Tuesday | Week 7

Jesus’ ministry was attacked by the religious leaders at every turn. They were on a diligent mission to destroy His influence, His message of forgiveness and grace. The Pharisees’ job was to enforce Moses’ Law as the only authority to gain acceptance by God. Jesus’ message of grace was totally foreign to their paradigm of thinking. Jesus’ entrance as the fulfillment of that great sacrificial system shook their power structure, so they eagerly take another opportunity to discredit Jesus. Yet He would reveal this Truth: 

Truth and grace triumph over judgment; thus enabling new life.

We read in verses 1 through 6 that Moses’ Law said, “stone her”. If Jesus agreed, what would happen to His reputation as a friend of “publicans and sinners”? If He said no, He would be subject to arrest for breaking the Law, accused of being “easy on sin”. Truth and grace facing off with judgment and sin. As Jesus knelt down to write in the dust instead of immediately responding, the Pharisees kept badgering and demanding. Judgment has a hard time keeping its mouth shut, while Grace pauses to gather His thoughts. Grace then responds with truth: “You who is without sin, throw the first stone” (v.7). Instead of pointing fingers at each sinner before Him, Grace pauses and kneels down again! One by one, perhaps the older ones realizing first the sin in their own lives, they shuffle away. Jesus is alone with the woman caught in sin, while the Pharisees are oblivious that they have been the tool to put her face to face with the One Person who could give her a new beginning, a new life!

Then the Person of Grace and Truth spoke grace with truth. “Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of and sin” (v.11). Jesus acknowledged her sin (truth) and gave her new life (grace). Jesus showed an amazing tenderness in personally dealing with sin, and a blazing truthfulness with regard to God’s Word. Are you and I as likely to combine the mix of grace and truth as we see the sin in others more clearly than our own? In what relationship will I give grace as freely as truth? This in no way negates the reality and ugliness of sin; but the grace of Jesus invites the sinner to a new life, lived in forgiveness.