Dial In with Jonny Ardavanis - Dial In - John 8:2-11 (Ep. 22)

Episode Date: April 28, 2020

Dial In is a devotional series with the intention of helping followers of Christ understand God’s word and love Him more. Jonny seeks to communicate the profound depth of scripture in a digestible and condensed format each weekday. The goal of the podcast is that our “minds would be renewed” as we behold who God is in His word. In this series, Jonny is walking sequentially through the Gospel of John.In this episode, Jonny covers John 8:2-11 where a woman caught in adultery is thrown before Jesus.The Pharisees question Jesus seeking your trap him in His words. “The law says to stone such a woman, what do you say?”What is Jesus response?Watch VideosVisit the Website Follow on InstagramFollow on Twitter

Hey guys, my name is Johnny Artavanis and this is Dial In. In this passage, we will see yet another example of the grace and love and mercy of Jesus Christ. Today we're in John chapter 8 verses 2 through 11. These are the words of God. Let's view them as such in Dial In. John chapter 8 verses 2 through 11. Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. So what do you say? This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them,

Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her. And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older, and it says that all of the people the temple early in the morning. And it says that all of the people are gathered around him and they're listening to him teach. And while he's teaching, commotion enters the temple and a woman is crying out, fearing for her life and is then thrown in the middle of the crowd in front of Jesus. And then the Pharisees and the scribes come up to Jesus in verse four and say, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the law, Jesus, Moses commands us to stone such a woman.

What do you say? This woman is presumably sitting there in the dirt, hanging her head in embarrassment and shame as the Pharisees act furious about this sin against God. Now, this term Pharisees means that these people were set apart. They had branded themselves as being so devout, so passionate, so zealous for the word of God and for obeying God. But they bring this woman not because they were distraught and angry over her sin.

We are told why they bring this woman in verse 6. It says to put Jesus to the test. They are trying to trap Jesus. They do this all throughout the gospels. They're trying to pin him against the wall with some theological question. But what is the trap? What is the test? What is the charge that they might bring against him?

Well, during Roman occupation, the Romans gave much self-rule to the nations that they had conquered, but they did not give any of those nations the ability or permission to put someone to death. Only the Romans could do that. That is why when Jesus was crucified, he was put to death by Pilate and not by the high priest Caiaphas. So if Jesus says, stone this woman, then they will run to the Romans and tattle on him. But if he says, don't stone her, don't do anything, then they will proclaim that Jesus is a heretic and a compromiser because he is violating what the law of Moses explicitly says.

In Leviticus 20 verse 10, it says that anybody who commits adultery, both parties shall be put to death. So they think they put Jesus in this lose-lose situation because no matter how he answers the question, they think they got him in trouble. If he says let her go, he compromises on the law of Moses. If he says stone her, then he commits an offense against the rule of Rome. Now rocks are in hand. The Pharisees are waiting for his response. And what does Jesus do?

Does he lecture them? No. Watch what he does. It's amazing. Jesus stoops down and writes on the ground. What? What does he write? This is the only mention of Jesus writing anything in all of the scripture.

And he's kneeling down and writing in the dirt. And he stands back up because they're saying, Jesus, what are you doing? And in verse seven, he says, let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her. And then he stoops down to write once more. Was Jesus doodling on the ground? It's all speculation,

but here's what many commentators believe. And here's what I believe as well. My guess is that Jesus stoops down and begins to write in the dirt, and he looks at one Pharisee and writes, Thief. And then he looks to another and writes, Liar. And he looks to another and writes,

Adulterer. Perhaps Jesus reveals to them that they are guilty of the same sin as the woman they had dragged before him. Jesus calls the Pharisees adulterers in Matthew 5 because their hearts were full of lust. He is surrounded by those in this passage who are bloodthirsty to condemn sinners and have no concept of the grace of God and suppress the sin and hypocrisy in their own life. And the text says in verse 9, one by one, the Pharisees who had dragged this woman before Jesus walk away. And the woman is left alone with the only person who could ever meet the qualifications that Jesus had given for carrying out the execution. Now think with me.

I imagine her standing there in the same spot she was put by the hypocritical mob with tears and dirt in her face and with her head down. She won't even lift her eyes to see them walk away. And Jesus approaches her and asks, Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you? And then we will see her only reply in this entire passage. She says, No one, Lord. Now listen to the precious response of Jesus.

The sweetest words that anyone could ever hear. Jesus says, Neither do I condemn you. Now this is how each of us stand before God. Our sins are uncovered and laid bare before him. We're naked and ashamed by our guilt, but Jesus has covered our nakedness and our shame and given us his righteousness. But the story's not over. Jesus says one more thing. What does he say? He says, go and sin no more. He says, be done with this. Go now in peace and forgiveness. Jesus's grace is the motivation for holiness. He tells her, don't commit adultery anymore, not because you fear stoning, but because you have met God and you have seen and received his grace.

The only reason that Jesus could grant her forgiveness in that moment is because he knew that he would bear her sin on the cross. That woman's sin would not go unpunished. Listen here, no sin ever goes unpunished. Sin will always be paid for, and Jesus would pay the price for her sin. Jesus is willing to die for adulterers, for liars, for hypocrites, and for the self-righteous. Why? Because he is rich in mercy, in grace grace and in love. Stay dialed in.