Jeffrey Holton
  • Home
  • About
    • Resume
    • Sermons
    • Family Discipleship
    • Book Reviews
    • Philippines
  • Devotions
  • Videos
  • Podcast
  • Pictures
  • Contact
  • Archives

DEVOTIONS

Week  1, DAY 2

3/6/2019

0 Comments

 
7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”]]  John 8:7 - 11 (ESV)

Jesus’ reply to the accusers is classic. He doesn’t speak, he doesn’t retort, he simply squats down and
starts writing in the sand. What did he write? There are a lot of speculations, but the truth is we have no
idea. Some speculate that he was imitating the Roman practice of the magistrates who would write their
sentence down, others say he was making a reference to the law, and some have said Jesus was just
doodling to gather some time. Again, we don’t know.

When Jesus does speak, he answers the question in a way they were not expecting. He says, “He who is
without sin, let him cast the first stone.” He knows all of them were far from perfection and there was no
way any of them could pick up the first stone. According to Leviticus 24:14 the witnesses of the crime
were the ones who are to stone the sinner, and they could not be participants in the sinful act. It is not too
far out of the question to suggest that maybe the reason they couldn’t cast the first stone was because they
were the ones guilty of committing this sin. Maybe one of them was the one she was caught with? We’ll
never know.

Once again Jesus stoops down and writes in the sand and as he does each accuser turns and walks away,
starting with the oldest. I can imagine their faces burning hot with anger and frustration as their plan
comes unraveled.

Jesus asks the woman, “Where are those who condemn you?” You can almost hear the authoritative
compassion and mercy as he speaks to the woman. He was the only one who could have cast the first
stone, but he does not.

Some have suggested that Jesus is being apathetic towards sin, that he was taking it easy on the woman. I
firmly believe Jesus responds with compassion because he saw the regret, repentance and fear in the
woman’s eyes as she faced potential death. She was humiliated in front of many people; her life was
ruined because she would now and forever be known as the adulterer. Her chances of being shunned from
her family and community were very likely.

Jesus’ response is beautiful, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” He takes sin
seriously, but he also takes forgiveness seriously. He gives the woman a second chance at true life, just
like he gives you and me a second chance at life because of the cross of Calvary.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Preview or buy my  books






    Author

    I currently  live on the Gulf Coast of Florida with my beautiful family.  The Lord has blessed me with over  25 years of full time ministry.  He is and has been faithful. 

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014

    Categories

    All

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • About
    • Resume
    • Sermons
    • Family Discipleship
    • Book Reviews
    • Philippines
  • Devotions
  • Videos
  • Podcast
  • Pictures
  • Contact
  • Archives