The test

There is a story in John 8 that has always captivated me. It's a story of a test, a test of Jesus by the Jews. As I read it this morning I thought, maybe for the first time, "why was this a test?" Here is the passage and then a few thoughts,

John 8:³ The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group ⁴ and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ⁵ In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” ⁶They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

You can read the entire story that follows verse 6. It's very familiar to most readers, but here is what captivated my thoughts this morning,

Why was this a test?

Jesus was a good Jew. He loved the law, in fact he wrote the law! The test comes in this way, Moses commanded us....but what do YOU say? Do we go by the law and Moses and stone her? What do you say about this?

Again, I thought, why was this a test?

Then I realized something the Jews knew about Jesus. He put people above the law. He healed on the sabbath, he helped people contrary to the rules of the Jews. People were most important to Jesus and the Jews knew it. The test was this- do we go by the law and judge this woman or do we do things the way you have been doing them and set the law aside to extend grace?

They knew Jesus by now and knew this was a test, the law of Moses vs. the grace of Jesus. They were willing to sacrifice a woman's life to trap him! This story is profound in this way- the Jews knew Jesus to be a man who cared about people, their lives, their forgiveness, and giving grace above anything....even to a woman caught in adultery...in the very act!

At the end of the story the woman survives and hears these amazing words,

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Grace. Forgiveness. Love. Judgment has been suspended, grace and forgiveness have been given. Jesus has introduced a completely new way of dealing with the sins and lives of people and it's different than the law of Moses. Jesus' way of dealing with us is rich with grace....grace that says to the sinner, caught in the very act, "neither do I condemn you....."

Grace, what a wonderful thing, what a difficult response for those of us who want justice, but in this story Jesus confirms without compromise that a new way of dealing with sin has arrived.....and I'm so glad! Like this woman caught in sin we have each been caught and found guilty and according to the law we should die, but Jesus looks our way with a smile and forgiveness and gives us what we most need....grace.