Jesus Stops A Riot

“As He was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery. They put her in front of the crowd”, John 8:3

A set up. They were trying to trap Jesus so they could accuse Him. This was their motive. The law called for her to be stoned. Interestingly, she was alone. The man she committed adultery with, was nowhere to be found. She was being used as a human prop, to prove a point. If Jesus were a true follower of the law, He’d sanction her punishment; a death sentence. If He didn’t, He was a guilty, fake. The accusers orchestrated a no-win situation. They wanted blood.

What a tense, emotional scene. The teachers and Pharisees, stones in hand, fix their eyes on Jesus, waiting for a reaction. The guilty woman, humiliated and terrified, braces herself. The ones Jesus had been teaching in the temple, watch intently as well. Talk about pressure.

Jesus would not be hooked. He knew every heart there. The One who would soon, willingly lay His life down on a cruel cross, could not be manipulated into anyone’s box. He submitted to no one's narrative. He knew who He was. If we don’t know who we are, we will be susceptible to someone else’s interpretation of us. Identity is linked to destiny. Jesus knew His true purpose; not to condemn, but to save the world (John 3:17).

He surprises all, by kneeling and writing on the ground.

They keep questioning Him, He straightens up and says, “The one who is without sin among you, cast the first stone at her”. He stoops and writes again. We don’t know what He wrote. We do know, the atmosphere changed. The accusers felt convicted and one by one, beginning with the eldest, left. Some believe He wrote down people’s hidden, forgotten sins. The word used is, “Elegcho”; to convict with solid evidence to expose. This could explain why the oldest ones left first - more writing material. Some say, He wrote scripture. Whatever it was, everyone was affected. Anger and judgment, turned to conviction and mercy. Fear turned to relief. Once alone with the woman, Jesus asks (almost playfully, to me) where her accusers are and if anyone has condemned her. When she replies, “No one, sir”, He tells her that He doesn’t condemn her either. The only One who could rightfully bring condemnation, does not. He tells her to go and to stop sinning. The riot that was supposed to end in an execution, became a life-giving historical event.

The calm, unexpected response of writing in the dirt must have seemed so odd. Jesus doesn’t even accuse the hypocritical accusers, but challenges them to look within themselves. He releases and instructs the guilty woman, to change her life of sin. Both were guilty. Neither were condemned.

In this painful time of our country, there is much condemnation going around. There is real guilt. Emotions are heightened. There is loss, pain and fear. There are accusers, taking advantage of terrible situations. There is division. And there is Jesus. Still, turning us to look within. Still, not condemning. Still, calling us to leave our life of sin. Still, forgiving. Still, saving. Still.

May we, like Jesus, hold on to our true identity. As sons and daughters of the living God, may we fiercely examine our hearts and allow Him to purify us. May we be quick to listen and slow to speak (James 1:19). Loved people can do that. We can freely give and receive forgiveness because we know our sins could fill up fields with dirt writing, but have been wiped away. May we bear with one another in love (Eph 4:2). May we be aware of the Accuser and his schemes

(2 Cor 2:11). May we act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8).

In the almighty, glorious, precious and worthy name of Jesus, amen.

Veronica Jimenez, Sound Mind Awareness ©2020, all rights reserved.