Sermon Outlines

By Frederick F. Schwindt, Evangelist

THE WOMAN TAKEN IN ADULTERY

1. Our text introduces us to a judgment scene that was common in Israel before the law of the Romans forbade the execution of those accused of adultery:
   1. The law that directed the procedure in case of adultery is found in Duet. 17:2-7
   2. In this instance, the Jews had another purpose of dragging the accused before the Son of God; they sought to bring him in conflict with the law of the Romans - John 8:6
2. But those hypocrites stood in the presence of One who knew the evil intentions too well to be trapped by them:
   1. His answer was one that exposed their own guilt in a way they least expected
   2. The guilty accusers leave; and the accused receives pardon and a warning not to repeat sinning

1. The accusers:
   1. Were men who had actually forced this woman to commit adultery with them; some had just completed the act; they were the one who had part, "in the very act"
   2. Those adulterous hypocrites had a different motive in bringing the accused to Christ; they wanted to use her to trap the Son of man, so they could accuse Him of disregarding the law
   3. They utterly failed to make a case in judgment; they failed to bring or point out the man that had no part in this act - Lev. 20:10; adultery was not a one-sided act
2. The accused:
   1. She was without doubt guilty of adultery; there is a law against adultery
   2. But judgment against the accused rested not with those who were guilty of the same sin - Matt. 7:1-3
3. The advocate:
   1. As the Messiah and as a Jew, Christ was under solemn obligations to respect and uphold the law - Deut. 31:9; Matt. 5:17-20
   2. When the Pharisees pointed to the law against adultery; they were unaware that it was He who gave Israel that law
4. The behavior of the advocate:
   1. He stooped and wrote in the dust around Him, "As though he heard them not"
   2. We pause here and ask two questions; (i) Why did He look down? (ii) What did He write on the dust of the ground? In the first place, He knew both the hypocritical motive of the accusers and the guilt of the woman. He looked are read their hearts - Ps. 139:1-11. In the second place, He came not to pass sentence upon the guilty, but to save them from the guilt

1. It portrays the mission of Christ, and He was faithful to that heavenly assignment:
   1. He came not to condemn sinners - "For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved" - John 3:17
   2. No, though He knew the wickedness of the Pharisees, He allowed their own conscience to convict and condemn them
2. It reveals further:
   1. How blind and how cruel the professed teachers of the law were in Israel; they had no compassion with the woman that some of them committed adultery with; also, they were blind to their mission in this world - to lead sinners to be saved, and not to condemnation
3. Also, and this is important:
   1. The acquittal - "Where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?" - the woman simply answered, "No man, Lord"
   2. She recognized that He was the only one who had a right to pass sentence on her. But there was no attempt to defend herself, or to accuse her accusers
   3. And said the Master, "Neither do I condemn thee; go, and sin no more"- these words by the Redeemer brought an end to the scene - freeing the woman, but leaving the hypocrites under the condemnation of their own conscience.