Today I want to focus on the passage at the beginning of John 8 where the Pharisees try to trap Jesus by bringing to Him a woman caught in adultery. You can tell it's a trap and that they're not actually interested in justice because they only brought the woman, not the man.
John MacArthur's sermon Jesus, the Friend of Sinners was very enlightening and brought up some points I, at least, had not heard before.
The Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus by making Him answer the question - How is it possible to harmonize justice and mercy? A just and holy God would condemn this woman to be stoned. A merciful and loving God would allow her to live. How can He do both?
MacArthur drew two really interesting things out of this passage.
First, notice the difference between the Pharisees and the woman when they are convicted of their sins. They are all convicted. They all know they are sinners.
But what do they do?
The Pharisees leave. They run away from Jesus. They run away from the only One who can forgive their sin.
But what did the woman do? She stayed. She stayed with Jesus.
What do we do when convicted of our sins? Do we react against Jesus and run away? Or do we stay and throw ourselves upon His mercy?
Jesus, as was often the case, did not answer the question they asked him. He saw through their trap.
He said, "The question is not how do you harmonize the judgment of God with the grace of God. The question is what right do you have to be this woman's judge, you vile sinners?" In other words, this is God's business, not yours.....
how can a holy God just say, "Go on, okay, don't do it again." How can He do that? I mean how can God let her off the hook? Somebody has to die. That's just it. You know what Jesus knew as he stood there? I believe this with all my heart. When He said to that woman, "I don't condemn you; go, and sin no more," you know what He knew in His heart, that divine heart? He knew full well that He would die on a cross for her adultery. He knew that. That was the only way. The only reason He could give her forgiveness was because He would bear in His own body her sin. It's the only way, and He knew it.
That's why I say every time Jesus healed somebody, every time Jesus forgave somebody, He experienced the bitterness of the anticipation of the cross. That woman's sin wouldn't go unpunished. It would be placed on Christ, and He would die for her adultery...
That is being a friend to sinners, isn't it?...You look at Jesus Christ, and He's willing to die for your adultery. He's willing to die for your lies. He's willing to die for your curses against His own name. He's willing to die for your inequities in life. He's willing to die for the foul thoughts and deeds and words that have come out of your mouth. He's willing to die for every sin you've ever committed or ever will...and He says to you what He said to the woman, "Woman, I don't condemn you anymore." Listen, I believe this woman was redeemed that day. She stayed to seek the forgiveness of sin. They left, and Jesus gave her what the law cold never give her. Jesus said, "I don't condemn you anymore." "Why?" "Your sin is covered. It's covered. Go, and don't sin again." That's just what He says to us, isn't it? In Christ, your sin is covered. I don't condemn you anymore, but go and don't sin anymore...He knew He'd bear her sin on the cross. What a friend to sinners. (emphasis mine)
Tomorrow's passage: Psalms 12-14, John 8:28-59
4 comments:
I remember our youth pastor talking about this passage and what stood out for me was Jesus' writing in the sand. What was He writing?? Was is "Sinner" "Forgiven" or "Repent"?? Was it random doodling or words?
Great post! What incredible love Jesus has for us. I never thought of it that way, that as He is forgiving her, He knows that He has to pay the price on the cross for her sin, for my sin. That is so humbling for me.
I always wonder if Jesus was writing down the sins of the group of Pharisees. Maybe next to each name, a secret sin they thought they were getting away with? Maybe the name of a lover they thought no one knew about... Who knows? It seemed to be convicting, whatever it was!
I love that point about EVERYONE in the group being convicted, but that while most ran away, the woman stayed and was willing to humble herself before Jesus. I also love the point about how Jesus was able to let her off with just a warning, knowing full well He would bear the punishment for her sins. That's really beautiful. I love listening to MacArthur's sermons!!
Great post!
Great post. I, too, am curious about what Jesus was writing in the sand. It's so humbling for me to realize that Jesus died knowing each and every sin that he was paying for. It's sometimes easier to think that because they were all covered over en masse that they weren't individually noticeable or recognizable. Of course we know better when we think about it. But it's embarrassing sometimes to realize that he knows all the little things that we don't want anyone to know about.
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