John 8:3-11 raises lots of questions

Reflection. Repentance. Reconciliation. Rejoicing. Those are the main things I see in the Gospels.

Matthew 22:37: “Jesus replied, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’”

In the early days of my Christian walk, one of the pearls of wisdom shared with me was, “What we do doesn’t save us. What we do shows we are saved.”

Which brings us to this next Scripture.

John 8:3-11: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do You say?’ They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing Him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with His finger. When they kept on questioning Him, He straightened up and said to them, ‘Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Again, He stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, Sir,” she said. ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’”

What an excellent passage capturing such a variety of human characteristics.

I can’t help but see Proverbs 9:10 as an umbrella of Word and Deed: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

I Corinthians 12:10 mentions “distinguishing spirits.” One of the Gifts of the Spirit identified here as a gift for the believer.

There are a handful of topics for a student of Scripture to search out. For example: How was she caught in the “Act”? And the man isn’t even present when the Law deals with both the man and the woman.

I’m curious: Are you interested in what Christ Jesus wrote in the dust? Are you familiar with the tradition of priests writing in the dust?

To be honest, I can’t remember how many times I had read that passage. I have forgotten the number of Bible studies and sermons shared in this passage before my desire to understand God’s working ways that I searched out each of the laws that may have caused the elders to walk away.

Then, Jesus knelt down — twice! Whew! There’s no indication of an argument, no sarcastic responses. It seems uncommon compared to all the flack and hostility given to Christ throughout the Gospels.

Perhaps this is my version of a cliffhanger!

I’m hoping to arouse the incentive to search out these very things. Personally, I found those answers great pearls of wisdom and understanding that I hope will be a blessing.

May each of us be blessed that we may be a blessing to others.