John 8 Did Jesus forgive the adulterous woman?

[Boxie]

When speaking wisdom to the young man, Solomon admonished him not to be captivated by the promiscuous woman, saying:

Pr 6: 27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?

The Hebrew word pronounced ‘ish-shaw’ means ‘woman’. When pronounced ‘esh-shaw’ means fire.
The word for ‘bosom’ also means ‘treachery or deceit.
Garments are a symbol of works.

For the sensus plenior, re-read the proverb as a pun/riddle:

Pr 6:27 Can a man take a woman in his treachery, and his works not be burned?

In old movies the dad would ask the young man who was giving his daughter attention, “What are your intentions”. “Taking a woman in his deceit” would be pretending to be a suitor, but simply trifling.

Why didn’t we change the last ‘burned’ to ‘woman’? Because it is a different word in Hebrew. The word for fire is the one related to the woman. The second one simply means burnt up completely.

We see that Solomon also suggests that if one pursues the lusts of the flesh, and deceives another to do so, then all the good works which we were created for and have performed are burned up.

One would think that many of the emotional games played in dating also fall into the category of treachery.

Because people do not practice what they preach that is the answer my friend. God Bless you!

 

[Boxie]

I think there is a tradition that this woman is the same one that annointed the feet of Jesus in the home of the Pharisee. The woman who’s tears fell on Jesus feet and wiped off with her hair. Jesus said of her : “She loves much because her many sins have been forgiven her for those who have been forgiven much love much.”

Also, it is common for Jesus to say " sin no more" after saying ’ Your sins are forgiven" I believe the sense of the passage is that she walked away from this event cleansed of sin otherwise the meaning of being told to sin no more by Jesus falls flat.

You read your bible and are very wise. I thank God for people who understand the word of God. Bless you!

 

[Boxie]

What amazes me is that Jesus often forgave people before they asked and even when they didn’t ask. Sometimes we have a tendency to reserve forgiveness until we have the self-satisfaction of being asked.

An example: He was busy forgiving those who were driving the nails.

Gee when Jesus was on the cross i don’t remember he forgave the thief, but the thief belived and he took him to heaven that very day! God only knows what he did in his life i never herd he made a confession there did any one here?

 

[Boxie]

I appreciate all of your replies. I’m still grinding through this exegesis. In John 8, Jesus did not apply the temporal punishment of stoning to death. He obeyed the Law. There were not enough men to condemn her. That is why He said he did not condemn her. Why does this forgive her sins?

The thief on the cross had no sin since Jesus stated he would be in heaven. He was holy enough to enter heaven. The meaning is implicit in the text. Where is the implicit forgiveness in John 8.

I continue to think there is more to this story than another example of Jesus forgiving the sins of the woman. I’m digging deeper.

OH! come off it! he was a sinner how can you say he wasn’t even born of sin? And he was known by being a thief it says it right in the bible or don’t you believe in the bible? These are facts where are you getting your? Prove this to me! Prove we should believe your word over what we have known for centuries? He was a thief and don’t take that out of the bible, everything else people are trying to delete, because they want things their way, you are trying to say men are better then woman do you have a personal vendetta?

 

[Boxie]

Benadam and Allgirl-- thank you for your thoughtful replies. Both of you seem to have agreed with my initial assertion that Jesus did not forgive this woman. Rather, he simply did not condemn her. How can we arrive at clear and certain knowledge of what is happening in this passage?

Could you take an inventory of some of your friends? Let’s continue to discuss this point. I have been ruminating about this for several days now and still remain facing a brick wall.

Have a peice of cake and take the splint out of your own eye.She was forgiven and he did not have to say it because he is the resurection and the life the truth and the way. She did stay with the decipals after this and don’t forget Jesus owes you nor me any answers he can forgive without saying a word. It is people who cannot do this they carry baggage all their lives and take it out on others, because of their lack of faith and forgivness. You are forgiven my brother for your misjudgement on this woman who is with God right now. Peace to you!

 

[peary]

Did Jesus simply not condemn the adulterous woman or did he forgive her? Did Jesus not condemn her as in “I do not condemn you to death by stoning but you are still full of sin and unrepentant so go and sin no more and repent for you sins”? In other passages Jesus directly say your sins are forgiven be healed, pick up your mat your sins are forgiven etc.

I feel that her sins were forgiven but I do not think this. The word forgiven is not in the passage.

“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She replied, “No one, sir.” Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, (and) from now on do not sin any more.”
(John 8: 10-11)

It’s definitely implied. As God, Jesus did not condemn her. He then told her very explicitly:
“Go, and from now on do not sin anymore” - the same thing a priest says in Confession.

 

[atassina]

Thanks to all of you for your recent replies. I truly want to know the truth of this passage. What did St. John have in mind when he wrote this story? I do not want to maintain an intellectual or emotional position/response without some justification.

Mark Shea (Yes, the Mark Shea) wrote a thoughtful and gracious response to my question. I do not have permission to post his response here. Therefore, if you want to read his response, go to
MARKSHEA.BLOGSPOT.COM/2010/04/DID-JESUS-FORGIVE-ADULTEROUS-WOMAN-IN.HTML

 

[PJM]

=atassina;Did Jesus simply not condemn the adulterous woman or did he forgive her? Did Jesus not condemn her as in “I do not condemn you to death by stoning but you are still full of sin and unrepentant so go and sin no more and repent for you sins”? In other passages Jesus directly say your sins are forgiven be healed, pick up your mat your sins are forgiven etc.

I feel that her sins were forgiven but I do not think this. The word forgiven is not in the passage.

One can find many examples of understood implications in the bible, which is why John 20and 21 both make reference to NOT EVERYTHING being written…

1] but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. [2] Early in the morning he came again to the temple; all the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. [3] The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst [4] they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. [5] Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such. What do you say about her?” [6] This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. [7] And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” [8] And once more he bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. [9] But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. [10] Jesus looked up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” [11] She said, “No one, Lord.” **And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again.” **

Yes Jesus forgave her her sin! **Matt. 9: [6] **But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins" – **he then said to the paralytic – “Rise, take up your bed and go home.” **

Love and prayers,

Love and prayers,

 

[atassina]

Thanks for your reply. God gave me the answer while I slept last night. He broke through my blinding ignorance of the obvious.

The bottom line is this: To condemn is it impute guilt. To relieve someone of their guilt is to forgive. To forgive is to cancel a debt. Condemnation is the statement that you owe something to someone, something you have taken away. Therefore, to not condemn is to forgive.

 

[Boxie]

Benadam: I am arguing for the simple withholding of temporal judgement from the adulterous woman. How did Jesus forgive her if he forgave her?

atassina, the woman with the issue of blood was healed just by touching the hem of His garment, it was instant nothing was said except that Jesus felt it happening He felt the healing power in him self and said who touched me? He knew a part of Him went into her just by her touching, His garment.

 

[Boxie]

Hello people I just wanted to say that to realy forgive any one you first need to be able to forgive your self, and believe in the power of the Holy Spirit, Gods saving power, to lead you to all knowledge and understanding as he has promised, “If you will seek me, you will find me, if you will seek me, with all your Heart!” God Bless!

 

[Benadam]

Thanks for your reply. God gave me the answer while I slept last night. He broke through my blinding ignorance of the obvious.

The bottom line is this: To condemn is it impute guilt. To relieve someone of their guilt is to forgive. To forgive is to cancel a debt. Condemnation is the statement that you owe something to someone, something you have taken away. Therefore, to not condemn is to forgive.

Yes. Even sin that doesn’t condemn because it isn’t chosen with the knowledge that it is sin, is ultimately forgiven sin.

“Forgive them Father for they know not what they do.”

 

[atassina]

Boxie: Give me a hint. How does this relate to the adulterous woman?

 

[PJM]

=Ceil-1;6503884]I believe the culpability of this sin mainly falls on the shoulders of the man. Especially then, when women were in such subjugation to men, in general. The men attacked the woman, but, I am sure they were all guilty of this sin in one form, or another.

Is that what was written? Perhaps they realized that, they too, had committed adultery in one way or another and deserved the same fate.

I believe Jesus was saying, in not so many words, that what she was about to undergo was unjust, not deserved according to her part in this sin. IOW, she was not the one guilty of the mortal grievance of this sin.

I often reflect on this passage when I am praying outside the abortion clinic. In this culture, these girls are seduced by the guys, then made to deal with the consequences while they go scot-free? I’m willing to bet God has a different perspective on it.

I have taught my boys that a girl’s innocence is something belonging to God, and that, if they rob her of it, they have robbed directly from God, and that they will answer to Him for it. That they must have the blessing of the Church, which is basically permission from God to have her, under its parameters. I hope they find girls who agree with them.

***Your final statement is profoundly beautiful and absotely 100% CORRECT

THANKS!***

 

[Boxie]

Boxie: Give me a hint. How does this relate to the adulterous woman?

atassina, tell me why is it always a woman that is adultress? how many men were there, that Jesus, already knew their hearts, and thats why he found no fault with her. Did you ever think of that? It takes two to tango!

 

[atassina]

Boxie: Jesus did not say he found no fault with her. He said he did not condemn her. She was caught in the act of adultery. Therefore, she had fault. Yes, where was the male adulterer?

 

[Benadam]

I think we tend to assume too much in this story. We assume that the 10 men or some of them committed adultery with the woman. As if they would turn themselves in for adultery. That the woman is not really guilty of adultery because the community was such that she was forced into prostitution. And even that is the fault of the men who accuse her. Who thinks that the prostitute is conmmitting adultery when a husband goes to one? She just wants his money not his life.Who ever looks at this story at face value? that this was a woman who was caught violating vows she made to God, her husband and community?

 

[Boxie]

I think we tend to assume too much in this story. We assume that the 10 men or some of them committed adultery with the woman. As if they would turn themselves in for adultery. That the woman is not really guilty of adultery because the community was such that she was forced into prostitution. And even that is the fault of the men who accuse her. Who thinks that the prostitute is conmmitting adultery when a husband goes to one? She just wants his money not his life.Who ever looks at this story at face value? that this was a woman who was caught violating vows she made to God, her husband and community?

What if she really did not commit this crime and they just wanted her out of the way for sake of their wife’s finding out? We were not there but i do know that if he pardoned her she was no longer the prostitute you talk about because of her sins being pardoned. Bingo! gone! By the way if they were sinners and not without sin that made them go with their sine and she was better then them because she was forgiven(Pardoned) Now She is sinless and they walked away an were in sin, and might have died that way to who knows. It is true if she was married and other circumstances it might have even been a different scenario. I still feel she isa saint and with God in heaven now.

 

[Boxie]

Boxie: Jesus did not say he found no fault with her. He said he did not condemn her. She was caught in the act of adultery. Therefore, she had fault. Yes, where was the male adulterer?

Hello, i am notout to condem you or mis judge you and i searched so you will know i understand what you are saying. Here it is! (enjoy)
“Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”

This is another counterfeiting of the Scriptures many have tried to use to shame us for what we do in his name. “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone” is not speaking to judging. Let me explain.

Using the KJV this time, in John 8:1 - 11 scribes and Pharisees had caught a woman in the act of adultery (the woman commonly referred to as the prostitute) and told Jesus who was teaching in the temple that the Mosaic Law required she be stoned to death. Trying to make an opportunity of this to trick Jesus that they might accuse Him, they, with stones in hand, asked Jesus what He says about the Law. After Jesus tried to ignore their repeated questioning, He told them “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” One by one each man dropped his stone and walked away.

Jesus was not arguing with the judgment. Nor was Jesus arguing the law nor the woman’s guilt. Jesus was arguing with our right to execute the woman. Once all the men had dropped their stones Jesus confronted the woman and asked her if any of the men were still there to condemn her. When she answered “No man, Lord”, Jesus told her that neither did He - He forgave her of her sin. He did not excuse the sin of adultery/prostitution, he forgave her of it. All behavior and thought that is sinful before forgiveness is still sinful after forgiveness. Not only was Jesus not afraid to call a sin a sin, He was not afraid to call a sinner a sinner. He even reminded her of the sin of adultery/prostitution by telling her “Go and sin no more.”

The point of this as applicable to this article? Jesus did not argue the act of judging the chosen behavior of the adulteress/prostitute.

Some have told us we should be more tolerant. “Tolerance” has become quite probably the most abused and misused word in the English language. We will not situationally redefine or conditionally apply His Word to suit political correctness, cultural tolerances, modern ethics and false religions or even to avoid invading the comfort zone of Christians. Jesus spent three days in Hell so you and I would not have to spend one moment there! For too long, well-meaning clergy have pabulum fed the people with watered down Scriptures to avoid invading the comfort zone. We will not do that. We love you too much to feed you lies or less-than-truths. It is people who do who pull people away from the CHRIST of Christianity. Practicing the Christian faith and what is expected of it is being very intolerant … of sin … even our own by His Word, not yours or mine, by embracing the sinner but not embracing the sin; by helping the sinner, even ourselves, out of bondage to the sin by loving him/her enough to tell the Truth. On Judgment Day, Jesus will send the unforgiven sinner into the fiery pits of Hell in a heartbeat. Now that is intolerance. Of sin. And Righteously so. He further will not excuse any single sin. In the example of the adulteress/prostitute, Jesus forgave her sin but did not excuse it. Worth repeating, Jesus did not argue the judgment, the act of judging nor did He argue the law. He argued our right to execute the woman. Adultery/prostitution is just as sinful now, after Jesus forgave the woman of it, as it was before He forgave her. He will forgive us all our sins – past, present, future – if we are humble enough to ask believing. But He will not excuse any sin. All behavior that is sinful before forgiveness is still sinful after. More intolerance. And righteously so.

The Bible provides quite enough knowledge and understanding to make each of us a righteous judge of behavior, even and especially our own if we r-e-a-d it and not just look at the words and use the total of what He says, not just the pieces that seem to fit an agenda: that seem to fill our own bellies; that seem to excuse sin in “sinema.”

 

[Boxie]

Boxie: Jesus did not say he found no fault with her. He said he did not condemn her. She was caught in the act of adultery. Therefore, she had fault. Yes, where was the male adulterer?

( At your house?)

HEY! where was the male adulterer? Perhaps they already stoned him to death or he ran faster then her or they never saw the men back then as adulteres i just know men stink that are always finding fault with woman and they canot look in the mirror and see themselfs Woman were treated injust any wanys they had childen and no wany to feed them because of greedy men and violent men and men who used them as slaves just as they do today, mostly in california of course. DA DA DAH! Great post ha?