Tempting Christ

As Jesus began to trouble the Jews more and more by His teaching, pointing out their failings, their frustration with him grew. At first, they brought the simple challenges to try to discredit him publicly. They ask questions of him designed to fault his position: Mar 12:14 And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? 15 Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see [it]. 16 And they brought [it]. And he saith unto them, Whose [is] this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar's. 17 And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him.

A tougher question is brought out when the first one failed. Mar 12:18 Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying, 19 Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave [his] wife [behind him], and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. 20 Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed. 21 And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise. 22 And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also. 23 In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.

Mar 12:24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? 25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.

We can be sure the leaders of Jerusalem were non-stop in their efforts to trap the Lord in a slip of the tongue, a mistake, any error in the law.

Let me quickly set the background we’ll need to understand their most devious experiment. In the Old Testament law, there is a test given to a woman whose husband believes she has been unfaithful. Some refer to it as the Trial of Bitter Waters. You can read the details in the 5th Chapter of Numbers. Summarizing the events, a jealous or suspicious man brings an offering with his wife before the priest in the temple; the priest places in his hand a vessel of holy water while he writes curses on a book. Gathering dust from the temple floor, he mixes it with the water and uses the blend to blot the curses. The water, ink and dust are now all mixed together and given to the woman to drink. When she drinks the mixture, it will cause her belly to swell and her thigh to rot if she has been unfaithful. If innocent of the accusations, the bitter water causes no harm.

Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Mat 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Here comes the strongest test the rulers of the day can create.

Jhn 8:1 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. 2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. 3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with [his] finger wrote on the ground, [as though he heard them not]. 7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9 And they which heard [it], being convicted by [their own] conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, [even] unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

How hard do you imagine it might be to catch a random person in the act of adultery? Was it the custom of the scribes to bust down every door and inquire what was going on inside? This capture had to be timed so they could find Jesus during his morning teaching in the temple. Something more sinister than a happenstance observance of adultery had to take place. Either the woman was tricked, forced against her will, or was such a creature of habit she was followed.

Most people reading John 8 will invariably ask, “Where was the man?” Indeed, if the woman was “taken in the very act,” the man had to be in collusion with the scribes and Pharisees. The absence of the man helps clarify our options about what probably took place in order to “catch” the woman.

Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? Jesus did not need to be told what the law said, but now we see the seriousness of the situation. Whether the woman was tricked, set-up or followed, the rulers were so determined to trap Jesus in his own words they were willing to commit murder. They will gladly sacrifice her to cause Jesus to stumble. Think about it. This woman is going to be stoned to death if Christ follows the law.

Lev 20:10 And the man that committeth adultery with [another] man's wife, [even he] that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

We’ve always looked at this scenario as an example of the love and forgiving nature of Christ. And certainly that shows here, but there’s more. Much more.

But Jesus stooped down, and with [his] finger wrote on the ground, [as though he heard them not]. Writing in the dust of the temple floor, He who wrote the original law now writes the curses and begins the trail of bitter waters.

All the elements are present. We have the woman, the temple, the dust –Christ as the Offering for Sin, the Living Word, the Living Water, and the High Priest.

Only one thing is missing. The man. The husband. He is the only one who has the option of accusation. The spirit of jealousy must come upon him. Unless the husband catches her, no other accuser will be heard.

Num 5:13 And a man lie with her carnally, and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, and be kept close, and she be defiled, and [there be] no witness against her, neither she be taken [with the manner]; Num 5:14 And the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled:

He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
One by one the scribes and Pharisees left. Unfortunately, we get our mental images from Hollywood and TV. Christ and the woman alone between the buildings. Not so. The temple is still full of people, but up front, near Moses’ seat, only Jesus and the woman.  In the midst.

Woman, where are those thine accusers?
Rev 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

Satan never appeared before God and made up idle things about us. In the presence of the Creator he could not lie. He detailed our sins and transgressions of the law. The law is the standard to which we were held. Satan pointed out every time we broke God’s law.

This picture of the scribes and Pharisees departing in frustration is like Satan’s final visit. He appears to accuse us before God, only to see us covered in the blood of Christ, and then he is cast down, never to appear before the throne again.

In this elaborate and devious scheme by the rulers, Christ not only frustrates them, but fulfills the law to a jot and a tittle. He conducts the trial of bitter waters on the woman and by doing so saves her from being murdered. There stands no accuser before the Lord against the woman. How wonderful for her the Holy water used to conduct the trail on this day could never be bitter. Sweeter waters never existed. The offering of memorial required by the law is Christ himself.

It is only with hindsight and revelation we can see all the elements that were present that day. Psa 85:10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed [each other].

Jhn 8:16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.

Fulfil, or fulfill
1. To bring into actuality; effect: fulfilled their promises.
2. 2.To carry out (an order, for example).
3. To measure up to; satisfy.
4. To bring to an end; complete.

Christ manifested the law, fulfilling, completing, carrying out, measuring up, satisfying, bringing into actuality and completing it. Rom 10:4 For Christ [is] the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. Where is the man? Child of God, where is thy accuser? Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.