The
Glory
in
Silence
A
Study in the Gospel of John
Sermon prepared for the week
of
February 10, 2008
Dr.
Larry Thorson
First
Presbyterian Church,
Small Group Format
This sermon was prepared to be part of a six week
Lenten small group series course at the First Presbyterian Church of
Select One Person to be a Group Facilitator to keep the group focused on the questions and
activities.
“Get to Know Each Other” Questions – 15 minutes
1. Have you ever been kept after school? Interrogated by police? Caught at the wrong place? Were you guilty or acquitted?
AND/OR
2. What was your favorite Saturday afternoon
pastime when you were a child?
Opening Prayer – sample provided or use your own
“Almighty God, thank you for your Word
and Your presence. May we grow together
in this time and come to a greater understanding of your Word and each
other. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Introductory Comments: You
may have noticed that our Scripture lesson in John 8 is bracketed in most
Bibles. The original Revised Standard Version prints this passage in italics at
the bottom of the page. In the New English Bible, this story appears at the end
of John’s gospel. Most of the earliest manuscripts do not include this story. That’s because
most of the earliest manuscripts, before the 6th century, do not
include this story and it is not mentioned in commentaries before the 6th
century. Most likely, it was not an original part of John’s gospel, nevertheless,
most scholars believe it to be an authentic story of Jesus. “Its coherence and spirit show that it was
preserved from a very early time and it accords well with the known character
of Jesus.” (Expositor’s
Bible Commentary p. 90)
I believe this story is authentic, because
I doubt that people would have come up with this story all by themselves.
Scripture: John 7:53-8:11
Today’s New International Version Copyright © 2001, 2005 by International Bible Society
Take turns reading each segment of verses in the group. (Scripture will be in italics throughout the study)
Scripture: 53Then each went to his own home. 1 but Jesus went to the
Commentary: Everyone else went
home. Jesus spent the night in
prayer. For Jesus, communion with God is
not only food & drink, but rest/restoration as well. Perhaps he knew what was coming and wanted to
be prayed up and ready.
Scripture: 2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple
courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach
them.
Commentary: The story opens
with Jesus sitting down in the temple courts to teach (8:2). Sitting was a customary posture for teaching
in those days. I didn’t realize until recently that the practice of
establishing a chair at a university correlates to the ancient rabbinic
practice of sitting while teaching.
Scripture: 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees
brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4
and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.
Commentary: Other people may have come
for early prayer before going to the market or to work, but the Sanhedrin as
a group were not likely to be there together at that hour unless they had a
particular purpose…which it seems they did.
People had gathered around to hear Jesus teach and they interrupted,
forcing their way to the front, dragging a woman with them.
Let me see if I understand this correctly.
The woman has just been caught in the very act of sexual relations with a man.
Two witnesses were required by Biblical law whenever a charge was brought
before a judge (Deuteronomy 19:15). That
means there had to be two eye witnesses.
That means two people watching what ordinarily happens in a very private
setting. …How did they just happen to be in the right place at the right
time. Normally when a spouse is
suspicious and someone is being watched, the private eye observes when people
come and go. Were they hidden in the
room? Watching through the window?
They say Moses law requires them to stone her but Leviticus 20:10 actually says “If a man
commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the
adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death.” Leviticus puts the responsibility first on
the man, though it follows to hold both accountable. The penalty for both is death. What’s missing here? Why have they not brought in the man as well? He’s nowhere to be found…unless perhaps he’s
one of the group making accusation…perhaps near the back of the crowd.
Historically women have been labeled as the
temptresses and women have been defined by their sexual status and/or the name
of the man whose property they were.
Most of us here are old enough to remember when women’s names were
preceded by Miss or Mrs. …before an acceptable label could be Ms. …and remember
that in those days, as now, regardless of sexual or marital status men were all
Mr. The double standard has a long
history, but the biblical foundations, at least in justice, were very
equitable.
Deuteronomy 22:22-24 says “If a man is
found sleeping with another man’s wife…you shall take both of them to
the gate of that town and stone them to death.”
When someone has been betrayed, when a
covenant has been broken, emotions run high and there are always consequences…though
thankfully stoning is no longer the custom.
Sometimes the consequences are worked out rationally in a courtroom
through alimony and child support.
Sometimes one person feels like they will not get justice through the
normal channels, and seeks their own methods.
This week the wife of a well know sportscaster in
Now
the truth of the claim that the woman committed adultery is never
disputed. The concern is how did they
know for certain and why is she the only culprit present? Jesus did not challenge the double standard
directly, but he challenged it very effectively. He had been set up to either lose his
reputation for compassion or break the word of God. Jesus is
trapped. If he directs them to stone her, Jesus will be guilty of violating
Roman law, since Jews were forbidden to enact the death penalty (18:31). If he
lets the woman go, he will be liable for disregarding Jewish law. It’s a perfect setup.
He
navigates the trap wisely by stooping to write on the ground…the only time he
recorded as writing anything. Some
commentators think he is writing his verdict in the sand, since it was required
of Roman judges to write the verdict before reading it aloud. Maybe the delay is intended to heighten the
suspense.
Discussion Questions #1: What would the Pharisees accuse Jesus of if he told them to let her
go? What if he told them to stone
her?
Scripture: 6b But Jesus bent down and started to write on
the ground with his finger.7 “When they kept on questioning him, he
straightened up and said to them, "Let any one of you who is without sin
be the first to throw a stone at her."
8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
Commentary: Perhaps Jesus was just
stalling so he could think and pray, a practice we would all do well to
emulate. Possibly he was trying not to
look at the woman. One source says that
she would have been naked, at least from the waist up as a ploy to prove her
guilt, further humiliate her and entrap Jesus.
I see the glory of God revealed in Jesus’
silence. He didn’t rush in to speak too
quickly. His answer will come out of prayer…out
of oneness in wisdom with God the omniscient one. In coming to earth as the Messiah, Jesus
chose the limitations of being fully human.
In this moment of silence, he connects with the fully divine. While we do not know what happened in the
moments of silence, we can see the result.
In the brilliance of Jesus answer, we can see the wisdom of the one who
sees everything. The glory of God comes
through the silence and only then into the spoken word.
Jesus avoids looking at her or at her
accusers. He knows that the witnesses
must begin the stoning. He knows these
men were working hard to entrap him.
Perhaps one of them enticed the woman and then turned on her? We don’t know, but we hear his reply, “Let
anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her. And once again he bent down and wrote on the
ground.” We don’t know if he was talking
about current or past personal sin in general, or if he was showing the accusers
that they had trapped themselves. “In
either case, each one of the accusers would either have to admit that he was
guilty or else refrain from demanding the woman’s death.” (Expositors
p. 90)
Discussion Question #2: Why makes what Jesus said, “If any of you is without sin, let him be the
first to throw a stone at her” so profound?
Scripture: 9 At this, those who heard began to go away
one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman
still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman,
where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
Commentary: The oldest begin to leave
first; whether they had more sins they remembered or realized the absurdity of
making a profession of righteousness.
They had been more interested in trapping Jesus than in killing the woman,
and it was clear they had walked into their own trap. What a
brilliant rebuttal. The word “brilliant” is overused in our culture.
Sportscasters are the worst. They are
forever saying that was a brilliant play or a brilliant catch; spectacular,
perhaps, but not brilliant.
What Jesus says to his accusers, now that’s
brilliant! These religious leaders are
rendered speechless by Jesus’ words. If
a witness did not begin the stoning, victims of the crime would initiate the
sentence. Since there are no witnesses willing or victims present to carry out
the judgment, the task falls to the oldest.
They don’t want this woman’s blood on their hands, so, one by one,
beginning with the eldest, they leave. Their exit, one at a time, suggests
something on the order of a procession.
Jesus is left alone with the woman still standing there.
Scripture: 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her,
"Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11 "No one, sir,"
she said.
"Then neither do I condemn you,"
Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
Commentary: Without proclaiming her
innocent, he refuses to condemn her.
While being clear about what are appropriate choices for the future,
Jesus clothes her with the love of God.
“Human virtue does not determine eligibility for the love of God.” (Women’s Bible Commentary p. 596)
Discussion Questions #3: Where do you
see yourself in this story? The
accusers, the woman, or Jesus? How could
you identify a little bit with each one?
Application: Where
do you see yourself in this story? Perhaps you see yourself in the censorious
judgment of the Pharisees. Maybe, like this woman, you feel God’s wrath and
need to hear Jesus’ gracious pardon, “Neither do I condemn you.” Or maybe, like this woman, your life has
become unmanageable, and you need to heed Jesus’ admonition, “Go and sin no
more.”
Jesus walks the perfect line in this story
between justice and mercy. “Go and sin no more” is the epitome of justice.
“Neither do I condemn you” is the essence of mercy. Earlier in John it is
written, “For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but
so that the world could be saved through him” (3:17).
There is a difference between relaxing all
standards and the choice not to condemn.
Condemnation is permanent; there are no second chances with
condemnation. Discernment allows us to still decide what are healthy,
supportive relationships and when boundaries have been crossed. Discernment allows us to say, that’s enough
of that or even…that was wrong…that hurt.
Stop it! Sometimes discernment
even means we have to say we’re going to part ways or restitution needs to be
made. Jesus uses discernment, but he
does not condemn.
God is not only just, God is merciful.
Mercy is receiving what we don’t deserve. God doesn’t give us what our sins
deserve. God gives us something more. In
the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, God offers us mercy.
A mother once approached Napoleon seeking a
pardon for her son. The emperor replied that the young man had committed a
certain offense twice and justice demanded death. “But I’m not asking for justice,” the mother
insisted. “I plead for mercy.” “But your
son does not deserve mercy,” Napoleon replied.
“Sir,” the woman exclaimed, “It would not be mercy if he deserved it and
mercy is all I ask for.” “Well then,”
said the emperor, “I will grant mercy.” Napoleon spared the woman’s son.
We deserve God’s justice. But God in Jesus
Christ offers us one better. It’s called mercy.
This week we celebrate Valentine’s Day-a
day to remember the people we love-whether it’s a romantic relationship or
family or friends. I’d like you to
reflect back now on your close connections—or those that should be close that
have drifted apart.
Application Questions
·
Is there a relationship that needs healing?
·
Are there boundaries that need to be
established?
·
Do you or someone else need to hear or say,
Go and sin no more?
·
Is there someone seeking your
forgiveness?
o
Do you have the power to grant it?
o
Is it safe for you to have mercy?
·
Who needs to hear you say, I love you…or
God loves you?
Joys and Concerns: share with one
another as you are comfortable starting with something like“Does anyone have a joy they’re
grateful for today or a concern that we can pray about?”
Closing Prayer
– Pray for each other if you are comfortable doing so. You might want to close with the Lord’s Prayer below:
Our Father, who art
in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy
Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our
debtors. And lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory for ever and ever.
Amen
NEXT WEEK
The Glory in a Sheep Pen
Read John 10:1-19