Jesus and the Adulteress Woman: Law and Grace

John 7:53-8:11 Jesus and the Adulteress Woman (Law and Grace) Introduction: This story has brought much comfort to many who have found themselves under the weight of shame and guilt. It is a magnificent display of the wisdom, grace and truth that was the reputation of Jesus ministry. Therefore it might bother us to know that this story is not a part of the original Johannine text. What do you mean? I thought we believe that, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”? Let me give an emphatic amen to that verse. We do believe this. So here’s the deal. The story is missing from all the Greek manuscripts of John before the fifth century. All the earliest church fathers omit this passage in commenting on John and pass directly from John 7:52 to John 8:12. In fact, the text flows very nicely from 7:52 to 8:12 if you leave out the story and just read the passage as though the story were not there. Keeping with the setting of the Feast of Tabernacles. No Eastern church father cites the passage before the tenth century when dealing with this Gospel. When the story starts to appear in manuscript copies of the Gospel of John, it shows up in three different places other than here (after 7:36; 7:44; and 21:25), and in one manuscript of Luke, it shows up after 21:38. Its style and vocabulary is more unlike the rest of John's Gospel than any other paragraph in the Gospel. “The evidence for the non-johannine origin of pericope of the adulteress is overwhelming. It is absent from such early diverse manuscripts - from our four oldest and most trustworthy greek sources. Textually, stylistically, and in every other discernible way, the case against its being of Johannine authorship appears to be conclusive.” -Bruce Metzger, N.T. Professor at Princeton (He is widely considered one of the most influential New Testament scholars of the 20th century.) So then why is it in my Bible? Bruce Metzger goes on to state: “At the same time the account has all the earmarks of historical veracity. It is obviously a piece of oral tradition which circulated in certain parts of the Western Church.” And this is why it eventually found it’s way into the Canon. This story, although not a part of the gospel accounts seems to be a legitimate historical event in Jesus’ ministry. The story appears to be that of eyewitness account by the language that is used. Also the story is accurate displaying Jesus ministry with the religious leaders and sinners and it is consistent with gospel theology. Here’s how I see this story. It is a true historical account of Jesus. It really happened, and probably at this time when Jesus was at the Feast of Tabernacles, although it was not recorded by John. When read here it can bring a good illustration to the teaching on judgment. The woman caught in Adultery story introduces the chapter and precedes Jesus first explicit "I Am” statement. This Adulteress story was placed in our Canon rather late (as I said) but it presents, pictorially and dramatically, the heart or grace of these two chapters mysterious “I Am” confrontations. Also, we get to see a display of Jesus -full of grace and truth and we get some insight into the rising tension between the religious leaders and Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles. 1. The Story 1. The Pharisees (the teachers of Israel and the religious elite) are trying to trap Jesus. They want to either get him in trouble with the Mosaic Law, so that they have a legitimate reason to reject him, his claims, and eventually kill him. They also want to discredit him in the eyes of the people. The common people are believing in Jesus and it enrages the leaders. So they set a trap for Jesus. 2. They bring him a woman who has been caught in the very act of adultery. They remind him that according to the Law of Moses such woman are to be put to death. But what is Jesus’ judgment, what does he say? 3. What will Jesus do? If Jesus upholds the law the sinners that he is ministering to will see themselves estranged from Jesus - he is heavy and harsh like the Pharisees. 4. If he does not uphold the law - he stands as a law breaker one who regards the law of God lightly as they have accused him regarding the Sabbath. - and they can put him to death as a false prophet. 1. Rather than Jesus jumping to a hasty judgment he stoops down and begins writing in the sand almost as if he hasn’t heard the accusation. what is he doing? Is he writing their sins? Is he doodling? Is he using a visual distraction to remove condemning eyes off the woman? Is buy himself time to think? All possible. 1. It may be worth observing that Jesus elsewhere uses the image of the finger of God (Luke 11:20) to refer to his exercise of divine authority. Remember it was with God’s finger that the law was written on tablets of stone on Mount Sinai (Exodus 32:16). 2. As the question continues to be asked,” Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” Jesus finally rises and says something quite profound: “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” We’re told that at this word each of them began to slip away from oldest to the youngest. Jesus cleared the courtroom. 5. What Happened? 1. The religious authorities are correct. According to the Law of Moses this woman was to be put to death, but so was the man. 1. “If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.” This woman is not only a sinner, but also the victim of chauvinism. If these leaders were interested in true justice the man would have been brought also. 2. Jesus’ Response 1. “He who is without sin throw a stone at her first.” With this response Jesus manages both to recognize (if not to honor) the ancient capital teaching (“stone her”) and at the same time to honor even more his unique compassion for this and for every shamed (if even sinful) human being and so to avert a cruel use of the Bible. 2. Although the religious leaders aren’t interested in true judgment and justice, Jesus is. His answer is not meant to say, “since everyone is a sinner no one has the right to judge”; or “sexual sin and adultery aren’t really what God cares about, it’s our hearts”. 3. Jesus word is meant to expose a misuse use of the law. The point is not that judges and executioners must be sinless. The point is that righteousness and justice should be founded on a gracious spirit, and if it's not, what you get is the heartlessness and hypocrisy of self righteousness. 2. The Religious Problem 1. It’s here we come to see the religious problem: -The possibility and peril of all teachers of scripture and of all serious believers of all times and all places: is we take our book very seriously, but as a result we frequently tend to be super hard on sinners (and on just about everyone else). 3. The Irreligious Problem 1. But we are equally faced with the irreligious problem: if we take a light view of scripture and morality then we are in danger of cheapening forgiveness, or not taking sin, and righteousness serious enough. 2. The problem for those of us who might not understand what Jesus is doing here would be to make light of the situation. The danger is to say about any sin, “it’s ok, it’s not that big of a deal.” A true reading of the Bible won’t let us do that. 1. So how can we hold together the justice and compassion that God’s law requires? 4. The Jesus Solution (Grace and Justice) 1. Jesus words, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” recognize that this woman has indeed sinned, that she stands condemned under the law. But in order for Jesus to say these words to this woman and for them to have any weight and power to this woman cost Jesus the hell of Calvary. Jesus can say “I do not condemn you” because he will be condemned in her place, he will bear in himself the punishment for her sin and every other sin. You see Jesus is the only way we can hold the tension of justice and grace together. 1. “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” -Romans 3:21-26 2. If we lighten or downplay our sin then we inevitably cheapen the work of Jesus Christ, we take away from the glory of the cross. It is only through Jesus that we can take the law of God seriously and still have compassion, forgiveness and love for sinners 2. Doesn’t this view give us a light view of sin? Some might see this still as falling under the category of cheap grace or irreligion. But that’s not how the scripture sees it. 1. “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training (teaching) us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” - Titus 2:11-14 2. The work of grace compels us to not sin. Forgiveness, like nothing else, arms believers against future willful sinning. 1. “Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God; he, to rescue me from danger, interposed his precious blood. O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be! Let thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee.” 2. Maybe more often the problem with our devotion to Christ is not that grace isn’t compelling enough, but that we don’t realize the extreme wickedness and destruction of our own sin and sin in general, and the just punishment it deserves. Or maybe we have not thought and meditated enough on the holiness, and perfect justice of God. 1. If we are faithful to take both God’s righteousness and our sin seriously when we look to the cross it WILL compel us to righteousness, faithfulness, and love for God and love for Neighbor. 1. God give us a renewed vision of your righteousness, justice and your grace to us in Jesus.