Question

I have a question that I hope someone will be able to help me understand. First, let me explain what I think is the issue that concerns me. The woman that was caught in the act of adultery that was rescued by our Lord was broken and wounded spiritually and I am certain emotionally. She was about to be stoned if Christ had not intervened. The wrath of the crowd against her was directed at her and in a sense indirectly at and in opposition of her sin. Had the crowd not condemned her would she have been driven to a point of true repentance and brokenness that prepared her to receive the mercy of Christ? And was the wrath exhibited then a good thing? Was this wrath not similar to the novel "Scarlet Letter" that was written in a manner that "exposed" the cruelty that was exhibited in the novel against the woman who had committed adultery? Was not the example that Christ gave us when he rescued the woman an act of supernatural wisdom that circumvented the effects of sin and the law and brought us a wonderful example of redemption? But is it needed in a godly society to remain steadfast in maintaining our culture in a manner that rebukes sin strongly? I think it certainly is. If that is true then didn't books like the "Scarlet Letter" actually water down the word of God and help to negate the stigma of sin in our culture? Did it (the novel) help to stigmatize any believers who in the time after the book dared to take a strong stand against sin? The minister and the victim in the novel did not appear to me to ever come to a true resolution with God and actually experience complete redemption or actual godly repentance. It was almost an endorsement of rebellion -- I have often wondered if it might have been a better and more godly novel had it been more open to having more truly godly people in it leading all parties to clean and pure repentance and to be reestablished with honor in the community. I think this was part of the attributes that David exhibited as the leader of his nation -- He acknowledged his sin openly and before the people. His repentance inspired the people to repent and to be restored to God and each other. So as good a book as Scarlet Letter was I think it may have been one of the first attacks in our country against the church and the people who were exemplified in the fictional community who in their frailty failed in conducting themselves as mature and forgiving believers. What would happen if Americans fell before God openly and honestly repented -- even our leaders -- and inspired us all to repent and forgive each other. What are some thoughts you all may have on this issue? Without mercy and forgiveness we only have the wrath of the law -- But the wrath of the law points us to repentance and forgiveness. Without the wrath of the law we find our path to forgiveness and redemption obscured -- don't we?

First off, and we don't have all the details, the woman taken in adultery was apparently complicit? It does not say that she was a rape victim, though in that day there wasn't much difference. Women did as they were told, and there were no women's advocacy groups to offer therapeutic relief. And no welfare/food stamp programs. Tainted women, guilty or not, were consigned to street begging, and prostitution was sometimes their only option. Not much fun being a woman in those days!

As Jesus wrote on the ground, the accusers all drifted away, either ashamed or confounded by the realization that casting that stone would place them on a pedestal they could never justify. Speculation over the years on what Jesus wrote are all over the map and we will have to wait for Glory for that answer.

But what is significant to me is that he acknowledged her sin, and commanded that she cease from it. His theology was that living without sin was possible, and He expected it of her. How about that??

And lastly, it was against Jewish law for just one witness to bring a condemnation. "Woman, where are your accusers?" No one there to complete the paperwork. Jesus did not have the authority to render a condemning judgement on her, but did have authority to tell her to go and sin no more.

As for The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne had no real interest in writing a self help book, but rather he knew that everybody likes to hold hypocrits in contempt. The readers, none of whom are hypocrits of course, found the story delicious and deemed it a classic. Many never come to Christ because they find the hypocritical lives of professing Christians a convenient barrier to repentance. And they don't ever see their own hypocrisy, either!

Satan may have been born at night, but not last night! He has a lot of expertise in formulating ways to keep humans from returning to God's loving arms. Savvy Christians keep a sharp spiritual eye out for tricks, traps, and rabbit holes.

Sidewalk wrote:

"And lastly, it was against Jewish law for just one witness to bring a condemnation. "Woman, where are your accusers?" No one there to complete the paperwork."

Indeed-- and where was the man she was caught with?

I have always thought this was a frame job set up to test Jesus. Of course there is no proof of this- just seems a little too convenient.

It certainly would have been interesting had Jesus asked to meet the male participant in the charge. The disgusting Pharisees actually left Jesus with multiple options. It seems that Jesus had a cool way of just handling the situations He found Himself in without making them overly complicated.

Made for great object lessons with simple and clear learning points.

Man He was good, then and now!

Jesus actually permitted the women to be stoned. He did not break the law. He asked for those who had no sin to throw the first stone. Jesus is light, no one with Sin can stand as a hypocrite before him, the light will expose the motives of their heart. So the men got convicted of their sins by those words of Jesus, instead of repenting and falling at the feet of Jesus they walked way thinking they can have victory by their own effort.

Now the only person who was fit to throw the stone was Jesus but he did not throw a stone at her, there are multiple reasons why he did not throw, the son of man came to save and not to judge so he did not condemn her. Or there were no accusers to condemn her as they all left when they were convicted of their sins.

I always believed though Jesus eat with sinners he would have always told them to repent from Sin and seek the eternal life. He would have never welcomed a sinner and encourage him to continue like how modernday Christian shows do.

What I see in this historical story is a few things: There was no male counter-part which leads me to believe that she was either set up or that the male was present with the pharisees and may have been one of them? The story does not explain the details but does lay down some principles. When Jesus wrote in the dust of the earth, it was as if He was placing for all to see the very sins of her accusers, if not literally more than likely by the Law and the Prophets. The Holy Spirit doing the rest.As mrkelly pointed out we seem to run from one extreme to another in our human judgments one toward another. The word says Judge not lest ye be judged, for what ever judgement you render to another or what ever measure you give to another it will be given to you. The downside to that verse is that we often use it to down play another s sin because we may have unresolved sin in our own lives and our own consciences and knowledge of the Word of God comes as a witness against us. So the main thing I take away from this story is how often traditions with in the church come to accuse me of what may be real sin, and how often the world does likewise, but at the presence of Jesus is both truth and mercy, Go and SIN no more. I see conviction (writing in the dust), mercy (where are your accusers), the offer of a gift of repentance, and liberty from that specific lifestyle sin(go and sin no more) and with that offer an unspoken promise.....The Lord Himself will be with you and take care of you, help you, cleanse
you. There is allot in that word "Go". But the Lord will send no one away and leave them in such a helpless state that they are unable to comply with His given Word, that would be cruelty and the over arching characteristic of our Lord is that of Love.

Thank you. God bless you all. May He bestow upon us His eternal mercy, give us wisdom, cleanse our hearts and minds of sin and help us live as He would have us. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.