November 11, 2016

NO CONDEMNATION

John 7:53–8:11

Nathan Wagnon
Friday's Devo

November 11, 2016

Friday's Devo

November 11, 2016

Central Truth

Jesus stands squarely against a world that is quick to condemn and offers the forgiveness and life found only in Him.

Key Verse | John 8:10–11

Jesus stood up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more." (John 8:10-11)

John 7:53–8:11

[The earliest manuscripts do not include 7:53–8:11.] 1 7:53 Some manuscripts do not include 7:538:11; others add the passage here or after 7:36 or after 21:25 or after Luke 21:38, with variations in the text

The Woman Caught in Adultery

53 [[They went each to his own house, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 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.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”]]

Footnotes

[1] 7:53 Some manuscripts do not include 7:53–8:11; others add the passage here or after 7:36 or after 21:25 or after Luke 21:38, with variations in the text

Dive Deeper | John 7:53–8:11

Excursus

If you are reading a study Bible, you probably noticed that this section is separated from the rest of the text by a bracketed explanation like, “The earliest manuscripts do not include 7:53–8:11.” The broad scholarly consensus is that John 7:53-8:11 is not original to John’s Gospel, but may have belonged to a collection of stories that predate the Gospels. Given the nature of Jesus’ actions and the strong similarities this story shares with other Gospel stories, we have reason to think the story is historical, even if not original to John’s Gospel. It has often been called “Our Favorite Story That’s Not in the Bible.”

Until we learn to read Gospel narratives by placing ourselves at the scene and experiencing the emotion of those who actually lived the story, then our understanding is restricted. The Gospels are a window into a world where real people experienced real events and real emotions.

Understanding this is especially important if we are to experience the weight of what happened in the temple when the religious leaders confronted Jesus with this woman caught in adultery. If we had been listening to Jesus teach, the interruption would no doubt have created both confusion and an elevated sense of anxiety. After all, we were just drinking in wisdom, and now we are about to witness a stoning.  

On top of this jarring experience, we feel the tension from the self-righteous leaders trying to trap Jesus in a seemingly impossible situation. Although the desperate woman is guilty according to the law of Moses, we also feel a sense of empathy for her as she is dragged out to experience public shaming and possible stoning.

As the chaos quiets, all eyes fix on Jesus whose knowing face simultaneously hardens with frustration and softens with compassion. He knows the leaders have set their own trap. In their zeal to condemn, they failed to acknowledge that they also are condemned under the law. It only takes Jesus pointing out this fact to disperse the crowd. But what Jesus says to the woman astonishes us the most: “I don’t condemn you either. Go and sin no more.” This man from Nazareth spoke to the woman as One not condemned under the law. The only One who could condemn her did not, instead extending her mercy, forgiveness, and the freedom that comes through love.

I don’t know this woman, but I do know the love Jesus showed her that day. Her worst moment of shame became her greatest moment of freedom. Encountering Jesus does that. This woman is you. She’s me. Like her, all we have is the deep, deep love of Jesus. And it is enough.

Discussion Questions

1. Have you ever read a story by trying to place yourself in it, experiencing the sights, sounds, smells, and emotions of it? What difference did this make to your understanding of the story?

2. Do you identify more closely with the self-righteous leaders who were looking to condemn those around them or the woman caught in her guilt and shame?

3. What are those parts of your life you would not want put on display for the world to see? Have you, like the woman, stood helpless in your sin before Jesus, wholly dependent on His mercy and love?

4. If you have not received the love and forgiveness of Jesus, He is ready to forgive. You can pray something like this: "Jesus, all I have is my sin and guilt and shame. Please take these from me.  I want the forgiveness, freedom, and life that's found only in you.  I give you my life and want to follow You the rest of my days."

5. If you have received Jesus' forgiveness and love, how can you be reminded every day of the love He has for you?