The Scarlet Letter

Today in my morning Bible study class, we were discussing how unfortunate it is that something can happen in your life, and you can become known by that ACT the rest of your life. In the Book of John, there’s a woman that isn’t even mentioned by her “name” because of a mistake she made. This woman will forever be referred to as “a woman caught in adultery”.

If you’re not familiar with the story:
John 8: 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. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”

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.”

I couldn’t imagine being known by my past sins. “Oh, here comes the Divorced Sinner!” “Look, there’s the girl that cheated on her math test in 6th grade!” “Get away from the lady that …. ”

Jesus knows all of my past sins, yet He loves me anyway. When I asked Him into my heart, He erased those labels that had held me down for so long. He knew all the sins of the woman in the story above, too. The words He shared with the Pharisees are just as important for us today.

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.”


What label would you be known by? It doesn’t matter. Because of Jesus, I can say to you: “Oh, here comes a child of God!”


Some notes on the Bible story:
The Pharisees weren’t really following the law - The “Law” they are speaking of - the one Moses commanded - stated that the woman should be stoned IF she was a virgin that was promised to be married to someone else AND that the man she was caught with should be stoned, too! (Where was the man that committed adultery with her? Was she a virgin? Was she promised to be married? Where were the witnesses?)
Plus, the problem for Jesus here is two-fold: 1) If Jesus said to stone her, He is breaking the Pharisees law, because Jews cannot command this to be done. 2) If Jesus said not to stone her, He is telling them He doesn’t agree with their Law.