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In this opening scene in John Chapter 8 we have four ‘groups’ present. We have Jesus and people who want to hear Jesus teach, and who want teaching from Jesus – and we have the teachers of the law and the Pharisees – and this woman caught in adultery.

Jesus exposes the world’s ways. John explains how Jesus exposes the world’s systems. They had a system. Do not fall in line with men’s systems.

The authorities barge in with this woman and demand that Jesus deal with the situation there and then! Now, no matter what Jesus said, it appeared he would offend somebody. That is what they thought.

Jesus was now known as the friend of sinners. What would happen? What might happen, if He openly condemned her, and if He went against the law, then He was in real trouble?

The Roman authorities had forbidden Capital Punishment by the Jews, so they were not at liberty to execute her. It was as if they had Jesus in their clutches in every way, no matter what He said. Would Jesus obey Moses or Rome?

This is the only time we are told that Jesus wrote, and whatever it was He wrote, it would soon be rubbed out by passing feet. It was a busy time in the Temple area.

What did He write and why?

1. Was He just disgusted and so doodled?
2. Was He gaining time for prayer?
3. Was He of purer eyes to behold iniquity, not only the iniquity of the woman, but also the iniquity of the Pharisees?
4. Or was it because back in the Old Testament when Moses received the Ten Commandments, these words were written by the Finger of God?
5. Or was Jesus thinking of that royal palace when Belshazzar the king was giving a banquet. He was drunk, having become drunk by drinking out of the vessels that had been plundered from the Temple in Jerusalem? As he laughed, and cursed God, and His People, suddenly he sees a finger writing on the wall, “You are weighed in the balances and found wanting”?

Here was God’s Finger writing again. The writing was on the wall, and the judges were being judged!

The sin of which they accuse her is the very sin of which they are guilty.

Jesus straightened up and said, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” He who has not committed adultery can start to throw the stones! Jesus exposed them. They had never before been so discovered and found out. They were all in the same immoral boat.

Jesus did not even think about winning followers and disciples on this occasion.

Consider the drama of it all.

Jesus knows everything about these men. They had no desire to clean up the city or they would have begun with their own lives. They had no desire to see justice done, or they would have judged their own lives first. The older men left first. Had their own lives flashed before their eyes?

Do you think that perhaps this is why people leave the Church, or remain in certain places where sin is tolerated? They prefer sin.

As they left, they could not even look at each other. There were layers of guilt.

This incident should put anyone out of the stone throwing business for life. To stone or not to stone! What makes people throw stones? Is it hatred or bitterness, or anger or revenge, or holding grudges, or frustration, fatigue and even failure? Things can look bad when we are tired. Do false assumptions and wrong feelings make us decide to throw stones, or comments, or barbed criticisms?

This was a scheme. It was a set up. A shameful act became a despicable act. Two witnesses were needed. How long did these men peer through the window before barging in to ‘arrest’ the woman?

The woman stayed. She did not run away. Perhaps she had heard that this man receives sinners. She was so near to being stoned to death, but now she had met someone with real love and compassion, and who knew the meaning of real justice.

She was released with, “Go and sin no more. Go now, and leave your life of sin.” Go, and don’t ever do that again.

Jesus calls adultery what it is – SIN. And He says, Leave that life of sin. Stop it as from now. Cut it out immediately.

Forgiveness is much more than being let off. Forgiveness wants to put the future right. The law can only punish. Love wants to put the wrongdoer right.

Jesus will not gloat. Jesus is so gentle, so gracious, so tender. His love is expansive, but He is also very firm.

The one who was qualified to point the finger didn’t.

The lost do not need another critic. The lost need someone who cares, and Jesus Christ cares and demonstrates brave grace here, and brave grace demands responsibility.

Why do people walk in such darkness? Why do people come to the Festival to sin?

Jesus went on to say – I am the light of the world. He who follows me will have light. Jesus had just witnessed the darkness of human life, and Jesus takes this up and says, “I am the light”. Follow me and you will never fall into that darkness again. Follow Me, and I will lead you where you ought to go!

The light can hurt. When we wake up in the morning, or come out of darkness, the light can hurt, and moral light hurts too. It hurts the conscience, but after the initial hurting, the light leads and guides.

The light of Christ helps you see where you are, and shows you where you ought to go.

“I’ll hurt, but I’ll help. I’ll expose, and then I’ll guide.”

Our response it to FOLLOW, and to move with Jesus Christ, the light of the world.

By the way, there is no other light anywhere!

"'Winging It" from Stan Smith

Not Many Wise