To understand John 8:2-11, we must draw reference from the Lord’s approach in dealing with the woman suspected of adultery. The parallel law which Christ appears to follow is found in Numbers 5:11-31. Numbers 5 assumes that there is some doubt as to whether the woman actually committed adultery and if she was actually guilty. Numbers 5 does not apply to a woman who was caught in the act. The prescription in Numbers 5 was to be carried out by the priest who presented the woman to the Lord for Him to be the judge because there was uncertainty.
It is striking indeed that Christ would follow the pattern of Numbers 5, when the scribes and Pharisees professed that they had caught her in the act. How convenient, though, that the man is not present or at least does not identify himself.
In Numbers 5, the priest would stoop down to gather dust which was added to holy water. This the woman was to drink. The woman is also to bring a grain offering, which is said to be a reminder of iniquity. The bitter water is then placed in the woman’s hand. She is to give an oath as she drinks the bitter water in the presence of the Lord. Here, we should be reminded of the outcome of those who brought offerings and sacrifices to the Lord in their sin. It was a sure way to die, and that was the result of a woman who professed innocence but was in fact guilty. In her sin, she brought an offering to the Lord with a high hand, and the Lord’s refusal of the offering resulted in her death.
Christ in John 8:2-11 acts in the role of the priest, stooping down to the dust. The scribes and Pharisees obviously do not associate Christ with a priest. He did indeed become our High Priest.
John Lightfoot (1675) believes the writing in the dust signified the priest’s writing the curses on a scroll from Numbers 5:11-31. But instead of writing curses against the woman, Christ is writing curses against the scribes and Pharisees. In essence, He was symbolically preparing bitter water for them to drink. There was indeed doubt as to their own innocence in the matter.
The holy water mixed with dust from Numbers 5:11-31 served to convict a person of sin. In John 8:2-11, Christ is convicting the scribes and Pharisees of their sin. Indeed, their sin was greater than that of the woman, yet they professed to be guiltless in accusing the woman. They would have preferred that their own sin remain hidden.
Lightfoot believes Christ stooped down to write twice because He is continuing to write curses against the scribes and Pharisees. That they all walked away without casting any stones signified their guilt before all those gathered around. It was bitter water indeed for them. The shame they must have borne that day no doubt only fueled their hatred of Christ and further cemented their blindness.
In that day, the Jews had surrendered themselves to the Romans, and Roman law would have forbidden death by stoning and would certainly have forbidden a sentence of death without a trial. The Jews could not freely exercise the full law of Moses, for indecencies such as this had first to be brought to the Roman courts. The intentions by the scribes and Pharisees were, thus, not genuine because they did not seek to root out sin from their midst. Indeed, they were more guilty that she, and they wanted to hide their own sin. Their intentions were to catch Christ in some sort of scandal they could use to bring charges against Him before the Roman courts. The scandal would also dissuade the multitudes from following Him.
Instead, the Pharisees and scribes drank, as it were, the bitter water they would have had the woman drink. We can again here draw from God’s indictment of the priests, leaders, and people in Malachi, where we do see them bringing lame and sick animals for sacrifice to the Lord. They were bringing sacrifices to the Lord with a high hand and in a great deal of presumption. Here, the Lord apparently leveled charges against the Pharisees and scribes of greater importance than the charge of adultery against the woman.
We make for terrible judges of other people when we are dripping in sin. Isaiah 64:6, Matthew 7:1-5, James 4:11-12, John 20:23 If we were completely righteous, we would not act disingenuously in bringing charges against a person, and we would exercise a degree of grace and mercy. Matthew 6:14-15
The King James Version on Galatians 3:24 is instructive here, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” Other versions of the Bible use “tutor” or “guardian” instead of schoolmaster. The imagery is that of the job of a person or group of people “charged with the duty of supervising the life and morals of” children entrusted to their care. (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon) The law aroused our consciousness of sin, preparing us for Christ. See also Romans 10:4, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”
The goal is not strict punishment on those who disobey. Rather, the goal is righteousness and conformity to Christ, both inward and outward. The law is death, and Christ is life.
Exposed by the law and threatened with its punishment, the woman then hears Christ say to her in John 8:11, “Neither do I condemn you; go your way. From now on sin no more.” The object of grace and mercy is righteousness. Christ did not release her, so that she could lead a more sensuous lifestyle. No, He released her to live righteously. He removed the bonds of sin, and she in turn was set free to live unto righteousness.
And so are we. The command, “From now on sin no more,” also applies to you and me. We are guilty before the law, and the Pharisees and scribes would have reason to publicly condemn us. Christ, in His grace and mercy, offers us pardon and frees us from the bonds of sin. “Sin no more” is a phrase of perfection and continually turning away from sin, ever increasing in the Holy Spirit. Romans 6:11-14
Christ does not save us half-way. No, we are saved to the uttermost and called unto holiness. The particular holiness we are to embody is that holiness which has no mixture of sin, completely refined. A lofty goal for sure, but one which is attainable through the Holy Spirit and with the strength and grace of Christ. Christ would not have given her this command if it was not attainable.
Like this post? Subscribe to stay up to date on new posts.