The stoning that wasn’t
Day 398, Saturday, Sept. 13
John 7:25 – Chapter 8
Into the midst of philosophical speculation about Jesus and the spirit is inserted a very practical story—the story of the woman caught in adultery.
It’s even contested whether or not this story is original to the gospel or if it was added later. But, whatever its origin, it reveals important things about the nature and teachings of Jesus.
First, it show us that some understanding of the mercy of Jesus must have already spread if the teachers of the law and the Pharisees are using this case as a way to trap Jesus. If Jesus had simply agreed that the stoning was the appropriate punishment there would have been nothing to trap him with.
Somehow, they already suspected that his compassion for the woman would put him in a difficult position about her punishment.
Second, the story highlights Jesus’s awareness that all have suffered sin. “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her,” he says.
We have to wonder what Jesus was writing in the dirt of the ground. One possibility is that he was writing some of the other sins that the men in the crowd were guilty of. Pride? Gluttony? Covetousness? Hypocrisy?
Whatever he wrote, he appeared sure that the challenge to find a sinless person in the crowd would have its intended effect.
Third, the story makes it clear that Jesus does not approve of sin. He tells the woman to “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
He doesn’t excuse or minimize what she has done that is bad and sinful; he simply chooses to have her turn away from it rather than to suffer punishment for it.

Saturday meditation

Job 34:1-4
Then Elihu said: “Hear my words, you wise men; listen to me, you men of learning. For the ear tests words as the tongue tastes food. Let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.

Prayer focus
Lord, let us flee from our sin and encourage others to flee from theirs, but keep us from falling into pride and judgmentalism.

-Rev. Mark Fleming