MERCY ME: A STORY OF GRACE

“Mercy Me!”
John 7:53-8:11
This text might seem an unusual one for the week before Valentine’s Day! It does however remind us of God’s love demonstrated in sending his Son to be our Savior: “God demonstrates His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” If you have an NIV Bible you’ll see a note that this passage does not occur in the earliest and best manuscripts of John. This is in fact one of the most contested paragraphs in the New Testament. The problem? None of the manuscripts of John before the 5th century AD include it, and it’s not cited or commented on by the earliest church fathers! They simply go from 7:52 right to 8:12. The story of “The Adulterous standing before the Light of the World” actually appears in a couple of different places in this Gospel, and also in a couple of manuscripts of Luke’s gospel! Most scholars have concluded, and I agree, that it probably wasn’t originally a part of John’s Gospel. Almost everyone agrees however that it does seem to be an actual event in the life of Jesus that was remembered and preserved by the early church and that simply didn’t make it into the Gospels originally (remember John 21:25, “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.”). I am not going to take time to look at the question of the authenticity of this passage or talk about the science of textual criticism. This isn’t a seminary class. I did, however, put a link on my new blog to John Piper’s thorough discussion of the history and evidence [see previous post]. As for us, we’re going to look at this ancient story for what it is: as a beautiful and touching illustration of the important biblical doctrine of the mercy and grace of God. I think this is a favorite story of many of us since we all know the truth about ourselves, and we know that God knows the truth as well. There is none righteous, no not one.
The Big Idea: We are all sinners, deserving judgment, and are only saved because of the mercy and grace of God. We should respond with a deep sense of gratitude toward him, and by being merciful and gracious toward others.

I. The Law reveals sin and requires justice (7:53-8:5). This is the predicament which defines fallen humanity: we are lost sinners, in rebellion against God, deserving judgment. Paul said in Eph 2:1-3, “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.” The language is clear and its humbling: we were dead in sin, in bondage to the devil, without hope. That is the human condition without Jesus, and God knows not only our actions but also our hearts, Paul told the Corinthians that they should “…judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one's praise will come from God” (I Cor 4:5).
Here, the text begins by saying (7:53) that each went to his own home, but Jesus went to The Mount of Olives—this reminds me that this world really isn’t our home, that one day Jesus will return in power and judgment. Where did that come from? Nothing is merely “incidental,” including this detail. First of all, Jesus was not at home in this world: he said elsewhere that “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” (Matt 8:20). Secondly, “Mount of Olives” is mentioned occasionally in the Bible, always in a key context…
• According to Luke, Jesus passed near the Mount of Olives as he entered the city in the Triumphal Entry (Luke 19:37). As he was being hailed as “King of Israel” by the people, he passed in the shadow of this hill.
• After the Last Supper, he went out to the Mount of Olives with his disciples, and they sang a hymn (Mark 14:26; Matt 26:30). That night in which the Lord’s table was instituted, for the disciples looking ahead to what would happen in a matter of hours as he would be betrayed, denied by them, and delivered up to be crucified.
• Finally, it was on the Mount of Olives, that Jesus sat and taught his disciples about the signs of the times and the promise of his return (Mk 13: Mt 24). Its here that the prophet Zechariah had said the returning Messiah would stand, and the mountain would split in two under his feet (Zech 14:4). Coincidental? Maybe, but it is interesting in our story in John that the people return home, however Jesus, who has no “home” in this world, goes to a place associated with his kingship and glory, his passion, and the promise of his return. He is Lord, and yes, the day will come when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that truth, yet the leaders dare to come to test Him!
Early in the morning, the NIV says “at dawn,” Jesus was back in the temple courts teaching any who would hear him. Jesus knew the timetable that the Father had established; he was diligently carrying out his mission, giving the people an opportunity to believe Him. We saw in Chapters 6 and 7 that Jesus was well aware of the intentions of the leaders, that they were already plotting to kill him, even so, he will not back down: nothing is going to keep him from calling people to repentance, revealing God’s grace, and, at the right time, providing redemption, as he lays down his own life for our sins.
“Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst…” (John 8:3) This public “presentation” of the woman before the people to Jesus seems odd—the motives of the leaders will become clear in the next verse, but already we have to wonder, why ask Jesus, apparently a Galilean, certainly not one of the Sanhedrin, His opinion on what should be done? And why this embarrassing situation of standing her before the assembled crowd? Even without v.6, it seems suspicious to say the least.
In John 8:4,5 we read, "...they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. 5 "Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned...” They point out the sin and the judgment that was called for, and they were right! Exodus 20:14, “You shall not commit adultery.” Leviticus 20:10 spells out the penalty:

"The man who commits adultery with another man's wife, he who commits adultery with his neighbor's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress, shall surely be put to death.”

This brings us to an obvious question: Adultery by definition requires two people. Where was the man? This is another indication that something else is going on here. Every indication is that the woman was guilty. There are no denials on her part. But why, early in the morning, do they bring her to Jesus? Their motives are hypocritical, they are not interested in justly carrying out the Law of Moses, they are trying to trap Jesus and have a basis for condemning him. If he said “show mercy” he would be speaking contrary to the Law and could be denounced as someone speaking against Moses. If he said “stone her” perhaps he would be viewed as harsh and unsympathetic and would lose the support of the people. Jesus knew the truth; he knew the woman’s heart, and also the hearts of her accusers. The truth is we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. We are all sinners, deserving judgment, and are only saved because of the mercy and grace of God. We should respond with a deep sense of gratitude toward him, and by being merciful and gracious toward others.

II. The rulers were not interested in justice, they were seeking to trap Jesus and have a cause to accuse Him (8:6a). Their duplicity reveals their hard hearts.
As happened frequently in the Gospels, the leaders sought to trap Jesus by giving him a “no win” situation to judge. This is another evidence that they had no clue as to who they were dealing with! They set the scene up “…in order to have a basis for accusing Him…” Their minds were made up, and now, if necessary, they would manufacture a basis for judging Jesus. All their actions revealed was they too were sinners, deserving judgment.

III. Jesus knew their hearts, and He knows our hearts (8:6b-8). One theme that we have seen in John’s Gospel is well reflected in this story: the omniscience of Jesus, and his sovereignty over the situation. He knows the truth, He knows the crime the woman committed, but He also knows everything about her accusers, their motivation, their plan, and their own sinful hearts. “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it?” (Jer 17:9). It goes on… 17:10 “I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.”
It’s interesting, that in that same context in Jeremiah, we read in 17:13, “Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the Lord, the spring of living water”(NIV). Jesus was just teaching in John 7 about the water of life welling up to overflowing in those who believe in Him. These leaders don’t believe, and their actions reveal their attitudes. They were guilty, needing mercy, as much as the woman was. The truth is, we are all sinners, deserving judgment, and are only saved because of the mercy and grace of God. We should respond with a deep sense of gratitude toward him, and by being merciful and gracious toward others.

IV. When we are honest about it, we all know we are sinners (8:9). The question comes up, and its hard not to speculate: what did Jesus write on the ground? Some suggestions have been made:
Did he begin to list the 10 commandments? The Law exposes sin, and the truth is all fall short, so we could easily imagine a scene with Jesus writing one by one the ten commandments, and one by one the accusers wincing as they are reminded of their own sin, “convicted by their own conscience,” dropping their stone, and slipping away.
Did he write their names in the dust, according Jeremiah 17:13, reminding them of their hypocrisy? That would be convicting in and of itself. Looks at the context in Jeremiah and see how it reflects the issues of this context in John:

“This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD. 6 He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. 7 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. 8 He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." 9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? 10 "I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve." 11 Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay is the man who gains riches by unjust means. When his life is half gone, they will desert him, and in the end he will prove to be a fool. 12 A glorious throne, exalted from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary. 13 O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the LORD, the spring of living water. 14 Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise. 15 They keep saying to me, "Where is the word of the LORD? Let it now be fulfilled!" (Jeremiah 17:5-15).

It is at least possible that Jesus was evoking this passage from Jeremiah, perhaps inviting them to remember the Scripture and to consider their own heart of unbelief.
Its only speculation but we see one by one, the accusers are themselves apparently “convicted,” they become aware of their hypocrisy and see their own sinfulness, and drop their stones, and walk away. From the oldest, to the last. Could it be that the older ones were around long enough to be all too aware of their own sin? Even the Law is gracious, because it reveals the depth of our need, and so can be a schoolmaster to lead us to Christ (See Galatians 3-4). Thank God for his Grace since we are all sinners, deserving judgment, and are only saved because of the mercy and grace of God. We should respond with a deep sense of gratitude toward him, and by being merciful and gracious toward others.

V. Only by the Grace and Mercy of God can we be saved (8:10-11).
Notice that Jesus doesn’t ask the woman if she is guilty. He knows her heart. Like the woman at the well in chapter 4, Jesus extends grace. After all, it is He who will bear her sins in His own body on the Cross.
“Go now, and leave your life of sin…” Like the healed man in the temple, Jesus calls for repentence, and change of mind and a turning from sin to God. "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

What is God saying to me in this passage? We are all sinners, deserving judgment, and are only saved because of the mercy and grace of God. We should respond with a deep sense of gratitude toward him, and by being merciful and gracious toward others.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? Our response to God: Have you thought that the sins of your past, or your present, were too much to hope for forgiveness? Have you thought, “God might forgive others, but how could he possibly forgive me, you don’t know what I’m like, you don’t know the things I have done.” You are no different than any of us, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. None of us deserves heaven. It’s like the illustration of a giant chasm between humanity and God on his throne in heaven. If it’s a hundred feet across, it doesn’t matter who you are, you won’t be able to leap the distance. Some might get out a little further, but inside of thirty feet, all of us would be crashing on the rocks, dead. The only way is to walk across on the cross of Christ, which is the sufficient and only hope for sinful humans. You get on that path and cross over to life by admitting you are a sinner (Rom 3:23), by believing in Jesus, trusting that he died for your sins, and that he was raised again the third day. And finally confessing him as the savior and Lord of your life (Rom 10:9,10).
Have you been hurt by some who would judge you, or look down upon you because of your past and even you present struggles with sin? Jesus would say to them, “Let he who has no sin first cast a stone…” He would say to you , “believe in Me, and turn from your sin to a new life in me.”

What then should be our attitude toward others? Show mercy, be gracious, forgive! Because we have received such grace, we should be gracious. Because we have needed such mercy, we should be merciful. Judge not that you be not judged. We are simply one sinner, showing another sinner, where to find bread. Thank God for His amazing grace!