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The religious leaders of Jesus’ day focused on a specific set of rules and regulations called “The Law of Moses.” People had to obey the Law perfectly in order to be in relationship with God. Unfortunately, no one can keep all the requirements of the Law because we all have the same problem: sin. Sin in Hebrew means “to fail” or “miss the goal.” Under the demands of the Law, all of us are guilty and deserving of death. Without a Savior, we are all doomed. Yet Jesus came into the world to offer Himself in our place to pay the penalty for our sin. In this story, a sinful woman is brought to Jesus. Watch what happens.
8 1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 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. 7 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.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 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. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11 “No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Reflect on the way Jesus responded to both the woman and the religious leaders. He knew the men were not bringing her before Him out of concern for her, but only to shame her and to trap Him. He chose not to condone the woman’s behavior nor to align Himself with the religious leaders. He wisely led them all to conviction. Consider how Jesus’ heart led both parties to repentance. Jesus is able to forgive sins—something only God can do—because He is God. When we choose to become followers of Jesus, He forgives us and offers us new life in Him.
Consider Jesus.
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