At times, we encounter intersections within Scripture, where the Holy Spirit, our divine teacher, is led to broaden our understanding. In these moments, His revelation surpasses mere legalistic interpretations so that we can humbly hear what God is saying in the texts without the interference of our flesh.
In John Chapter 8:1-11, we encounter the story of the adulterous woman brought to Jesus in the temple court. She faced accusations of being caught red-handed in the act of adultery, and her presence before Jesus was a deliberate attempt to trap him into contradicting either the Law of Moses or Roman authority.
Under the Law of Moses, adultery carried the punishment of stoning to death for the guilty party. However, during the period of Roman rule, the Jews did not have the authority to administer the death penalty. The Romans reserved the right to enforce such severe punishments, and the Jewish authorities were not permitted to execute anyone. This situation set the stage for a challenging scenario intended to entangle Jesus in a complex legal and spiritual dilemma.
The practice of using religious bait to trap individuals is not a new phenomenon; it has been historically prevalent and continues in modern times, albeit with contemporary nuances. Today, we witness similar scenarios where individuals are brought to the forefront of social and traditional media, becoming subjects of widespread judgment by the public in a ‘cancel culture’ but especially, in the religious fraternity.
Individuals who have committed serious sins, such as the adulterous woman, often face not only spiritual consequences but also legal ramifications if their sin is classified as a crime. Unfortunately, they are frequently met with condemnation by fellow sinners rather than Jesus’s heartfelt approach which is focused on forgiveness, renewal, and restoration to a lifestyle aligned to biblical principles and heavenly standards. This is why Jesus advises the adulteress to go freely without conviction and sin no more.
In John 8:6, Jesus bends down and begins to write on the ground, symbolically emphasizing God as the Divine Creator of mankind who was formed from the dust of the earth. He signifies that God is man’s Sovereign Creator, determining the destiny of those who deviate from His intended design. Although the Bible doesn’t detail what Jesus wrote, He delivers a powerful message to the deceitful Scribes and Pharisees with a simple sentence: “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Returning to writing in the dirt, Jesus, in my interpretation, symbolically completes his redemptive and restorative pronouncement, countering legalistic judgments for the lives He created. This act serves as a foreshadowing of the transformative work He is about to accomplish on the cross. This symbolic shadow indicates that God can rewrite the spiritual genetic code of our destiny, demonstrated vividly on the cross. Despite our sinful natures deserving the penalty of spiritual death, just like the adulterous woman, the cross allows Christ to inscribe the new code of Christ’s righteousness into the framework of our spiritual and physical DNA.
Jesus completely shifts the dynamics of the situation with his response, exposing the accusing Scribes and Pharisees to mutual judgment. He implies that while upholding the Law of Moses is important, it should only be carried out by those who are sinless. How can one sinner condemn another, especially to a death sentence that is meant to be the prerogative of God?
Interestingly, the contradiction between Roman rule and the Law of Moses serves as a symbolic reflection of God’s sovereignty. Just as only God has the authority to subject a man to eternal separation from Him (i.e. death), the Roman rule, which contradicted the Jewish law, can be seen as a shadow of God’s ultimate authority. Under God’s rule, the Law of Moses, or legalism, cannot be enforced by sinful humans. Condemnation of a man’s soul and the death penalty is a judgment reserved solely for God Himself.
Individuals with an overly religious or super-spiritual Pharisee mindset consistently attempt to lure others into legalism, often driven by malicious motives and intentions, all under the guise of Scripture. However, their efforts ultimately backfire, as it inadvertently sheds the same light of judgment on their own sins. In doing so, Jesus not only reveals their ignorance and lack of insight from the Holy Spirit but also lays bare the wicked condition of their hearts, echoing the biblical sentiment found in Jeremiah 17:9: “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
Intersecting with this revelation is another revelation from God located in Mark 8 :27-33. Herein, Jesus and his disciples’ journey to the village of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way, Jesus poses two important questions: “Who do people say that I am?” and “Who do you say I am?” Peter correctly identifies Jesus as Christ, the Messiah.
Amidst the myriad of opinions swirling around, the crucial question remains: Who is Jesus Christ to you? It’s easy to get caught up in external perspectives, but understanding our own personal relationship with Him is paramount.
Caesarea Philippi holds significance not only for its abundant springs nourishing the Jordan River but also as the site where Jesus unveiled His identity as the Messiah to His disciples. Here, He imparted vital teachings about His divine purpose, ordained by His Heavenly Father. Jesus revealed that He was destined to be born, to die, and to rise again from death to life after three days, all as part of His redemptive plan for humanity.
Peter, in his religious rigidity, attempts to rebuke Jesus for his claims. He struggles to comprehend the idea of Christ’s suffering and death, possibly due to his familiarity with a skewed interpretation or a partial revelation of Christ’s identity. The concept of suffering and death contradicts Peter’s preconceived image of the Messiah.
As Christians, it’s essential to acknowledge that our devotion is to a God we can only partially comprehend. Therefore, we should prioritize listening to who He declares Himself to be rather than confining Him to our limited understanding. If God were entirely fathomable, He wouldn’t be God. The nature of God’s revelation is progressive, unveiling Himself in parts. To truly grasp His fullness, we need open hearts and minds, avoiding closed-mindedness and resisting the temptation to restrict God to our own understanding. This openness is crucial to experiencing the ongoing and unfolding nature of God’s revelations within us.
When Peter reprimands Jesus, he receives a necessary rebuke from Christ. Though it may sound harsh, Jesus’ response is crucial. In Mark Chapter 8, Verse 33, Jesus tells Peter, “Get behind me, Satan; for your mind is not set on God’s will or His values or purposes, but on what pleases man.”
Peter’s reaction stems from his earthly desires, seeking satisfaction in what aligns with his preferences. He struggles to accept the notion of Christ suffering and dying, reflecting our own resistance to Christ’s transformative work within and through us. We are also guilty of rejecting and reprimanding the Holy Spirit for the carrying of our own cross. We tend to cling to idealized images of a “gentle Jesus, meek and mild,” neglecting his dual nature as both Lion and Lamb.
Satan tends to inject his deceptive opinions into pliable minds when it comes to understanding God and mankind’s identity. Peter, influenced by Satan, rejects God’s spoken truth in favour of his limited human logic. Christ’s rebuke serves as a reminder that heavenly glory is inseparable from earthly suffering. Peter, like us, must grasp the real purpose behind God sending His Son in human form, understanding that there can be no heavenly glory without the journey through earthly challenges. Peter would eventually need to reconcile with God’s true plan for sending His Son to inhabit human flesh on earth.
In this convergence of Scriptures, Christ rebukes the Pharisees for their unauthorized judgment, exposing their sinfulness and unworthiness to condemn one another to death. God’s inescapable light reveals their darkness, rendering them unable to cast stones at the adulteress. Simultaneously, Peter faces rebuke for his unauthorized criticism at a time where Christ is paving the way for humanity’s salvation, ensuring that those of us who are not without sin are not condemned to eternal death.
While stones symbolize immediate judgment, Godly rebuke represents Christ’s redemptive work. Salvation removes the stones of condemnation, if we seek to receive it and study to show ourselves approved. It’s critical to recognize the distinction between human judgment and divine judgment.
God’s rebuke is intended to guide humanity toward repentance. Repentance serves as the gateway through which we shift our focus from the interests of this world to the purposes of God. The purpose of rebuke is not to cast stones of judgment upon sinners but, in figurative terms, to usher the spiritually unclean into a transformative process, much like guiding a dirty person into a cleansing bath.
Contrary to causing harm or embarrassment, rebuke is designed to be a helpful, transformative process. While throwing stones results in a lifeless individual with no chance for transformation, rebuke yields a changed person, equipped with a testimony of turning their mess into a message.
By clinging to a legalistic perspective, we undermine the transformative power of God, which can make all things new. Let us willingly accept heavenly rebuke and engage in personal repentance, laying down our metaphorical stones at the altar. May our focus be on purging the sins from within ourselves, as illuminated by God’s light, rather than fixating on the shortcomings of others.
Acts 3:17-23 (NIV):
“Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.’
1 Samuel 2:25 (NIV):
“If one person sins against another, God may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the Lord, who will intercede for them?” His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke, for it was the Lord’s will to put them to death.”
Thank you for reading today’s blog and I pray it blessed you in a dynamic way!
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