Introduction. This morning we are going to look at this encounter and consider some questions and points which it raises.

I. Textual Considerations. Jesus said - “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” (Luke 21:33). This is true!
Many of our Bibles will have some notes with this text which indicate the fact that some early mss. do not contain this passage. There may be a simple reason for that...

• Augustine claims that it was left out of some mss. by enemies or weak believers because they feared that it would encourage their wives to infidelity (Tract.  33; De Conj. Adult.  2.7).
• Jerome (who put together the “Authorized Version” of his time - the Latin Vulgate, which would be “the Bible of churches in the west” for a millinneum) says that in his own day the text was contained in many Greek & Latin mss. (Adv. Pelag.  2.17).

II. “...Brought To Him a Woman Caught in Adultery...” (vs. 3).

1. “Set her in the midst” (vs. 3). Imagine this scene. Scribes, Pharisees - the pious, the religious, the leaders, the teachers, the examples -- surrounding this lone woman. Do you notice what is missing?
   • No compassion. They are anxious to stone her. (Prov. 24:17)
   • No sorrow. (cf. Ezra’s sorrow ch. 9,10). This is a woman that they should have taught better. She sinned, but they failed!
   • No righteous indignation. The concern here is not the purity of the people - doing God’s will - they want to trap Jesus!
   • No man caught in adultery. (We’ll return to this).
2. “In the very act” (vs. 4). This is one word in the Greek. Derived from the word for a thief. It was used to speak of one who was taken in the commission of a crime itself. This is significant. If the woman was taken while in the commision of the crime - how could Jesus excuse the behavior? „ This would be like accepting the sin! (We will come back to this issue later).
3. Jesus attitude towards women. Maybe the Pharisees thought that Jesus had shown a sympathy, or tolerance of women that they found disturbing.
   1. John’s chronology. This is after His discussion with the Samaritan woman by the well in John 4 - she had had 5 husbands and was living with a man. But Jesus talked to her about “living water” and worship in “spirit and truth.”
   2. Possible place in Luke’s chronology. Alford believes that the place of this account in the synoptic gospels is after ch. 22. If so this is after...
      • Praising the widow’s two mite offering (Luke 21:1-4).
      • Parable of persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8).
      • Parable of the woman and the lost coin (Luke 15:8-10).
      • Praised Mary for listening to Jesus’ teaching while Martha was cooking (Luke 10:38-42).
      • Woman healed from flow of blood (Luke 8:43-48).
      • Sinful woman anointed Jesus’ feet (Luke 7:36-50).
      
           There always seems to be a tendency among those who strive towards an extremely strict standard of morality to be led into an abusive treatment of women. Perhaps out of an unfair appraisal of the temptation of Eve. Perhaps out of resentment over the struggle against lust that men often feel. Example:
      • The Apocryphal story of Susanna who cried out against two Jewish elders who tried to seduce her and yet to protect themselves had her executed.
      • Salem witch hunts in Colonial history.
      • Taliban’s repression of women. Heard of one case where one family the husband was arrested for opposing the Taliban. Woman couldn’t work or leave the home without a burka (the full head covering). But what about this family who couldn’t afford a burka? How could she feed the family? That wasn’t the concern!
      
           Jesus provides the perfect example of how the righteous man should view women. He sees them as children of God. He is not tolerant of sin, nor is He unfair in His appraisal of thier motives, struggles and influence. Jesus was not repressive to women - but neither did he push for a rejection of God given roles!

III. “...What Do You Say?” (vs. 5). The Pharisees wanted to “have something of which to accuse Him” (vs. 6). In this instance they illustrate quite clearly the whole problem of their hypocrisy. They have a huge plank in their eye and they are trying to remove a speck from Jesus’ eye (Matthew 7:1-5).

1. Mosaic Law. (Leviticus 20:10).
   1. Stoning to Death. (Deuteronomy 22:22-24). As we noticed before the man is missing. Remember, she was caught “in the very act” - Where is the man?
      Example:There is currently a case in Sudan where an Islamic woman is charged with adultery and sentenced to be stoned to death after she has weaned her child. The man is not to be stoned because Islamic law requires four people who have actually witnessed the act. Since the woman has a child they see that as proof of her guilt.
           The Pharisees in our text are not following the law themselves! And yet they are testing Him!
2. “As Though He Did Not Hear” (vs. 6). [Some mss. do not contain these words]. Deity is separated from hypocrisy.
   • He felt no compulsion to answer.
   • He felt no need to defend Himself.
   • He saw them for what they were. (Job 9:32,33).
3. “They continued asking Him” (vs. 7). Notice, Jesus is not quick to act as judge here. This reminds us of Luke 12:14 when Jesus tells someone who is fighting over his inheritance with his brother - “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?”
   1. Jesus did not come to earth to judge in His first coming. (John 12:47,48).
   2. Jesus will act as judge in His second coming. (Matthew 25:31-33). Note: in this text He is teaching, not judging.
      What does He teach?  Let’s consider two major points He teaches...

IV. “...He Who Is Without Sin Among You...” (vs. 7).

1. Jesus tells them to do it! Note: “let him throw a stone at her first.” No one could accuse Jesus of teaching them to violate the law!
2. Jesus makes them examine themselves. The law taught this type of punishment for sin. But the law taught that all sin separated men from God.
   • Had the scribes and Pharisees created the scenario which led to the adultery?
   • Was this why the man wasn’t present?
   • Even if they had just discovered this sin, how could they ignore their own sins?

1. Correcting others. Matthew 7:1-5 If their attitudes had been right they might have been able to prevent this sin to begin with.
2. Considering ourselves. Galatians 6:1-5 We can only help others when we are honest in our appraisal of ourselves. These men were ignoring their own sinfulness - and trying to trap Jesus.

V. “...Go And Sin No More” (vs. 11).
Notice something profound here. They all begin to go away after Jesus words. Some mss. add the phrase “being convicted by their conscience” (vs. 9). But what is left? “Jesus was left alone and the woman standing in the midst” (vs. 9). Cf. vs. 3 now Jesus is the only one left. He didn’t go away - He was without sin (Hebrews 4:15). He was the only one who could have thrown a stone -- and yet he did not!
     Was Jesus being tolerant of sin? We have seen (from what Scripture does record) that there were problems with this whole situation (Exodus 23:7). Jesus was actually following the law!
     It is a mistake to imagine that righteousness means jumping to quick condemnation! Note: Sometimes we do that -- we had better weigh all the issues -- we had better have all the information -- then, if necessary we issue a rebuke, make a judgment and take action to point out a wrong!

1. “Neither do I condemn you” (vs. 11). How do we understand this? Remember, she was caught “in the very act” (vs. 4). Her guilt is not in question. The problems don’t change this.
        We have considered that Jesus purpose was not judgment but teaching. Consider another purpose that Jesus carried out. (Luke 19:10). Before Him stood a woman who was lost! Does He tolerate her sin? No!
2. Jesus teaches her to turn from sin. Note: Scripture tells us nothing else about this woman.
   • What if she ignored Jesus words?  Jesus told us clearly what become of such a person. (Matthew 7:21-23).
   • What if she headed Jesus words?  Jesus told us clearly what would become of such a person as well. (John 5:24-29).