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." John 8:7
I continue my study of John and today I focus on John 7:53-8:11, which is text that many New Testament scholars argue should not be in the Bible as it was added later after John's original writing. Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method. My observations do not account for whether this text should be in the Bible or not - on this question please see this post from John Piper on DesiringGod.com.
- What do we learn from the text about God?: While others went to their own house (7:53), Jesus goes to the Mount of Olives for the evening (8:1). Once again early in the morning He goes to the temple to teach the people - proclaiming the Word of God is a priority for all believers. The scribes and the Pharisees put God to the test (sin) - seeking for Him to condemn an adulterous woman and to stone her to death (the judgement/sentence per Deuteronomy 22:22 Leviticus 20:10) - and Jesus responds by turning the tables exposing the scribes and the Pharisees as equally sinful, as we know from scripture elsewhere that since the Fall (Genesis 3), all humanity is sinful and in need of a savior (Old Testament, New Testament). After Jesus challenges the scribes and the Pharisees (v9), He is alone with the adulterous woman and forgives her, saves her from eternal condemnation, and commands her to "sin no more" (v11). Know we know that because she is still human of course she will still sin but what Jesus has done is freed her from her sin and given her the power to defeat sin in her life, including her sin of adultery. This path of freedom is not linear progression - as there will be setbacks and dips in this process of sanctification. But we should go back to John 7:37-39 where Jesus shares that "[w]hoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’" Once God enters our heart and life and we continue to abide in Him (John 15:1-17) through daily study of God's Word and prayer, He will renew our mind and make us more like Him.
- What do we learn from the text about people?: The scribes and the Pharisees bring an adulterous woman to Him to test Him (8:3-6) - we know that it is a sin to put God to the test (see also Deuteronomy 6:16, Matthew 4:7). The sin here is that the scribes and the Pharisees sought to manipulate Jesus so that they could expose Him as a fraud - of course He is not a fraud and their efforts exposed them as frauds for their lack of faith and incomplete knowledge of God based on Old Testament prophecies of Jesus. After Jesus challenges the scribes and the Pharisees and exposes their hypocrisy and own sin, "they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones" (v9). We are also reminded that all sin and need a savior.
- Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid putting God to the test and judging/condemning others, claim the promise that Jesus forgives and saves just as He did for the adulterous woman. Follow Jesus' example to show mercy to those who doubt and for others and their sin. Love God and love others, including forgiving others as God forgives us.
My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves! Thank You Jesus for how You loved me while still hostile and an enemy to You. I am not deserving of such blessings. My sin is great and it continues...daily. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.
