Journal John 8 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)
Scripture: “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now (dramatic pause imagined here) in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So…what do YOU say?
(They said this to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him).
Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them: “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:4b-7)
Observation: I think that this section of verse has been used to demonstrate the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and, by extension, probably the whole human race as well.
To battle that hypocrisy, Jesus brought in for us a major principle of the Gospel—something for me to understand my own mind and heart with.
Analysis: I run into this just about every day. I look at someone or something and immediately have a twinge of “I am glad I am “saved” and not like these poor people.” (refer to Luke 18:11) I can’t help it: my innate sin nature, manifested in pride and ego, is still there and must be addressed daily (c. Ro 7:5 and the following: “For if you live according to the flesh (my innate sin nature) you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death (mortify) the deeds of the body, you will live…” Ro 8:13).
I have seen where there has been a lot of speculation about “what did Jesus write in the dirt?” I guess it is ok to engage in this speculative exercise (I have!!), but isn’t the key statement to consider this: “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her?”
I think this is the issue with an inadequate explanation of the Gospel to folks. “I just got saved and am now declared “righteous” in the eyes of Jesus.” An unfortunate byproduct of this is the possibility of elevating myself above the “unrighteous.”
This engages what I wrote about in John 5: I “judge” others in an unrighteous manner; I go from benign “evaluating” to something close to “condemnation.”
Take the example of today’s beggar on the corner. Approaching a person like this, I immediately go into evaluation mode: “Am I going to give alms to a beggar like I am commanded?” Whoops: this looks like a drunk or a drug user… Whoops, they are holding up a sign needing funds for diapers and rent… What about who could be illegals looking like they may be living out of their car or appear to be Muslim?
In going through these thought processes, am I really figuring the weight of my stone?
Let me be clear: Jesus said that the poor will always be among us, and I am not implying that every beggar should be given something. But I must understand and embrace (in actual humility) the saying “There, but for the grace of God, go I…”
The point is that while in Salvation my Justification is settled, in my every day walk my Sanctification is an ongoing effort that Men should be constantly engaging with to “mortify the sin in my body.” I think that is the point that Jesus was making to the Pharisees and communicating through His Holy Word for us to pay attention to.
This is the Gospel.
Prayer: Triune God, please stoke my passion toward you, in order that “Walking worthy of the Gospel ” becomes more important to me every day!!
Amen
Ricky Two Shoes