"Stooped"

January 3, 2016

“Stooped”

Blessings Folk!

Remember, the woman was caught.
Caught in the very act.
Of course, the man, who we assume “was caught in the very act”, was nowhere to be seen.

The religious rulers were attempting to setup Jesus.
The same occurs today.
Many passing themselves off as “leaders” are simple “setting up the Kingdom” to their own advantage.
They are false leaders.

Jesus was having nothing to do with the charade.

Read and note what He does…how He responds…

John 8:2-11
Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them.
The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court,
they *said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act.
“Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?”
They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground.
But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court.
Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?”
She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.”


Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground.
Why?
We simply do not know.
Many a conjecture has been offered.
Perhaps Jesus was writing the names of the religious sinners.
I doubt it.
Such would not fit the “feel” of the moment.

I do know this.

Jesus stooped.
He was in a position of humility…even before these religious frauds…even before this sinner.

Jesus did not stare them down.
In this position of humility, He allowed Father to speak to Him.

Perhaps He would have left the situation there.

Yet, they persisted.

Jesus then arose, pronounced “he who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her”, then He stooped again.

More later…

But for today, I believe this is the way we are to handle like situations.
Not defiance.
Not defensiveness.
Not “stare downs”.
Rather, awaiting the Word of the Lord.
Speaking the Word of the Lord.
Resting in the Word of the Lord.