Jesus Forgives The Adulterous Women

Topic: Forgiveness
Passage: John 8:1–11

February 24, 2020

Commentary

The Jewish religious leaders tried to set a trap for Jesus by bringing a woman to Him caught in adultery (v. 3). “What do you say?” they asked (vv. 4-6). Roman law forbid stoning, but the law of Moses required it in the case of adultery (Deut. 22:24). However, the dishonest intent of the woman’s accusers was obvious. The Law required that both the man and the woman be stoned (Deut. 22:22), but they had only brought the woman. Why? Also, the law required the accuser to cast the first stone (Deut. 17:7). Jesus said, “If any of you are without sin, you may throw the first stone” (v. 7)! Instead of passing judgment on the woman, Jesus judged the judges. By applying the Law to the woman and not to themselves, these leaders violated both the letter and the spirit of the Law. The people left one by one, beginning with the oldest (v. 9). Finally, Jesus and the woman were there alone (v. 10). 

Some might look at this story and conclude that Jesus “went easy” on sin, but that’s not the case. Jesus simply refused to condemn her, knowing that she did not need that. Her own heart condemned her. Jesus’s motive was to assure her of forgiveness, and to let her know that she could have a new and better life. For Jesus forgive meant that He would one day need to die for her sins. Forgiveness is free, but it is not cheap. Jesus told the woman to “to go and sin no more!” (v. 11) Once we are forgiven our desire should be to live a holy and obedient life to the glory of the Lord realizing all that He has done. 

 

The law was given to reveal sin (Rom. 3:20). Law and grace don’t compete; they complement each other. No one is saved by Law keeping, but neither has anyone been saved by grace apart from the indictment of the Law. There must be conviction before there can be conversion. 

 

Application

 

I can remember when I was first convicted by the fact that I was a sinner and condemned to die and go to Hell. My first reaction to this conviction was that of remorse. I am so thankful that the Lord was patient with me and that He sent his Holy Spirit to convict and convince me of my need for Him as my Savior.  

John 8:1– 11 (NET)

1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came to the temple courts again. All the people came to him, and he sat down and began to teach them. 3 The experts in the law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught committing adultery. They made her stand in front of them 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. 5 In the law Moses commanded us to stone to death such women. What then do you say?” 6 (Now they were asking this in an attempt to trap him, so that they could bring charges against him.) Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger. 7 When they persisted in asking him, he stood up straight and replied, “Whoever among you is guiltless may be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Then he bent over again and wrote on the ground.

9 Now when they heard this, they began to drift away one at a time, starting with the older ones, until Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up straight and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” 11 She replied, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you either. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”]]