The Woman Caught/captured in Adultery

As we close our reflections on the woman caught/captured in adultery, I’m reminded of Y’shua Jesus’ feet being washed. There’s no scholarly reflection that indicates this was the same woman, but it could have been. As we reflect on Today’s Holy Nougat, might we determine how this encounter ended for the woman?

John 8:10-11 AMP

[10] Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?”

[11] She answered, “No one, Lord!” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you either. Go. From now on sin no more.”] Jesus Is the Light of the World

Responding to Grace

Despite crafting a poem that tries to capture the different emotions the woman could have experienced throughout the entire encounter-ordeal, I can’t genuinely say that I know how she felt. She missed the gallows by a hair’s breadth! Adultery was that serious, and they were willing to sacrifice her – not so much for adultery, but for the principle behind it. Out of spite and a desire to get at someone else. She was collateral damage! And until Y’shua spoke those final words to her, her life was in jeopardy.

Self-Check

Have you ever been rightfully accused for the wrong reason? How did you respond knowing that you were being singled out although you were ‘legally’ at fault?

Application

Jesus’ stance, question, and His subsequent response to the woman tells us that she was fully acquitted. Given all she’d experienced in that single encounter, what do we think her response to Jesus might have been? Is it likely that she was convicted or converted thereafter?

Hold that thought

On another level – rather, in another sense – we are that woman. We have each sinned and fallen short of God’s glory and likeness. The enemy of our souls has caught us in spiritual adultery and has thrust us in all our nakedness and shame before Y’shua at the Holy of Holies. The Law is clear – the wages of sin is Death – and we deserve the death penalty. We deserve to have our sins paraded for the world to see. We don’t deserve forgiveness, and we can not save ourselves.

But

The psalmist assures us, ‘God *does not* treat us as our sins deserve…’. It might have been prophetic, or he was reminiscing about his own sins; but Psalm 103:10 speaks to our reality.

Given our thinking about what should have been the woman’s response, how do we respond to such grace?

Point to Ponder

Siblings, if we know how greatly we’ve been forgiven, shall we not also love on Christ in return?

Shall we not forgive others as we’ve been forgiven?

Are we grasping the grace extended, and allowing ourselves to be convicted?

May all we seek be found in Christ