Church Requel
Throwing The First Stone
We live in a world that screams for equal treatment of justice. So then it is incredibly timely that we come to today’s passage of Scripture - John 8:1-11
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Church Requel
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Throwing The First Stone - John 8:1-11
We live in a world that screams for equal treatment of justice. We hear things like, ‘That’s not fair.’ ‘You didn’t do it that way for him so you shouldn’t do it that way for me.’ We also live in a world that cries out for mercy when the rules have been broken, especially if it involves someone we know and love. Even more so if it’s us. We hear things like: ‘I didn’t mean anything by it.’ ‘I was just so mad I wasn’t thinking straight.’ ‘That’s not like me, I don’t usually do that.’ ‘Can’t you give me a break? Just this one time?’ The concepts of equal justice and unequal mercy have never been more at the forefront of our social and political world.
So then it is incredibly timely that we come to today’s passage of Scripture. The first 11 verses of John 8 has a long history of debate within the Christian theological community. The earliest manuscripts of the Gospel of John do not include these verses. And yet they have survived the centuries to remain in our Bibles today. Why? I believe it is because the Holy Spirit wanted this story to be included. I believe this story is true in every sense. If this wasn’t in the earliest manuscripts, it’s not because God didn’t want it there.
READ John 8:2-11 // This raises 4 questions in my mind…
#1 - What about the MAN?
“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery.” John 8:3b
The last I knew it takes two to commit an act of adultery. So where is the man who was with this woman? Why wasn’t he also made to stand up in front of the whole crowd and Jesus at the breaking of dawn? What are we talking about here? Equal justice. If the rule applies to one, it should apply to all in the same way. It shouldn’t matter what your gender is, what your race is, what your wealth is, what your social status is, what your political party is. The law is the law and it should not be broken by anyone. Right?
The other guilty party - the man apparently caught in adultery but not held accountable for adultery - he gets off Scott free. There are two things I want to say about this. 1st - our modern day sensibilities are offended that gender treatment would be so different between men and women. We feel the law should apply to persons not to men in one way andwomen in a different way. However this is a modern day viewpoint. More often than not women were not treated equally in history. Even in our own freedom loving USofA, women were not even given the right to vote until 1920 with the ratification of the 19th amendment. Back in Jesus’ day, women were considered as property of the men. Women usually had less rights even than male children.
Which brings me to the 2nd -Jesus was definitely a man outside of his time in his treatment of women. Women were followers. Women were disciples. Jesus included women far more than was normally the case.
This is the way it is also supposed to be in our church community.
“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28
This may be an indicator of just how radical this Christian idea of gender equality really is. The Apostle Paul is trying to get across the idea that each person is the same before God. He goes from the outrageous to the even more outrageous to the ‘you got to be kidding’ outrageous. It’s outrageous in that Hebrew society to consider that Jew and Gentile would be treated the same in the church. It’s even more outrageous that slaves would be treated the same as free men. And then it was ‘you got to be kidding’ outrageous to consider women as equally as men. But this is the way our church community should be. Hasn’t always been that way, but this is the way it should be.
#2 - What about the LAW?
“In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” John 8:5
The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were convinced of one thing. The law of Moses was THE LAW! THE RULE! No matter the argument, the final arbiter of the decision was THE LAW OF MOSES. It wasn’t just one law. It was many. First there were the Ten Commandments. Even more, there was the Torah - the first 5 books: Genesis, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Exodus. Then even more! Over the centuries the Hebrew religious leaders added another 613 rules, called the mitzvot. This broke down into 365 prohibitions - things NOT to do - and 248 positive mitzvot - things to do! How did they remember everything? They had a system for that too. 365 prohibitions? One for each day in the year - 365! 248 positive mitvot? One for each bone in the human body - 248!
So the religious leaders had a good question. Even though it was with bad motives. The Scripture even tells us, “They were using this question as a trap.” (v.6) What about us? Are we bound by the Old Testament laws and rules? Does the New Testament erase the Old? No! We come to an important principle that we see here perfectly. Jesus did not come to erase the law, but rather to fulfill the law. Jesus told us outright right at the very beginning of his ministry in the Sermon on the Mount:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Matthew 5:17
So how does this work for us today? How do we apply this to our own lives? How do we live by Jesus’ code of the law and thus fulfill the Old and New Testament both? Not easily. Not in our own abilities or power. Only through Jesus Himself. And that means through His Holy Spirit. This is not a “do not” kind of religion, but rather a pro-active, “doing” kind of faith. Paul explained it this way:
“The fruit of the Spiritis love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23
#3 - What about the RIGHTEOUS?
“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7b
The Bible tells us that one by one they all dropped their stones and walked away. Interesting little detail - the older ones left first. Why do you suppose that was? Perhaps they had more sins to reflect upon with more time? Or maybe there was a little more wisdom that comes with age? We often think we know so much more when we are younger. No matter what our age, it’s worthwhile to remember that none of us are righteous entirely on our own. We all have sins hidden in the closets of our lives. A little humility is in order, otherwise the righteousness that comes to us by our faith in Jesus can be misappropriated to our own goodness. And none of us are very good at being very good.
When we see someone else failing, falling, downward spinning and sinning, our first thought should be - “but for the grace of God there go I” and our second thought should be - “what can I do to help?” Pray? Talk? Counsel? Give? Our last thought should be to accuse and throw stones. As Chaucer first quipped in 1385: “People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”
There was one perfectly righteous person there that day. He could have thrown the stone and been perfectly justified in doing so. But he didn’t. What DID Jesus do? He was writing in the sand. I wonder what he was writing? We won’t know for sure until we are in Glory someday. However, I can speculate. I think he was writing down names and sins. And it was very personal. Very embarrassing. Bottom line - Jesus knows. Even when no one else does. Don’t forget that when tempted to throw stones.
#4 - What about the GUILTY?
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” John 8:11b
So does this mean that Jesus will never condemn you? When you sin do you just get a free pass? That’s not justice! That’s the very opposite of justice. There is coming a day… a final day… a Day of Judgment! And Jesus will be that judge. And isn’t it interesting that there is no one in the Bible who talks more about that last day than Jesus himself?
So when Jesus doesn’t condemn the woman caught in adultery, it’s exactly the same as when we have sinned and yet not faced the judgment for our offense. It’s not a condemnation avoided but rather a condemnation postponed. What is Jesus’ attitude to our sin? Let’s read a little further: “Go now and leave your life of sin.” The woman gets a second chance to get it right. And so do we. We have an opportunity to live life with Jesus beside us, inside us, before us, strengthening and guiding us. Giving us the ability to change our path. So that on that final day Jesus may take that condemnation upon his own shoulders. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be a stone thrower. I want to be like Jesus and be a grace giver. How about you?
We live in a world that screams for equal treatment of justice. We hear things like, ‘That’s not fair.’ ‘You didn’t do it that way for him so you shouldn’t do it that way for me.’ We also live in a world that cries out for mercy when the rules have been broken, especially if it involves someone we know and love. Even more so if it’s us. We hear things like: ‘I didn’t mean anything by it.’ ‘I was just so mad I wasn’t thinking straight.’ ‘That’s not like me, I don’t usually do that.’ ‘Can’t you give me a break? Just this one time?’ The concepts of equal justice and unequal mercy have never been more at the forefront of our social and political world.
So then it is incredibly timely that we come to today’s passage of Scripture. The first 11 verses of John 8 has a long history of debate within the Christian theological community. The earliest manuscripts of the Gospel of John do not include these verses. And yet they have survived the centuries to remain in our Bibles today. Why? I believe it is because the Holy Spirit wanted this story to be included. I believe this story is true in every sense. If this wasn’t in the earliest manuscripts, it’s not because God didn’t want it there.
READ John 8:2-11 // This raises 4 questions in my mind…
#1 - What about the MAN?
“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery.” John 8:3b
The last I knew it takes two to commit an act of adultery. So where is the man who was with this woman? Why wasn’t he also made to stand up in front of the whole crowd and Jesus at the breaking of dawn? What are we talking about here? Equal justice. If the rule applies to one, it should apply to all in the same way. It shouldn’t matter what your gender is, what your race is, what your wealth is, what your social status is, what your political party is. The law is the law and it should not be broken by anyone. Right?
The other guilty party - the man apparently caught in adultery but not held accountable for adultery - he gets off Scott free. There are two things I want to say about this. 1st - our modern day sensibilities are offended that gender treatment would be so different between men and women. We feel the law should apply to persons not to men in one way andwomen in a different way. However this is a modern day viewpoint. More often than not women were not treated equally in history. Even in our own freedom loving USofA, women were not even given the right to vote until 1920 with the ratification of the 19th amendment. Back in Jesus’ day, women were considered as property of the men. Women usually had less rights even than male children.
Which brings me to the 2nd -Jesus was definitely a man outside of his time in his treatment of women. Women were followers. Women were disciples. Jesus included women far more than was normally the case.
This is the way it is also supposed to be in our church community.
“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28
This may be an indicator of just how radical this Christian idea of gender equality really is. The Apostle Paul is trying to get across the idea that each person is the same before God. He goes from the outrageous to the even more outrageous to the ‘you got to be kidding’ outrageous. It’s outrageous in that Hebrew society to consider that Jew and Gentile would be treated the same in the church. It’s even more outrageous that slaves would be treated the same as free men. And then it was ‘you got to be kidding’ outrageous to consider women as equally as men. But this is the way our church community should be. Hasn’t always been that way, but this is the way it should be.
#2 - What about the LAW?
“In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” John 8:5
The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were convinced of one thing. The law of Moses was THE LAW! THE RULE! No matter the argument, the final arbiter of the decision was THE LAW OF MOSES. It wasn’t just one law. It was many. First there were the Ten Commandments. Even more, there was the Torah - the first 5 books: Genesis, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Exodus. Then even more! Over the centuries the Hebrew religious leaders added another 613 rules, called the mitzvot. This broke down into 365 prohibitions - things NOT to do - and 248 positive mitzvot - things to do! How did they remember everything? They had a system for that too. 365 prohibitions? One for each day in the year - 365! 248 positive mitvot? One for each bone in the human body - 248!
So the religious leaders had a good question. Even though it was with bad motives. The Scripture even tells us, “They were using this question as a trap.” (v.6) What about us? Are we bound by the Old Testament laws and rules? Does the New Testament erase the Old? No! We come to an important principle that we see here perfectly. Jesus did not come to erase the law, but rather to fulfill the law. Jesus told us outright right at the very beginning of his ministry in the Sermon on the Mount:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Matthew 5:17
So how does this work for us today? How do we apply this to our own lives? How do we live by Jesus’ code of the law and thus fulfill the Old and New Testament both? Not easily. Not in our own abilities or power. Only through Jesus Himself. And that means through His Holy Spirit. This is not a “do not” kind of religion, but rather a pro-active, “doing” kind of faith. Paul explained it this way:
“The fruit of the Spiritis love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23
#3 - What about the RIGHTEOUS?
“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7b
The Bible tells us that one by one they all dropped their stones and walked away. Interesting little detail - the older ones left first. Why do you suppose that was? Perhaps they had more sins to reflect upon with more time? Or maybe there was a little more wisdom that comes with age? We often think we know so much more when we are younger. No matter what our age, it’s worthwhile to remember that none of us are righteous entirely on our own. We all have sins hidden in the closets of our lives. A little humility is in order, otherwise the righteousness that comes to us by our faith in Jesus can be misappropriated to our own goodness. And none of us are very good at being very good.
When we see someone else failing, falling, downward spinning and sinning, our first thought should be - “but for the grace of God there go I” and our second thought should be - “what can I do to help?” Pray? Talk? Counsel? Give? Our last thought should be to accuse and throw stones. As Chaucer first quipped in 1385: “People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”
There was one perfectly righteous person there that day. He could have thrown the stone and been perfectly justified in doing so. But he didn’t. What DID Jesus do? He was writing in the sand. I wonder what he was writing? We won’t know for sure until we are in Glory someday. However, I can speculate. I think he was writing down names and sins. And it was very personal. Very embarrassing. Bottom line - Jesus knows. Even when no one else does. Don’t forget that when tempted to throw stones.
#4 - What about the GUILTY?
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” John 8:11b
So does this mean that Jesus will never condemn you? When you sin do you just get a free pass? That’s not justice! That’s the very opposite of justice. There is coming a day… a final day… a Day of Judgment! And Jesus will be that judge. And isn’t it interesting that there is no one in the Bible who talks more about that last day than Jesus himself?
So when Jesus doesn’t condemn the woman caught in adultery, it’s exactly the same as when we have sinned and yet not faced the judgment for our offense. It’s not a condemnation avoided but rather a condemnation postponed. What is Jesus’ attitude to our sin? Let’s read a little further: “Go now and leave your life of sin.” The woman gets a second chance to get it right. And so do we. We have an opportunity to live life with Jesus beside us, inside us, before us, strengthening and guiding us. Giving us the ability to change our path. So that on that final day Jesus may take that condemnation upon his own shoulders. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be a stone thrower. I want to be like Jesus and be a grace giver. How about you?