Okay, I haven't had the time to post here recently. I have one post that is still in the draft stages because I haven't had the time to finish it, and another about some stuff that happened in Las Vegas which is still in "brain-draft" status because I haven't had the time to start it. I promise (his voice echoed through the empty room) that I will get to both of those in the very near future. For now, here is a short "conversation" I had regarding a question someone had about a passage of Scripture.
Quote:
"Let the one of you who is sinless be the first one to cast a stone at her. Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?
Neither do I condemn you."
Question:
Isn't Jesus implying that he has sinned at some time in his life?
Answer:
Not at all, although I do understand why you could ask this question and it is a very good one. I see your thought process as being that:
A. Since only a person without sin should cast a stone
and
B. Since Jesus was not going to cast a stone
that
C. Jesus is then saying that he has sinned.
The problem with that reasoning is that Jesus doesn't say why He isn't going to cast a stone, He just says that He won't do it. Whether you believe in His deity or not, there are many logical reasons for Him not to cast a stone.
Most importantly, He wasn't the one that wanted her stoned in the first place. Of course maybe there were no rocks near Him and He simply didn't feel like walking to where there were rocks and lugging them all back to where the woman was (provided she stayed where she was) and then throwing all the rocks (because nobody without sin could throw a rock) until she was dead. Okay, that's a little silly, but do you get my point?
I believe His refusal to cast a stone is consistent with what He had to say about Himself in the second part of Mark 2:17:
"I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
It certainly wouldn't seem to make a lot of sense for Him to start casting stones at the very people He claimed to have come to minister to.
Hope that helps!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
Nice explanation! John 3:17 is an excellent support scripture for exactly what you have stated; "For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." Purely for entertainment, have you ever wondered what Jesus was writing in the dirt when the accusers decided to turn and walk away? (John 8) My Bible study group let their imaginations run wild on this just a couple of weeks ago. One thought was Jesus was just giving them time to consider their own sin while He doodled in the dirt. Another thought though, was that maybe Jesus was subtly revealing hidden sin. Maybe these same men that stood accusing this woman had also been secretly involved in adultery. What if Jesus was writing the names of women that each man had been involved with, without saying a word? As each man saw their sin, or the woman's name appear in the dirt, they decided it might be time to leave. Just a thought. We enjoyed the discussion it brought. Thanks for your ministry. - GodFirst4Me
Jesus didn't cast the stone because he came to forgive sin, this story is an excellent example of forgiveness and the person asking the question opened the door for you to explain grace of Jesus, how he was the perfect sacrifice willing to take on her sin and even yours paid in advance.
*MoG*Thefish
Jesus didn't stone the woman because he couldn't. The Law of Moses said that only a witness to the act of adultery could stone the guilty parties. Since Jesus wasn't a witness he couldn't have stoned her.
I disagree. Jesus is God, and when we sin, He is the offended party and would have every right to cast the stone.
Of course Jesus SINNED for that reason. Had he not been a sinner, he should have stoned the woman.
Furthermore, Jesus believed in God through the religion of Judaism NOT Christianity or Catholic. And as a dedicated worshiper of God by following God's laws, he is commanded by the God almighty to STONE her for her SINS:
Deutronomy 22:20
"But if this charge is true, that the girl was not found a virgin, then they shall bring out the girl to the doorway of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death because she has committed an act of folly"
The laws made by the almighty God are clear: Stone a woman if she has participated in pre-marital sex; with or without sin she must be punished. Plain and simple. It is clear that Jesus broke God's law therefore sinned.
Your explanation is compelling, but IMHO, too Pharisiacal. He established a new covenant.
Bullshit.
Jesus writing on the stones twice. WHY?
Simply because Jesus is God. Who wrote the Law of Moses? God did with his finger. And how many time did God wrote the Law? Twice. Jesus writing on the stones, is simply telling us that He is the one who wrote the Law.
Jesus came to offer a sacrifice once and for all to forgive our sins. Past,present and future sin.
Under the old covenant, We need to obey the law to receive blessing. But under the new covenant of Grace. We receive blessings and grace to empower us to obey.
Note that Jesus could stone here but he would not. And others would but they could not.
Note as well, the people is trying to catch Jesus at that time. Because if Jesus say don't stone her. He is going againts the Law of Moses. But if He say stone her, He is going againts the good news He preached.
Note as well, the Law of Moses is place in the Tabernacle under the MERCY SEAT. God sees mercy higher than Law.
Thx.
Post a Comment