John: Scribes and the Woman

When the Scribes brought to Jesus a woman caught in adultery they thought the issue was simple - 'Will he keep the standards of God's Law and condemn her? or will he lower the standards of God's Law and let her go?' They did not realise there is a third possibility. By refusing to condemn her while rebuking her sin he showed how God accepts a sinner before they change, then leads that person to repentance. On the cross, Jesus kept the standards of God's Law while bringing repentance and forgiveness to many. Jesus also convicted the Scribes of sin. Indeed, their attempt to demonstrate their 'faithfulness' only showed their hypocrisy - they needed the Saviour as much as she did. The issue is not what they thought it was, but, 'Do you acknowledge Jesus as Saviour of the world?' That is the issue that faces each of us, whether we seek God's salvation for the first time, or in the way we treat other people.