A Woman Taken in Adultery - John 8:3

The apostle John wrote how, “Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. 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”, and in chapter eight and verse three John shared how, “the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery” where we read:

And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery;

and when they had set her in the midst,

The verse reads, “And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery;” John began with the word, “and the scribes” which means “and the men learned in the Mosaic law and in the sacred writings who served as interpreters and teachers” “and Pharisees” or “and the sect that seems to have started after the Jewish exile. In addition to Old Testament books the Pharisees recognized in oral tradition a standard of belief and life” “brought unto him” which means “lead, carried, guided and directed to Jesus” “a woman taken in adultery” or “a female human being who was seized upon, overtaken and caught in the act of adultery”. John shared how “religious leaders” known as “scribes and Pharisees” lead a woman who was caught in the act of “adultery” to Jesus.

The verse goes on to say, “and when they had set her in the midst,” John continued with the words, “and when” which means “and at the time and moment” “they had set her” or “the scribes and Pharisees put and made the woman caught in adultery stand” “in the midst” which means “in the middle of all the people and Jesus”. John shared how these “religious leaders” stood the woman caught in adultery in front of Jesus and in the middle of the people who were gathered to hear Jesus teach.

When we meditate upon John's words in this verse, we learn how brazen these “scribes and Pharisees” were with this “woman”. Although there was a “man” also involved in the adulterous act, they only brought the “woman”, and they put her in right in the middle of everyone who was hearing Jesus teach. We shall see how Jesus responds to these religious leaders and the woman in our next few verses, but for now let us imagine ourselves being brought to “stand in the middle” of people to be accused. God's desire is to “save”, not to “condemn” people, and when a person humbles themselves before Him, believes in His Son Jesus and asks for forgiveness, He is willing to give them mercy and grant them everlasting life with Him.

Next time John shares how the Pharisees tell Jesus, “Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".