But, as ever, Jesus knows the inner you. You are precious to him. Yes, he hates your sin, but he loves you deeply – enough to take your sins upon himself and die in your stead.
“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group…” John 8:3
“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group…” John 8:3
Wow – what a crass scene in the Jerusalem Temple court!! We are looking at this encounter that Jesus had with religious leaders and the aforementioned woman – read verses 1-11. There is question as to where this account should be placed in the New Testament, but no question as to its authenticity.
John describes the condition of Israel in Jesus’ day. Moneychangers in the Temple; members of the ruling Sanhedrin with no awareness of the heart of the Law (Nicodemus); hatred for next door Samaritans; leaders working to trap and kill Jesus; blind and lame throughout the country. Those who were supposed to spiritually lead the people were completely divorced from them – just like back in Ezekiel’s time:“…Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?” (34:2).
So here is this confrontation with Jesus as they tried to trap him on finer political points. They bring a woman caught in the act of adultery. Think about it – how did they find her that way? What kind of person does that? What kind of religious people do that?? The sin meant nothing to them – the woman meant nothing to them – she was a pawn in their game. We see this in other incidents like with the man born blind who Jesus healed. The shepherds were eating the sheep!
This was not a spiritual confrontation but a political one, with a disgraced woman standing before them. This is a picture of the Inquisition in Spain years later. Religious people can be the cruelest ones.
In stark contrast, Jesus saw beyond this woman’s sins to who she was as a person. He truly hated the sin but loved the sinner. He spoke to her as a fellow human being.
Increasingly you and I are a statistic. Our data is mined. We are put into stereotyped camps– liberal/conservative, young/old, right color/wrong color, money/no money, valuable/not valuable. We are pawns in the modern game of life.
But, as ever, Jesus knows the inner you. You are precious to him. Yes, he hates your sin, but he loves you deeply – enough to take your sins upon himself and die in your stead. What does the Lord see in you that the world does not see? Let his Spirit meet with you personally.
Pastor Leon Throness
