Description
Understanding John 8:7 – Jesus and the Adulterous Woman
In this episode, we delve into John 8:7, exploring the story of… (visit YouTube for more)
Transcript
Now we just have to be a little bit careful with today’s verse because it falls in a part of the book of John that is not present in the oldest of manuscripts, so there’s some doubt whether or not this appeared in the original. Nevertheless, this tracks with what we know about Jesus.
It’s John 8 verse 7 and it’s about the woman who’s been caught in adultery and who was about to be stoned. John 8 verse 7. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her."
This is the graciousness of God, pure and simple. We know from what James says, that if you break any part of the law, you’re guilty of breaking all of it. And Jesus’ point here in this story is that all of the people surrounding this woman, no matter what she’d done, they were all lawbreakers too. So what right did they then have to be accusing her, to be judging her? God only could be her judge.
And we find out later in the story that Jesus doesn’t condemn her, that salvation was available for her too. So let us not be those who are holding the law, who are holding self righteousness or any kind of righteousness over the heads of others, knowing that we aren’t without sin. We can’t be casting stones.
Of course, our sin is covered by the blood of Christ, and yet we still sin. So yes, we do need to be able to judge between right and wrong, and particularly if we’re in any position of leadership, we have to make these kind of calls. But as far as executing judgment is concerned, as far as bringing punishment, let us proceed with great caution, examining our own hearts first, because Jesus, our Lord, is not fond of hypocrisy.
Lord God, please help us to be like you, to be like Jesus in how we treat others, to be exercising so much grace and mercy and tenderness and wherever possible restoring people with love, because that is what you’ve done for us. Amen.
