Compassion Kills

Compassion is definitely something I should work on. This was pointed out to me in Mike's comment on my last post. It was also pointed out to me in a Ligonier Ministries podcast that I listened to today about Jesus' encounter with the adulterous woman (John 8). The pharisees definitely felt no compassion whatsoever on "sinners" because they had the audacity to think that they themselves were not such. I never want to be considered as remotely near that camp because I know all to well what an awful sinner I am.

• "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.3The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, 4they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. 5"Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?6They 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.7But 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."8Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.9When 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.10Straightening up, Jesus said to her, "Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?"11She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you, either Go From now on sin no more."

Through RC Sproul's words, I began to put myself in the emotions of this woman, dragged to the temple of the Lord, probably naked, and scorned publicly in front of people she probably knew. How horrid!

The pharisees didn't do this because they really cared, but to trap Jesus in between the Law of Moses and Rome: "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?" Roman law forbade execution by any ordinance other than Roman trial (which is why Jesus fulfilled prophesy by being crucified and not stoned). If He said "Stone her," they'd turn Him into the Roman authorities; if He did not stone her, He was disobeying God's Law. That would be a toughy for anyone other than God Himself.

What does He decide? Stone her! I mean, He wrote the Law, so He's going to keep it, right? However, He also appoints the executioners - the only ones who can justly put someone to death for sins - "He who is without sin among you." Oops. And then there was One. He's the only One around with no sins, and what does He choose to do when He judge her (rightly) right there? He offers mercy.

What a beautiful reminder of the mercy of God toward sinners. I am equally deserving of God's wrath as this woman, and yet He bore my burden so that I may no longer be defined by the sin that had previously enslaved me. I praise Him for saving me, like He did this woman, from the judgment I so deserve! And may I likewise have compassion on all people, knowing what we naturally all are.