Object Lesson – Adulteress

Object Lesson – Adulteress.

“In the middle of Jesus’ teaching in the temple courts, the religious scholars and the Pharisees broke through the crowds and brought a woman who had been caught in the act of committing adultery and made her stand in the middle of everyone. Then they said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, we caught this woman in the very act of adultery. Doesn’t Moses’ law command us to stone to death a woman like this? Tell us, what do you say we should do with her?’ They were only testing Jesus because they hoped to trap Him with His own words and accuse Him of breaking the laws of Moses. But Jesus didn’t answer them, instead He simply bent down and wrote in the dust with his finger. Angry, they kept insisting that He answer their question, so Jesus stood up and looked at them and said, ‘Let’s have the man who has never had a sinful desire throw the first stone at her.’ And then He bent over again and wrote some more words in the dust. Upon hearing that, her accusers slowly left the crowd one at a time, beginning with the oldest to the youngest, with a convicted conscience. Until finally, Jesus was left alone with the woman still standing there in front of Him. So He stood back up and said to her, ‘Dear woman, where are your accusers? Is there no one here to condemn you?’ Looking around, she replied, ‘I see no one, Lord.’ Jesus said, ‘Then I certainly don’t condemn you either. Go, and from now on, leave your sinful ways.'”  (John 8:3-11).

HUMAN OBJECT: A woman caught in the act of adultery.

LESSON: While Jesus is teaching in the Temple early one morning, the Pharisees forcefully bring to Him a woman who was caught in the act of committing adultery. The religious leaders thought this would be an ideal time to use this woman to lay a trap for Jesus. They wanted to make her an object lesson of God’s judgment, and they wanted to ensnare Jesus in the process. But Jesus, as He so often did, turned the tables on the Pharisees. Instead of God’s judgment, Jesus used her as an object of God’s grace. The Law says to stone her? Jesus responds. That’s interesting. Okay, those among you who haven’t sinned throw the first stone. The youngest of the Pharisees, perhaps less aware of their self-righteousness, were the last to leave the scene. There was no one left to condemn her, not one Pharisee. The woman now is a clear picture of God’s grace, and Jesus said to her… No one condemns you? Neither do I, But be sure to stop your sinful ways. Quite the dramatic teachable moment. This woman was rightfully used by Jesus to teach a few lessons: God’s grace trumps God’s judgment; Be aware of religious self-righteousness; Be compassionate in your religious convictions; Quit trying to trap Jesus. He will outthink you every time.