Redeeming Grace

Devotional

Imagine the scene. The woman cowered in shame, stripped to the waist as was the custom of the day to magnify that shame. She had been caught in the act of adultery, and being Jewish, she knew the consequences. Her accusers, the religious leaders of the day, had dragged her to the temple where Jesus was teaching, not so much for justice to be meted out, but so they could trap him. The Mosaic Law required that the woman be stoned to death, but Roman law forbade the Jews from executing anyone. What would Jesus do?

The crowd knew the conflict, and the buzz in the air was pregnant with anticipation. If Jesus ruled she must be stoned, he would be breaking the Roman law. If he forbade her execution, he would be ignoring the Mosaic Law. From the outside it was a lose-lose proposition. The religious leaders smirked with satisfaction. Finally, they had Jesus where they wanted him and there was no way out of this dilemma; he was trapped. Jesus, knowing what was going on, stooped down and started writing on the ground. Thinking he was ignoring them, they demanded his answer. John tells us "so when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her" (8:7), then stooped down and continued writing. We do not know what he wrote, despite all the speculations, but John continued, "And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord." (vv.9-11a). It was then that the woman, under condemnation, heard from Jesus the most beautiful words ever spoken; "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more" (v. 11b).

Redeeming grace. Next to himself, the most precious gift that God gave to mankind. Though we stand accused by the Evil One, and the demand of the law for justice, the grace of our God steps in and redeems us from the law of sin and death. We have a lot to be thankful for, but if there is one thing we could single out, it is redeeming grace. No matter the magnitude of our sins, grace abounds even more. To God be the glory