John 8:1-11
but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “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 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. 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.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
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. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,”Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
What if the Pharisees had instead brought someone like Jodi Arias before Jesus?
Jodi Arias killed her ex-boyfriend, she stabbed him repeatedly, shot and nearly decapitated him. She has been found guilty and may be sentenced to death. What would Jesus response have been had the pharisees said to him “in the Law Moses commanded us to kill such women. Now what do you say?”
Would Jesus have said “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” or would he have said, as Moses instructed, “eye for eye, tooth for tooth, life for life”?
A subtle difference between adultery and murder perhaps?
Cuckold for cuckold?
It’s an interesting Question.
The truth is we cant know.
He chose those words specifically for the circumstance at hand.
We also must appreciate the whole the point is that they would never have brought such a ‘cut and dry’ case before Christ.
They chose the ‘Adulterous woman’ *to test Christ* …to ensnare him…on a Pharisaic legalism… if he would kill a woman for mere sexual indiscretion.
It is interesting that Christ told the Crucified Malefactor beside him that “This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise”
“For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” John3:17
This is part of his ‘meek’ aspect… He did not appear in great power and Glory as the Jews expected… Judging and smiting the Evil Romans… but lowly riding on an Ass… preaching ‘turn the other cheek’… “Repent Israel!”.
Yet they rejected their King because he did not fit their notion of how the messiah would appear.
*We now know why*
God knew everything… he knew the Jews would reject Christ, He knew Judas would betray Christ, he knew Pilate would wash his hands… and that Christ would Die a criminals death on the cross.
*This was the secret mission of the meek and lowly Christ *… This mystery was revealed…not by St Peter after the Resurrection, but by St Paul.
That Christ’s death burial and resurrection was the Great work of salvation God had planned for the free Salvation of whosoever will but believe.
It is at his second coming that Christ shall appear in Power and glory… *And Judgment*….
Thus the story of the adulterous woman fits in perfectly with the program of Christ’s first visitation.
It is also important to apprehend we are not under Christ’s teachings at present… which were specifically to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
We are under the doctrines and dispensation of St Paul… our Apostle.
Tim Wikiriwhi
Tim, how can you say, “we are not under Christ’s teachings at present,” and call yourself a Christian? Dispensationalism is a diabolical heresy!
Tim
What would Jesus have the judge do now?
I think she should be sentenced to death… but I don’t think she should burn in hell forever.
Reed, would you be the first to throw a stone at her?
Sure.
If I’d murdered someone then I’d deserve to be killed… do unto others etc. 😉
I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law. – Paul (1 Corinthians 9:21)
Reed, what if you’d attempted to kill someone … should I try to throw rocks at you? 😉