Tuesday Devo
Scripture:
John 8:1-8
Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.
4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”
6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.
Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.
4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”
6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.
Commentary:
There is considerable doubt that this story is part of John’s original Gospel, for it is absent from all of the oldest manuscripts. But there is nothing in it unworthy of sound doctrine. It seems best to view the story as something that probably happened during Jesus’ ministry but that was not originally part of what John wrote in his Gospel. Therefore it should not be considered as part of Scripture and should not be used as the basis for building any point of doctrine unless confirmed in Scripture.
Questions:
- In John 8, we see the story of the woman caught in adultery. The religious leaders were ready to stone her to death, as was the law. But Jesus stepped in and showed her grace. Imagine that moment. It wasn't like she wasn't guilty. She was caught in the act with no defense. She deserved death by stoning. And Jesus, because he was the sinless Son of God, had the most right to throw the first stone... yet he didn't. Could there be times in your life when you could extend undeserved grace to someone? Is there someone that comes to mind right now that you could give some grace to?
- Jesus extends grace, something this woman didn't deserve and definitely didn't earn. We've been extended that same grace, and it's that grace that FREES us from the penalty of our sin. Just like this woman, we deserve death. But Jesus took that punishment for us. Reading this story, we might think it's only about not judging others and showing grace instead. But have you ever considered that fact that you are the adulterous woman in this story? How does that hit you?
Prayer Topics:
- That we would follow Jesus' example and look for opportunities to extend grace to someone.
- That we would remember that WE are the adulterous woman.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
3. Why did Jesus have to die on the cross? Since “all have sinned” and the “wages of sin is death,” Jesus had to die on the cross to pay the fine for my sin so I could be right with God.
(Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:21-23, 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:1-6; Colossians 1:13-14, 21-22)
(Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:21-23, 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:1-6; Colossians 1:13-14, 21-22)
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