An Adulterous Woman
John 8:4-5,6b-8 TPT
4 Then they said to Jesus, “Teacher, we caught this woman in the very act of adultery. 5 Doesn’t Moses’ law command us to stone to death a woman like this? 6b But Jesus didn’t answer them. Instead he simply bent down and wrote in the dust with His finger. 7 Angry, they kept insisting that He answer their question, so Jesus stood up and looked at them and said, “Let’s have the man who has never had a sinful desire throw the first stone at her.” 8 And then He bent over and wrote some more words in the dust.
In the Old Testament when someone committed adultery it was made clear in Leviticus 20:10 and Deuteronomy 22:22-24 that both the man and the woman were to be stoned to death when they committed adultery. How easy it is for mankind to change the whole meaning of something to fit what is comfortable for them. In the Greek the word anamartetos means more than general sin, but is better translated “a sinful desire.” Who has never had a sinful desire? In Jeremiah 17:30 Jeremiah prophesied that those who forsake God by committing spiritual adultery will be written in the dust. Everyone of those men who were there that day with Jesus were guilty of having forsaken God, the true Living Water, and yet here they were so anxious to stone this poor woman to death. Think about it. This was the same finger that wrote the Ten Commandments in stone who I believe, was writing in the dust the name of each one of this woman’s accusers. Or maybe Jesus wrote Jeremiah 17:30 out for them. Jesus was exposing their hypocrisy right there before their own eyes. When this woman’s accusers heard Jesus say, “Let’s have the man who has never had a sinful desire throw the first stone at her,” these accusers slowly left the crowd one at a time, begging with the oldest to the youngest, with a convicted conscience. Until finally Jesus was left alone with the woman still standing there in front of Him. So He stood back up and said to her, “Dear woman, where are your accusers? Is there no one here to condemn you?” Looking around, she replied, “I see no one, Lord.” Jesus said, “Then I certainly don’t condemn you either. Go, and from now on, be free from a life of sin.” We all have sinned, every one of us! The ground is level at the foot of the cross. Where do you fit in in this story? Would you be a accuser or one who is accused? Jesus sees us all and sees our most intimate closed door happenings done in secret. Yet as we come to Him, He never condemns, always extends forgiveness and cleanses and brings healing to our hearts and minds. He tells us along with the adulteress woman to go and sin no more. If you are an accuser, think again. Are there sins that are ok, like being accusatory and judgmental in a nasty way? Jesus didn’t find these men pleasing to Him or His Father. So who was the greatest sinner among all of the characters in this story? They all were just like you and me. Don’t receive others condemnation and don’t you shell it out on others. Let’s receive Jesus’ forgiveness and be merciful to others as well.
What about you? Have you been under a sense of condemnation because of someone else’s self-righteousness? Have you been full of self-righteousness yourself? Let’s open our hearts to the searching light of the Holy Spirit and enter into His alignment with His mercy and grace today. Blessings on your day.
