UNEARTHING THE HIDDEN GOD

The Pharisees intended to trap Jesus with a conundrum but Jesus was cognizant of the missing elements in this scene and he knew their hearts. The Pharisees threw an example of a broken commandment at Jesus’ feet. They gave him two choices. He could condemn her under the Law of Moses and therefore disregard Roman law. The Pharisees could then accuse Jesus of treason against Rome. Jesus could otherwise release her and disregard the Law of Moses. The Pharisees could then accuse Jesus of heresy against God. Jesus saw beyond their expectations and denied them a predictable outcome. When presented with two choices, Jesus chose a third option and in responding the way he did, he addressed the Pharisees’ intentions, the woman’s sins and our unspoken fears about God.

The progress of the Christian Church seems to be stymied at the same crossroads today. In order to follow God, do we remain shielded behind the binding traditions of our church heritage or, feeling pressured, do we embrace liberal ideas and accept popular views on contemporary issues? Jesus offers a third option. We are not limited to choices between the right and left or the old and the new. We can figuratively “look up.” The revealed characteristics of the hidden God provide an alternative. We can choose to align ourselves closely to God’s nature rather than get stuck in the constant tug and pull of emotional human conflicts. As a result, we can work toward eliminating the barriers that keep us apart. Jesus offers a refreshing change. Love.

Pharisees Intentions

Initially, Jesus did not directly address their challenge. He ignored them and wrote on the ground something that the Pharisees could see. Perhaps it was their secret sins. Perhaps Jesus disclosed that he knew their relationship to this woman. He may have revealed that he knew their intent. He called for the one who stands without sin to begin stoning. The Pharisees could no longer continue with their plan. What Jesus had written had either pierced their hearts or embarrassed them enough to abandon their scheme. Jesus avoided publicly humiliating the accusers and thus demonstrated that he did not perceive them as enemies rather that they, too, needed forgiveness. His tenderness embraced the woman and the Pharisees without alienating or condemning them.

Woman’s Sins

All the Pharisees were gone. No stone had been thrown. They had tried to accuse the woman but their own behavior accused them. They had tried to make her the focal point of controversy but Jesus turned the spotlight on them. As a result, there was no one left to implicate her. Jesus asked her, “Where are your accusers?” Jesus’ admonition to “go and sin no more” implied that she had sinned. She was not necessarily an innocent victim falsely accused. They were all guilty. But notice that Jesus did not condemn the woman.

There is a lesson in what Jesus did: how he handled the Pharisees’ evil plot and how he spoke to the woman. But there is also a lesson in what Jesus did not do. He did not condemn the woman. Neither did he condemn the Pharisees. He implied that they all had opportunity to repent. Jesus showed compassion and mercy to all involved. If nothing else, he made the point that “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). None of us is where we could be in our spiritual journey, especially if we think we are. By embarrassing the Pharisees, he communicated to them. By forgiving the woman, he touched her heart. He gave them all the opportunity to repent.

Unspoken Fears

And thirdly, Jesus’ actions address our unspoken fears about God. You’ve heard it said over and over “God is Love.” For most people, that comment remains an abstraction.  “Sure I know that God loves me, but . . .” and the list begins. Our parents loved us yet they scolded, disciplined and punished us. It’s natural to associate our response to God and our relationship with our parents.  I used to believe that a good relationship with parents was quintessential to a stable relationship with God. Now I realize that all relationships are imperfect and do not fully reveal God’s nature. How can we overcome these obstacles? Due to our in