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We’ve all sinned, but what do you do when you’re caught in the act of sin? How do you react? How do you expect others to react? In today’s story of The Adulteress, we meet a woman who waited when she could have escaped.

Backstory

We meet The Adulteress in John chapter 8, but in order for us to fully appreciate her story, we need to understand the time period in which it takes place. 

Tension was building up. Jesus was at the Feast of Tabernacles saying things people didn’t understand. None of it made sense. Many were rejecting Him. The rulers were seeking an opportunity to bring Him in for questioning, but they didn’t have just cause. It was a time of confusion and chaos. No one knew what to think. Frustrated, they waited for the opportunity to arise to get rid of Jesus so they could go back to their status quo. John chapter 7 closes with, “everyone went to his own house.”

Then chapter 8 opens with, “But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.” 

Her Story

Jesus spent the night in prayer, then early in the morning He went back to the temple. People gathered about Him, so He sat down and taught them. While He was teaching, the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in the act of adultery. They led her front and center of the crowd and confronted Jesus.

“Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?”

Jesus said nothing. Instead, He stooped down and wrote on the ground, acting as if He hadn’t heard them.

They persisted, asking Him what should be done with her.

He stood up and addressed them. 

“He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”

Then he bent back down and wrote on the ground again. While He wrote, they all left, starting with the oldest. When He stood back up, the accusers were gone. Only the woman remained.

“Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”

She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

As she exited the scene, Jesus turned to those who He had been teaching before the commotion and said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

The Rest of the Story

The religious leaders did not like Jesus... 

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