A Woman in Danger Meets Jesus- John 8

So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27

It may seem odd to begin a study of John 8 with a quote from Genesis about God creating mankind. However, something important to note is that God created mankind in his image- male and female. Women are equally image bearers of God with men.

In John there are three salient accounts Jesus interacting with women in ways that ran counter to the culture of the time. In all three accounts we find Jesus caring for them as the Creator/Savior reaching out with grace for them. We saw the first account several weeks ago in A Troubled Woman Meets Her Savior.

Today we look at a woman in danger meets Jesus. In John 8 we find the teachers of the law and the Pharisees, religious leaders, brought a woman who was caught in the act of adultery in front of Jesus and the people around him. Interesting that the woman was brought before Jesus but the man was not perhaps underscoring that women were second class citizens compared to men at that time.

Trying to trap Jesus they stated the law said she should be stoned to death and asked what he had to say.

Jesus’ response was to ignore them and bend down and write in the dirt. It is quite possible the woman was on the ground and could see what Jesus was writing.

They persisted, so Jesus stood up and said:

Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

He bent down and wrote in the dirt again. The accusers and the people around left one by one.

Jesus stood up and asked he where her accusers were. He asked her:

“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”“

When she replied no one, Jesus told her:

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

The woman was literally in danger of being stoned to death. She could have been only moments away from death when they brought her before Jesus. Instead she experienced the grace of Jesus.

Jesus did not tell her it is okay. He told her he did not condemn her and also to leave her life of sin. When we come to Jesus, we are no longer under condemnation, but he does work to change us and our lives.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, Romans 8:1

Thank you for reading. God Bless.