Caught in Adultery

John 7:53 - 8:1-11

*We acknowledge that this was not a part of John’s original manuscript; however, we think it’s still a story to learn from and do not want to ignore it.

‘If there is a man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, one who commits adultery with his friend’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death.’

Leviticus 20:10

The women caught in adultery is a story that radiates the gospel. It is a short story but, impactful.

We see the women dragged by the Pharisees, and they spout off the law, well, kind of. Leviticus 20:10 states that both parties of adultery shall be put to death. Yet, where is the man? We have seen God’s words twisted and a missing man before. This is a story we’ve read since the beginning.

“The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not [o]eat, for on the day that you eat from it you will certainly die…Now, the serpent was more cunning than any animal of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God really said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” 4 The serpent said to the woman, “You certainly will not die! 5 For God knows that on the day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened, and you will [a]become like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and, that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves waist coverings” (Genesis 2:16-17, 3:1-7).

Just as the serpent manipulated the commands of God, so did the Pharisees. Just as Adam was passive during the interaction between Eve and the serpent, the male adulterer was absent. The woman was left to believe the lies of the snake. Sin is the same old story throughout time. Even God’s perfect law was used to uphold dishonoring sexism in the ancient Jewish culture, as well as to be used against Jesus. This means this woman alone was condemned to suffer the consequences of her adultery. Those who were called to protect and lead her through God’s word and shepherd became her condemners, using God’s law as the weapon against her instead of reminding her that God is a “compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin” (Exodus 34:6-7).

Yet (and this is where it gets good) Jesus does not fall into their evil schemes. He cannot be tricked. In His Godness, we see the power to resist temptation. Jesus doesn’t fall into their trap but fights against the spiritual battle. He challenges them to show them who the true judge of sin is. That Jesus who loves, knows, and obeys the Law to the fullest shows compassion and mercy, AGAIN, to those of Israel. That He, perfect blameless and one who could cast a stone, casts grace instead.

But Jesus does not look past her sin and ignore it. He acknowledges it and tells her to sin no more. Jesus doesn’t avoid the topic of sin with us but compassionately tells us to stop, turn from it, and go back to Him.

We are the Pharisees and the women. We quickly cast stones, yet come to Jesus naked and ashamed. We come to him caught in our sin, and instead of looking away in disgust, he looks at us with loving kindness, ready to help us turn from sin and turn us to live by grace.

Where are you prone to be a Pharisee, to manipulate God’s Law for your glory?

Where you are prone to be the woman, living in shame?

Write the gospel to yourself in both cases, reminding yourself Jesus took the stones and the shame to the cross.