JUDGMENT DEFERRED
#865 JUDGMENT DEFERRED
Scripture John 7:53-8:11 Orig. April 3, 1991
Passage: 7 53 Then they all went home, 8 1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 “No one, sir,” she said.
Purpose: Resuming the study of John’s Gospel, here showing Jesus’ compassion upon the woman taken in adultery.
Keywords: Christ, Mercy, Compassion
Timeline/Series: Sequential/John
Introduction
One of the books that has been the most helpful to me over the years has been A.T. Robertson’s A Harmony of the Gospels. Whenever I have needed to study parallel texts from two or more of the gospels, this book has been my teacher. Additionally, there is a supplemental section dealing with texts that are to some degree troublesome.
Our text for this evening, did not, however, receive such scrutiny. He only adds a footnote. “Most of the ancient authorities omit John 7:53-8:11. Those that contain it vary much from each other.”
The reference is to the fact that this passage is not found in but one of the early manuscripts. Six of the best, according to Barclay, make no mention of it. Two others leave a blank space where it should have been. And the so-called “church fathers” do not mention it.
It does appear in the Roman Vulgate, so Jerome knew about it in the fourth century. Augustine and Ambrose comment on it, so it was known to them. Other manuscripts that include the story, have it at the end of John’s Gospel, while some even insert it at the end of Luke 21.
The best explanation I have read about this is that the early church had to deal so vigorously with paganistic sexual practices, that the story seemed a compromise. Knowing the teaching of Jesus, this seemed to offer justification to those susceptible to more questionable practices.
In spite of all these questions, the story is where it belongs, giving evidence of the gracious way that Jesus dealt with the people he encountered.
I. Judgment Begins Actually with the Woman Herself. V4 “They say unto Him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.”
The law relative to adultery is quite clear, she had to know it. In the eyes of the Jewish legalists, it was a serious crime. Parenthetically, it may have been this Jewish influence keeping this from before the people. It was the Rabbi’s teaching. “Every Jew must die before he will commit idolatry, murder, or adultery.” Leviticus 20:10 says that both parties shall die without specifying how they are to die. Deuteronomy 22:13f is complicated and states that the woman can be stoned to death.
Knowing all of this, she chose to live in this unacceptable, and illegal way. We do not know if she was a wife or a betrothed. Only that she was taken in the act. We also know, however, that there is no mention of her partner. They claim affinity for the law. We do not know why they did not likewise bring the man. We know that they had little interest in this wretched woman. Their interest was entrapment. Jesus is himself the object of their spite. V6 “This they said, tempting him.” Peirazo—“prove by soliciting to sin.” Zodiates p 1720. James 1:13 “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted by evil, neither tempteth He.”
II. The Next Turn of Judgment is on the Part of These Religious Leaders. V3 “The scribes and Pharisees brought unto Him a woman taken in adultery.” They are performing a legitimate function. Law is meaningless unless it is enforced. Digressions from the norm must be treated without compromise. Everything must relate to the severity of the offense. There is a difference in telling your child he can’t have a cookie, and telling him he can’t play in the street. If it is life-threatening, he needs something to help him remember. Their interest was not in judging her but in judging Him. Evidently, they cared little about the way she lived her life. They are out to get Jesus.
III. Their Point is that Jesus Make a Judgment Relative to This Woman. V5 “Moses in the law commanded us, . . what do you say?” V7 “They continued asking him.” The background is of Jesus being hounded by the religious leaders. He was in Galilee as Chapter 7 begins “because the Jews sought to kill him.” Now he has come to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles.” Officers were sent to arrest Him. There was division among the people. There were unbelieving rulers. 7:53: “And every man went to his own house.” 8:1 “And Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.”
They determine to use this woman for entrapment. His reputation with the people is of mercy, the friend of sinners. He could be made to appear to flaunt the law. If he condemns her, however, he could be in jeopardy with Romans. The immediate response of Jesus seems to be uncharacteristically vague. He stoops and writes in the dirt. Not graphein—“to write.” Rather, katagraphein—“to record against.” Job 13:26 “Thou writest bitter things against me.” It could be because of her shame, he forcibly takes his eyes from her—she would have been emotional, the state of her dress or undress may have shamed her.
IV. Where Judgment Ultimately Takes Us However, is in Jesus’ Assessment. V7 “He that is without sin, let him first cast a stone at her.”
It shows Jesus’ different set of values. There is a sense of authority to expose the sinner. Jesus sought to understand and redeem, find oneness with, show compassion for. George Whitfield: “There, but for the grace of God, go I.” B.H. Carroll reminding us of Song of Solomon 1:6: “Thou hast made me a keeper of vineyards, but mine own I have not kept.” After golfer Ed Dunlop experienced vandalism against his property, he hung the [damaged] desk top in his office “to remind me to be more tolerant.” (Pro 2/9, p35)
It shows a proper relationship to people. Their interest in this woman was to use her. She was a tool. We have a need to certify ourselves. Do we care about people? What kind of people? Our kind? What steps are we willing to take to redeem?
Dr. W. Barclay refers to Paul Tournier’s “A Doctor’s Casebook in the Light of the Bible.” How fond the Bible is of people’s names. Exodus 33:17—“I know thee by name.” Isaiah 45:3 (Cyrus): “I am the Lord which call thee by thy name.” Dr. Tournier’s patients were more than gallbladders or lungs.
Consequently, Jesus gives us His attitude toward sin. Only the sinless has the right to judge sin. Matthew 7:1 “Judge not that ye be not judged.” One of the two choices left is apathy. Philippians 2:21 “All seek their own, not the things that are Jesus Christ’s.” Amos 6:6 “They are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.”
The remaining and appropriate attitude is the helpful spirit. Jesus does not tell her that her sin does not matter. He tells her she deserves a second chance. A point of great importance is that there will be a last chance.
“How I wish that there was some wonderful place, called the land of beginning again,
Where all our mistakes and all our heartaches and all our selfish grief
Could be dropped like a shabby old coat at the door, and never put on again.” –Louisa Fletcher
John 5:14 “. . . behold thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.” Impatience is the last and worst thing.
CONCLUSION
Lee Atwater is dead. He is Chairman of the RNC. Quoted (MMS 11-3-90) “I have found Jesus Christ. It is that simple. He’s made a difference, and I’m glad I found Him while there’s still time. . . . For the first time in my life, I don’t hate somebody.” (Card 91:4-7)