Do it – I Dare Ya

I was recently reminded of a book review that I turned down a little over a year ago. I “accepted” the opportunity to take a look and consider reviewing the book, but very quickly realized that I couldn’t, in good conscience, offer a positive review. While I’ve long since forgotten the title of the book, I clearly remember that it was a women’s devotional centered around a handful of women in the Bible who were seen by Jesus. When I read the press release from the marketing email I received, I couldn’t help but get excited about reading it through. It’s not very often that there is a focus on the women who were seen – really seen – by Jesus.

As soon as it arrived, I curled up on the couch and started reading. To properly review, I read cover to cover. I don’t want to attach my name to something that might be conflicting with my faith. I even check that scriptures are correct when typed out! From those major portions of review considerations, I even check typos and misspellings. Not that I’m perfect, but if I’m reviewing the book, it should have been properly edited before being published. I was chomping at the bit to start this book, and I was praying that the author would be someone I could follow and glean wisdom from.

Upon looking through the table of contents, I was thrilled to discover that the first woman to be seen by Jesus that we were to take an in-depth look at was the woman caught in adultery. Unfortunately, the author of the book misquoted scripture, threw in her conjecture as if it were facts, and massively twisted scripture in order to be able to make a point that couldn’t have been made without the twist. It’s an understatement to say that I was bummed about the whole thing.

As this is one of my favorite passages, and it is a very personal passage in that it points to the heart of God in how He extends grace, I wanted to go over it again with a little more focus. And, as is usual, I wanted to share some of what I have noticed. This is a fairly well-known moment in Jesus’ walk on this earth, but here’s the passage for a refresher or for those who may not be familiar with it:

“At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 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.” John 8:2-6 (NIV)

This first portion, on imagining the scene laid out, gives me the spirit of punching the Pharisees and teachers of the law in the face (I know… not very Christian of me). First off, there’s a crowd around Jesus – who is seated – and the teachers of the law and the Pharisees made this woman stand, humiliatingly (I would think it would be humiliating), before the group. Right? Not just Jesus, but everyone who was there. Then, their tongues seeming to drip with honey, they call Jesus teacher. They had no respect for Jesus – He was going against the grain, he was shining light on the darkness they were cloaked in. They. Didn’t. Like. Him. And they certainly didn’t respect Him. Yet they gave the false impression of respect for the benefit of the audience and to make themselves look good. Let’s keep reading.

“When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘If any one of you is without sin, let him 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.” John 8:7-9 (NIV)

Jesus gave them opportunity to back out of their question, but they were unrelenting. They kept on asking until He finally straightened up from His bent down position. First He had been sitting, teaching those who had gathered around Him, then He bent down to write on the ground with His finger. Now He straightened up – other translations say that He lifted Himself up. When I noticed how disrespectful and full of such contempt the Pharisees and teachers of the law were to Jesus, and then He lifted Himself up… I couldn’t help but think of another passage when the Pharisees are telling Jesus to rebuke the disciples, telling them to be quiet in their praise. Jesus tells them in that moment that if they’re quiet, even the stones will cry out (Luke 19:37-40). Jesus elevated Himself (I’m getting chills with just how much power was held at bay, yet subtly demonstrated).

There’s been so much speculation regarding what Jesus was writing in the dirt when He bent down. Some have said that He wrote down names of the people who the Pharisees and teachers of the law had committed adultery with (solid burn). Another is comparing the Law, originally written on stone tablets by the very hand of God, and Jesus was simply writing them in the dirt – with the very hand of God (so obvious, right?). Yet another is that Jesus was writing down the name of the person who caught the woman in the act of adultery. Why is that significant? The Jews were not permitted to carry out the death penalty, even according to their own laws, under the rule of the Romans. But it’s also significant because the Jew’s very own laws required that both the man and woman caught in adultery would be stoned to death, but that the sentence would be carried out by the witnesses to the crime (Deuteronomy 17:7). If Jesus were to order the woman to be stoned, He would be going against both the Roman and Jewish laws!

But He elevated Himself, not only in His body language, but in His righteous response. What I also find interesting is that no one stayed around after Jesus put them in their place. It was only Jesus and the woman – none of those who had gathered around to be taught stayed after hearing the verdict. They all left, starting with the older ones until the woman stood alone in the presence of Jesus.

“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.'” John 8:10-11 (NIV)

The declaration Jesus makes is so much more than we may see in our first (or tenth) time reading through. He is issuing a divine declaration that she is forgiven and is not condemned! He’s forgiving someone of their sins even though it was never requested. Under the Law, we are to never sin so that we won’t be condemned – and when (not if) we sin, we are required to do multiple things in order to be back in right standing with God. According to God’s Law – written with His very finger – as soon as we break the law (sin – whether in thought or deed), we are deserving of God’s condemnation. Whether it’s adultery or murder, if one law is broken, it’s considered that all of them are broken. And it’s up to us to seek God’s forgiveness.

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)

The woman did not leave her life of sin, seek forgiveness with the prescribed sacrifices and retributions, and sin no more even though that’s the process that’s required under the Law. Instead, Jesus took the lead and did a new thing – He extended grace and mercy even when it was not sought. He gave what she did not ask for, but what she needed – what we all needed. Notice that the woman never apologized. She never asked for Him to forgive her. She knew she was wrong, she knew she was guilty of what she stood there for, but she never once apologized. Scripture doesn’t even tell us that she was remorseful! Maybe she was… maybe she wasn’t.

I can relate to how she may have felt. I spent years feeling overwhelmed with the burden of knowing I would never be good enough, never be able to be accepted by God, and so I made the decision to say “To heck with it all!” The weight of trying to measure up evaporated (for the most part), but there was still, in the most private corners of my heart, a glimmer of hope that God is not what so many portrayed Him to be. The Pharisees and teachers of the law hold the stones in their hands, yet they know they are not in a position to throw them… but just holding them gives them a sense of power over the “mere peasants” (my words) who are hungry and thirsty for God. Then Jesus did a new thing that had those same Pharisees and teachers of the law dropping their stones, tucking tail, and leaving the wounded soul in the presence of Jesus.

“‘This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,’ declares the Lord. ‘I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,’ declares the Lord. ‘For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.'” Jeremiah 31:33-34 (NIV)

This woman was seen by Jesus. He saw her and extended love, mercy, and grace even though she didn’t ask for it. I can only guess how she may have walked away from that encounter. I reckon that it would be impossible to not be changed after being in His presence. He sees you, too. Take a moment to stand in His presence and try to walk away unchanged. I dare you.