As the Scripture passage in John 8 concludes, the woman accused of adultery is left standing alone...with Jesus...........
As I had mentioned in the previous blog, why didn't she just leave? She certainly could have. She had no one left to accuse her, and Jesus didn't give the impression He was wanting to hold her back from leaving.
When Jesus had visited the Samaritan woman at the well, He asked her questions and held a discussion with her, inquiring of her relationships she had with a number of men, pointing out the fact that the man she was currently living with...was not her husband.
Yet here, He did no such thing. He didn't say something like: "You see, committing adultery can only harm you just like these Scribes and Pharisees wanted me to cast the vote that you are guilty...and be stoned...to death!" He did not even ask her what had happened that she ended up standing before Jesus on that early morning.
Nor do the Scriptures give any indication she:
asked for help...
gave no words of thanks or appreciation
did not admit to any sin that she was accused
did not acknowledge who He truly is.
The Scriptures are silent as to her reaction to Jesus speaking with her, making no mention of her being defiant or displaying any anger over the charges the Scribes and Pharisees had brought before Jesus.
In fact, the Scriptures never even mention her name, yet she is certainly well known...to many even this day, and we don't even know whether she was or became a believer in Christ Jesus.
Here in John 8, Jesus simply dismisses her...free to go where ever she chose...with one strong command as she stood...before Him. In fact, this story ends rather abruptly, John 8:11 concluding this story with these words: " Neither do I (accuse you or condemn you of the sin of adultery), go and sin no more." Then, He returns to teaching the crowd that had gathered.
In verse 12 of this chapter, it reads "Jesus spoke to the people once more and said: " I am the light of the world. If you follow Me, you will not have to succumbed by darkness, for you have the light in you...and there you will have life."
That's it...the woman was gone ...no one knowing for sure...what ever happened to her.
There has been much discussion, many articles, and numerous interpretations given to this unknown woman...and her experience in meeting Jesus for the first time.
Some Bible scholars have dismissed this story altogether because in the earliest manuscripts that have been discovered in regards to the Gospel of John, the story of the adulterous woman has not been found.
Others have claimed the adulterous woman was none other than "Mary Magdalene." The evidence for this claim seems to be quite shallow, yet the thought of this would be quite staggering.....for it was Mary Magdalene who stayed with Him...to the Crucifixion, she was present...at the Tomb, and Mary Magdalene was the first person Jesus appeared to...on the morning of the Resurrection.
What happened to her?...no one really knows.
Personally, I think this adulterous woman had received the love Jesus had for her...just like His love He displayed for the people who had gathered that early morning, and just like His love that I have experienced when I met Him and He accepted me...for who I am...both sinful and looking for love.
I don't think Jesus dismissed the fact she had been involved in adultery...whether she did it simply for money, poor self-esteem, or perhaps her life was so full of problems she had convinced herself this lifestyle was the only way she could survive.
And before He dismissed her, He simply told her to go her way...some translate this as "Go in Peace"...and He concluded "Sin no more".
Sin no more....what does that mean? I mean...come on, if this woman made a living having sex...how does she simply "sin no more"? Jesus didn't instruct her to get with a sex addicts group, get involved with a local group of His followers, or stay with Him that morning and He will get her some assistance.
Rather, He left the choice completely up to her...."Go your way...with this experience you have just received from Me, and take this experience....build on this foundation...and change your thinking...your lifestyle...and consider this: "Follow Me".
Where did she go?...What happened to her? The Scriptures are not clear. Maybe, she just stepped out of the "center of attention" that she had found herself in that morning....and found a place to sit...with the rest of the crowd that had gathered that particular morning....listening and taking in His words...and discovering for herself...."Is there hope for someone like...me?"
When I met Him...years ago....I distinctly remember that thought crossing my mind..."Is there hope for someone...like me?"
In verse 12, as He returned to teaching the crowd that morning....Hope was certainly evident that morning, for He spoke after dismissing the adulterous woman and said: " I Am the Light of the world. If you make your choice to follow Me, the empty lifestyles you currently have...engrossed in the ways of Darkness...can change...you can be free from the dark and ugly alleys you find your life travelling on.
Why?
Because I Am the Light...and the lifestyle I have for you...has plenty of Light...for you to live in."
Jesus seemed to be pretty upbeat that early morning shortly after dawn as He continued to speak with the crowd....and maybe as He looked across their faces...there she was...the young adulterous woman....listening....pondering....hoping....in the words He spoke that day.
As I had mentioned in the previous blog, why didn't she just leave? She certainly could have. She had no one left to accuse her, and Jesus didn't give the impression He was wanting to hold her back from leaving.
When Jesus had visited the Samaritan woman at the well, He asked her questions and held a discussion with her, inquiring of her relationships she had with a number of men, pointing out the fact that the man she was currently living with...was not her husband.
Yet here, He did no such thing. He didn't say something like: "You see, committing adultery can only harm you just like these Scribes and Pharisees wanted me to cast the vote that you are guilty...and be stoned...to death!" He did not even ask her what had happened that she ended up standing before Jesus on that early morning.
Nor do the Scriptures give any indication she:
asked for help...
gave no words of thanks or appreciation
did not admit to any sin that she was accused
did not acknowledge who He truly is.
The Scriptures are silent as to her reaction to Jesus speaking with her, making no mention of her being defiant or displaying any anger over the charges the Scribes and Pharisees had brought before Jesus.
In fact, the Scriptures never even mention her name, yet she is certainly well known...to many even this day, and we don't even know whether she was or became a believer in Christ Jesus.
Here in John 8, Jesus simply dismisses her...free to go where ever she chose...with one strong command as she stood...before Him. In fact, this story ends rather abruptly, John 8:11 concluding this story with these words: " Neither do I (accuse you or condemn you of the sin of adultery), go and sin no more." Then, He returns to teaching the crowd that had gathered.
In verse 12 of this chapter, it reads "Jesus spoke to the people once more and said: " I am the light of the world. If you follow Me, you will not have to succumbed by darkness, for you have the light in you...and there you will have life."
That's it...the woman was gone ...no one knowing for sure...what ever happened to her.
There has been much discussion, many articles, and numerous interpretations given to this unknown woman...and her experience in meeting Jesus for the first time.
Some Bible scholars have dismissed this story altogether because in the earliest manuscripts that have been discovered in regards to the Gospel of John, the story of the adulterous woman has not been found.
Others have claimed the adulterous woman was none other than "Mary Magdalene." The evidence for this claim seems to be quite shallow, yet the thought of this would be quite staggering.....for it was Mary Magdalene who stayed with Him...to the Crucifixion, she was present...at the Tomb, and Mary Magdalene was the first person Jesus appeared to...on the morning of the Resurrection.
What happened to her?...no one really knows.
Personally, I think this adulterous woman had received the love Jesus had for her...just like His love He displayed for the people who had gathered that early morning, and just like His love that I have experienced when I met Him and He accepted me...for who I am...both sinful and looking for love.
I don't think Jesus dismissed the fact she had been involved in adultery...whether she did it simply for money, poor self-esteem, or perhaps her life was so full of problems she had convinced herself this lifestyle was the only way she could survive.
And before He dismissed her, He simply told her to go her way...some translate this as "Go in Peace"...and He concluded "Sin no more".
Sin no more....what does that mean? I mean...come on, if this woman made a living having sex...how does she simply "sin no more"? Jesus didn't instruct her to get with a sex addicts group, get involved with a local group of His followers, or stay with Him that morning and He will get her some assistance.
Rather, He left the choice completely up to her...."Go your way...with this experience you have just received from Me, and take this experience....build on this foundation...and change your thinking...your lifestyle...and consider this: "Follow Me".
Where did she go?...What happened to her? The Scriptures are not clear. Maybe, she just stepped out of the "center of attention" that she had found herself in that morning....and found a place to sit...with the rest of the crowd that had gathered that particular morning....listening and taking in His words...and discovering for herself...."Is there hope for someone like...me?"
When I met Him...years ago....I distinctly remember that thought crossing my mind..."Is there hope for someone...like me?"
In verse 12, as He returned to teaching the crowd that morning....Hope was certainly evident that morning, for He spoke after dismissing the adulterous woman and said: " I Am the Light of the world. If you make your choice to follow Me, the empty lifestyles you currently have...engrossed in the ways of Darkness...can change...you can be free from the dark and ugly alleys you find your life travelling on.
Because I Am the Light...and the lifestyle I have for you...has plenty of Light...for you to live in."
Jesus seemed to be pretty upbeat that early morning shortly after dawn as He continued to speak with the crowd....and maybe as He looked across their faces...there she was...the young adulterous woman....listening....pondering....hoping....in the words He spoke that day.
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