seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
John 8:1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11 “No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Oh how could the people who put together the NIV or any part of the Bible... put such a powerful story in italics... like it doesn't belong.... oh why oh why....
According to my NIV online... the last few paragraphs of Chapter 7 of John's Gospel along with these first few verses of Chapter 8 might not be a real part of John's Gospel..... but it's there and it is a great example of forgiveness. I don't want to just "leave it out" I'm having surgery on my one good eye today... so in case I don't get to post in the morning.... I will have tackled the "rest of the story".
OK... Adultery was against the 10 Commandments. Adultery was a biggie. The woman would be stoned to death if she was caught with a man. Because it carried the death penalty.... not one... but several witnesses had to testify. They had to be caught in the act by several witnesses.... so the stoning of a whore was not something that happened every day.
This adulterous whore was caught in the act.... red faced.... maybe red butted.... but caught in the act. [Convenient right?]
So... Jesus didn't like their rules about the Sabbath... but nobody was willing to stand up for an adulterous whore caught in the disgusting act.... by multiple witnesses.... breaking the Commandment "thou shalt not commit adultery".
Oh boy those Pharisees and Sadducees had a great idea. If the Temple Guard couldn't find anything wrong with the way Jesus taught.... they would trap Him and make a fool of Him. If He stood in the way of this stoning.... then He would be arrested.... and if He didn't stand in the way of the stoning... then He didn't care about the woman. It was a rock and a hard place... Jesus would have to come down on the side of stoning that adulterous whore.... or He would be a laughing stock.
Jesus walked around it..... He showed them.... they didn't have the "power" to take her life. They were sinners too. He might have given them a black eye by pointing out that when they wanted to arrest the man at the pools on the Sabbath... they were "working" themselves and should be stoned.... but He didn't do that.... instead.... He told them to go ahead.... but make sure they were not sinners stoning a sinner..... and one by one... they left.
I know that adulterous whore was grateful. I bet she locked the doors and pulled the curtains shut the next time she got a thrill. Actually... I bet she changed her ways.... and started following Him.
Point is.... we're all dead wrong. We are all adulterous whores. We are all finger pointing Pharisees and Sadducees. We are all guilty of worshipping money more than God. We are all happy to give up Sunday worship for a good day at the Mall or a quick toss in the hay. We're all guilty of not studying the Word. We're all guilty of thinking "we got this".
Jesus knew she was a sinner.... He knew she was "dead wrong". He gave her a second chance.
It's a shame they put this part of John's Gospel in italics and almost pulled it out. It's about all of us and how Jesus is the only one who is qualified to pass judgement on us. He knew what it is like to be a tempted human. He didn't do any wrong... He was the only one who could have held on to His stoning rock.
This story is about humans. This story is about the Adulterous Whore!
Please pray that I have my eye surgery works.... TIA