arrogance in that? Does this approach do anything to help the person caught in sin to feel any hope of redemption? No! All it does is knock them down in hopes of keeping them trapped in a world of deception.
2. Will you be like Jesus who lovingly came ALONGSIDE THE WOMAN, despite the fact she was a “sinner”? He encouraged her to leave the life of sin versus condemning her. He gave her a sense of value when the world would say you’re nothing? The approach of mercy, grace, and forgiveness actually brings healing and Hope to a person lost in sin.
Let us take the Jesus approach instead of throwing stones.
