TURNING THE TRAP AROUND
Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?" John 8:3-5 (NKJV)
It looked like the classic Catch-22. The scribes and Pharisees had orchestrated a trap that was seemingly inescapable. A woman was caught in the very act of adultery, an offense requiring death under the Law of Moses (Leviticus 20:10). She was brought before Jesus as He taught in the temple, and His adversaries asked Him, "Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?"
Here was the dilemma. If Jesus advised them to go ahead and kill her, the sinners who had found a sympathetic Savior in Jesus would be turned off to His message and ministry. On the other hand, if He said to let her go, He would have been viewed as a lawbreaker. They had Him, or so they thought. Notice how Jesus answered their question concerning this woman:
So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." (John 8:7 NKJV)
Jesus turned the trap around. Instead of focusing on the woman's sin, Jesus made it about the accusers' own sinfulness:
Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. (John 8:9 NKJV)
There's a powerful picture of forgiveness here, and we will explore that tomorrow. But for now, let's dwell on Christ's wisdom. It seemed like an impossible situation, and yet He was able to plot a path through the problem. It can never be emphasized too strongly that Jesus, in His infinite wisdom, always possesses a solution to the impossible situations of life.
Discuss with your group a time when you were faced with an “impossible” dilemma. How was the problem solved? Dig into James 1:2¬–8. How can we gain wisdom? Decide to tap into this valuable resource by asking God for wisdom each and every day. Choose a prayer partner in your group who will also ask God to give you daily wisdom.
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