At about 2am this morning I woke up and had a thought pop into my head almost immediately, and it had to do with the woman caught in adultery, found in John's Gospel. This is definitely not a common first thought on waking, nor was I dreaming anything related, that I can remember, nor had this topic come up in conversation anytime within the last few years.. Thus, I must conclude that the Lord is sowing some inspiration and revelation into my spirit, which excites me.
Here is the story as John, likely an eye witness, reported it - John 8:2-11 NIV:
[2] "At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. [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?” [6] They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.
[7] When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” [8] Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. [9] At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.
[10] Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
[11] “No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
I love this story and have reflected upon it many times, and the thought I had this morning had never previously entered my thinking. Here is how I remember that thought that popped into my mind, actually more a statement: "When I gave the men accusing her of adultery the opportunity to walk away, I was having mercy on them, for if they had judged her, I would have judged them!"
I must say, that statement really surprised me, not that I disagree, but rather that this was one of the things that apparently Jesus was thinking about at that moment. The situation was clearly a tense situation and they had carefully laid a trap for Jesus in front of a large crowd of people in the very temple of the Lord! It is clear that they had concluded that Jesus, in His ministry, was operating beyond the law ( can't think of a better way to say that He wasn't constrained by the Law) and tended towards mercy rather than judgment (Oh, that we would all be accused of being more merciful than judgmental). They were trying to get Him to blaspheme in the temple in front of a bunch of witnesses, and the law said to stone those who blaspheme (Lev. 24:14). Thus, this was a life or death situation for Jesus. They rightfully believe that Jesus when confronted with a person caught in the very act of adultery, for which the sentence according to the Law was death (Lev. 20:10), would have mercy rather than execute judgment. What they didn't realize was that Jesus would be concerned for them as well as for the woman!
Early in Jesus' ministry, He had spoken of judging others and made this statement - Matthew 7:1-2 NIV: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. [2] For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." He also had taught the following concerning adultery - Matthew 5:27-28 NIV: “You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' [28] But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
I am not sure if in the moment of this tense stand-off, while He was writing in the sand, if the Holy Spirit, in His mercy, was ministering to each of the men standing there, allowing them to recall to mind either these words of Jesus, or memories of their own sinfulness, but something clearly broke the tension. When Jesus made the statement in verse 7 above - “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” they all started to walk away, knowing that they were all guilty as sinners, and Jesus was left with the woman, who now had no accusers.
I had never thought of God's mercy really being extended to the men before, but now as I reflect upon this, I see that He was indeed being merciful, allowing them to understand the Father's heart towards sinners. He doesn't desire judgment, and always provides us the opportunity to repent, to ask for forgiveness. James tell us regarding judgment and mercy, "...judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment." ( James 2:13 NIV). God's mercy does triumph over judgment, for His mercy has been extended through Jesus' sacrifice and blood, to all who would accept this mercy, which includes just payment for any judgment that would have been demanded, and thus has triumphed over that judgment!
Jesus, in allowing the men to walk away, allowed them the opportunity to choose mercy over judgment, and provided them the opportunity to experience God's mercy rather than His judgment! We know there are always at least two sides to every situation, and Jesus had managed to address both sides mercifully, and done so in love. I am sure that in addition to the woman to whom Jesus said, “Go now and leave your life of sin.”, that many of those men had a new appreciation for God's mercy!
My prayer is that those who meet me would experience God's mercy, rather than my judgment. My desire is that I might express the same love and compassion for all regardless of their mindset or attitudes towards me! I see in this story Jesus living out His own teachings recorded by Matthew 5:43-44 NIV:
“You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' [44] But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you". Jesus clearly has demonstrated His ability to love His enemies, extending them mercy and compassion when they certainly didn't deserve it, in the midst of their planning to trap Him that they might kill him! Wow!
As I reflect upon this story, if causes me to stop and ponder how Jesus loved those who crucified Him, those who beat him, those who flogged Him, and those who condemned Him! He was paying for their sins as well as those of all other men! He was extending them mercy, love and forgiveness in the midst of their judging and condemning Him!
Oh, what a great and merciful God we serve! Oh, the beauty of Jesus' heart and His love for all people! Oh, the wonder of this all, His unexpected mercy and love!
Amen and Amen!
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