Bible Questions Answered:
How could Jesus forgive someone who never asked for forgiveness like the woman taken in adultery?
Aanandini/ Chennai, India
Bible Answer:
Text:
John 8:1-11 KJV
1 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
2 And early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came unto Him; and He sat down, and taught them.
3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto Him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
4 They say unto Him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6 This they said, tempting Him, that they might have to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
7 So when they continued asking Him, He lifted up Himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8 And again He stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10 When Jesus had lifted up Himself, and saw none but the woman, He said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
John 8:1-11 NLT
1 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.
9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman.
10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”
11 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”
John 8:2 KJV
And early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came unto Him; and He sat down, and taught them.
Dear Christian Worker, never be discouraged in your work for the Lord!
Our dear Saviour, “early in the morning, came again into the temple,” to teach the people.
Nothing could keep Him away from doing the will of the Father, it was His Life, His Love, His earthly mission, to bring the Word of the Father, to a lost world.
John 8:3 KJV
“And the scribes and Pharisees..."
Doing the work of the Lord?
Than expect opposition from the enemy.
The Jews had their own courts, but the Scribes and Pharisees in order to trap Jesus, who they absolutely rejected, brought the woman before Him, to see what He would do.
If He would do nothing but keep silent, they would have rejected Him.
If he had say “no,” they would have rejected Him for having rejected Moses law.
If He would say, stone her, He would be rejecting His own teachings.
Matthew 7:1-5 KJV
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
Romans 2:1 NLT
You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse!
When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things.
His enemies waited.
Matthew 16:10-25 KJV
16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.
21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
22 And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of Man be come.
24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.
25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called
the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of His household?
Matthew 24:9 KJV
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for My name's sake.
John 8:4,5 KJV
4 They say unto Him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
Mosaic Law:
Exodus 20: 14 KJV
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Leviticus 20:10
And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
Leviticus 21:9 KJV
And the daughter of any priest, if she profane herself by playing the whore, she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with fire.
Deuteronomy 17:2-7 KJV
2 If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God, in transgressing His covenant,
3 And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded;
4 And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and enquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel:
5 Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die.
6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.
7 The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from among you.
Deuteronomy 17:2-7 NLT
2 “When you begin living in the towns the Lord your God is giving you, a man or woman among you might do evil in the sight of the Lord your God and violate the covenant.
3 For instance, they might serve other gods or worship the sun, the moon, or any of the stars—the forces of heaven—which I have strictly forbidden.
4 When you hear about it, investigate the matter thoroughly. If it is true that this detestable thing has been done in Israel,
5 then the man or woman who has committed such an evil act must be taken to the gates of the town and stoned to death.
6 But never put a person to death on the testimony of only one witness. There must always be two or three witnesses.
7 The witnesses must throw the first stones, and then all the people may join in. In this way, you will purge the evil from among you.
Deuteronomy 22:22 KJV
If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.
Ezekiel 16:38-40 KJV
38 And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy.
39 And I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down thine eminent place, and shall break down thy high places: they shall strip thee also of thy clothes, and shall take thy fair jewels, and leave thee naked and bare.
40 They shall also bring up a company against thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords.
John 8:6 KJV
This they said, tempting Him, that they might have to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
For many years, the speculation has been, “What did Jesus, write?”
Perhaps He wrote for all to see:
Hypocrites: (Matthew 23:3)
Enslavers-Burden Givers (Matthew 23:4)
Ritualistic Pomp-False-Worshipers (Matthew 23:5-12)
Blind Leaders of the Blind (Matthew 23:13,15)
Robbers (Matthew 23:14)
False Teachers (Matthew 23:16-22)
Legalists (Matthew 23:23,24)
Deceivers (Matthew 23:25-28)
Liars (Matthew 23:29-32)
What the Lord Jesus Christ had to say regarding the Scribes and Pharisees:
Matthew 23:1-39 KJV
1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to His disciples,
2 Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
19 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
20 Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
21 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
22 And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify;
and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see Me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.
John 8:7-11 KJV
7 So when they continued asking Him, He lifted up Himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8 And again He stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10 When Jesus had lifted up Himself, and saw none but the woman, He said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Did Jesus forgive this woman's sin, without any repentance on her part?
Never!
He knew only too well, her sorrowful heart, and her shame.
God Knows the hearts of men:
Psalm 17:3 KJV
"Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me..."
Psalm 26:2 KJV
Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.
Psalm 44:20,21 KJV
20 If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;
21 Shall not God search this out? for He knoweth the secrets of the heart.
Psalm 139:23,24 KJV
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Repentance:
Matthew 3:2 KJV
"... Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Luke 13:2,3 KJV
2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Acts 3:19 KJV
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
Acts 17:30 KJV
And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Yes, Jesus was God, and because He was, He knew only too well the heart of the woman.
And what was her heart was that of sorrow and shame.
John 8:11 KJV
“... And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”
The condemnation, the guilt, the shame, the spiritual wound of sin, was gone, because Jesus had forgiven her, with His admonition, “go, and sin no more.”
And that is what repentance means, an about face.
Oh, the most wonderful words that woman had ever heard, words she no doubt would never forget...
“neither do I condemn thee.”
Isaiah 1:18 KJV
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Not to be condemned by the Lord is to be received by Him.
John 6:37 KJV
All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.
