This week marks the eighth week of our series on
forgiveness, “The Heart of the Matter.”
The number eight in biblical numerology represents “new beginnings” and
that’s exactly what we see in this eighth message from John 8. The richness the new beginning provided by
forgiveness is on livid display as Jesus stoops and writes on the ground, and
then pronounces the first of His two judgments, “You who are without sin, cast
the first stone.” Then He follows that
judgment with another, “Neither do I condemn you…” And it’s this second judgment He renders that
seems to be more than many Christians can take.
Nearly 30 years ago Lloyd Ogilvie asked Roger Fredrikson to
author a commentary of the Gospel of John for his Communicator’s Commentary Series.
Now Fredrikson is a Baptist who has pastored churches in Kansas and
South Dakota. He’s one Ogilvie describes
as possessing excellent scholarship, knowledge of the original Greek and
Hebrew, a sensitivity to people’s needs, and a vivid illustrative ability. However, when Fredrikson gets to John
7:53-8:11 he seems afflicted with the same myopia that has afflicted many throughout
the centuries.
When St. Augustine came to these 12 verses he concluded that
they were “subscriptural”. He
recommended that they be excised from sacred writ because they may encourage
women toward infidelity. Others like
Fredrikson see this story as strangely out of place in the flow of John’s
intense tabernacle dialogue. Fredrikson
notes, “…the account is inserted with somewhat artificial transitional
language. It is almost certain that this
account was not written by the Apostle John, for neither the language nor the
style of writing are his.” And he’s not
alone. There are an abundance of Bible
scholars who would agree with him.
However, there is excellent scholarship that takes a
contrary view. A.W. Pink, for instance,
suggests that the reader try to read chapters seven and eight without the
benefit of 7:53-8:11. It is awkward at
best. But far more important than that
is the fact that this encounter with this woman, and the scribes and Pharisees
who maliciously use her to entrap Jesus, can only be properly understood within
the context of John’s “tabernacle dialogue”.
Indeed, the context of the passage is critical for anyone attempting to
grasp the significance of Jesus’ words and actions here in the early morning
hours of a Jerusalem autumn.
Last week, in our examination of Jesus’ encounter with the scribes
and Pharisees, at that packed house in Capernaum, we noted the importance of
not missing the forest for the trees. We
noted that the tile roof, the ownership of the house, the presence of the four
friends, and the posture of the scribes and Pharisees are examples of trees. They are the details that often put the focus
of the interpreter on the trees rather than the good news of divine forgiveness.
This week’s story, however, is equally loaded with detail,
and yet every detail seems to enhance one’s view of the power of forgiveness.
While the essence of this encounter is the same as that of Luke 5:17-26, Jesus’
dealings with this unfaithful woman dramatically sharpen our understanding of
how Christ’s forgiveness alone can meet our deepest need.
How does Jesus’ response to the challenge of the scribes and
Pharisees shine the light on the heart of the Gospel, forgiveness? And how does His forgiveness of this woman in
the wake of His profound and penetrating use of the law free us to live with
satisfied, glory-filled hearts? Those
are the questions we bring to our study this Sunday.
In preparation for Sunday’s message, the eighth in the
series of thirteen, you may wish to consider the following:
- Why would any Christian want to excise this story from the Scriptures?
- How true is it to say that for most Christians their default position is their own righteousness?
- What is the Feast of Tabernacles and how does it play into this encounter?
- How do the enemies of Jesus, the scribes and the Pharisees, demonstrate their own sin by bringing this woman to Jesus?
- What is their charge against her?
- How does their question put Jesus on “the horns of a dilemma” (vs. 4-5)?
- What is the significance of Jesus bending down and writing with His finger in the ground? (See Exodus 31)
- What is the Old Testament parallel to Jesus bending down and writing twice?
- Why do the enemies walk away from the oldest to the youngest?
- What does Jesus mean when He says to her, “Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more?”
- How does that mirror what He’s said to you?
See you Sunday!
