Jesus’ Relationship with the Adulterous Woman

Please read John 8:1-11.

In what ways do you think that the Pharisees and the scribes were trying to “trap” Jesus?

Look up Leviticus 20:10. According to it, who should be put to death? Is there anyone missing in John 8:1-11 who should be present? If so, why do you think that person is not present?

Why do you think the Pharisees and the scribes left when Jesus said that the one without sin should be the first to stone her? Is there any significance in the order that they left in? Who has the authority to stone her, according to Jesus?

Try to put yourself into the woman’s place. Try to use one word each to describe how she would feel at the time that the Pharisees brought her in, at the time when they were beginning to leave after Jesus’ remark, and at the time after Jesus’ instruction to her?

Why do you think that the woman stayed even after the Pharisees left?

Why do you think Jesus let her go, even though according to the laws He should have put her to death? What implication do you think this has on our relationship with Jesus?

What did the Pharisees miss, by leaving? What implication do you think that has on our relationship with Jesus?

Divide into discussion groups, and discuss the following:

Can you think of an example of a person who was in the position of the woman -- who had been caught red-handed committing some offense, but was in fact accused by people who were just as guilty? (If you had been in such a situation and wish to share about it, you are welcome to, but you are not required to if you are uncomfortable with it.)

Can you think of an example of a person who was in the position of the Pharisees -- who were accusing others while being sinful him/herself? (If you had been in such a situation and wish to share about it, you are welcome to, but you are not required to if you are uncomfortable with it.)

In either case, if you were an bystander, did you feel outrage at the party in the same situation as the Pharisees? Explain why. Describe the situation to the rest of the group, if they were not already familiar with the case. What are the feelings from the group?

Have you ever been put into a situation where you feel that your legal or other obligations (e.g, work, school, family) conflicts with your obligations as a Christian or other moral/ethical obligations? Do you think that Jesus was actually in this situation, or do you think that there was no such conflict in Jesus’ situation?

How do you think you would have acted if you were in Jesus’ situation?

We are all sinners, and therefore, in a strict sense, none of us has the authority to “stone” others. Nevertheless, can you think of situations where it is necessary for us to “stone” other sinners? While Jesus was without sin, and therefore wouldn’t be quite the same situation as we would be (since He would have authority to punish us) do you think that he would punish in the way that we think that we should punish? Here, Jesus showed us how we should forgive sinners, but how do you reconcile that with the teaching, e.g., in 1 Corinthians 5 that we should chase out a sinful brother?

Think of some people whom you haven’t forgiven on either a personal or some higher level (e.g., a traitor to the United States). Do you know think you should forgive them? If so, does that change the way in which you plan to act toward them?

I claimed that I was sick and didn’t come to Sunday service, but I wasn’t actually sick, and instead stayed home to watch a football game.	Rather than concentrating on the pastor’s sermon, I was thinking about what kind of donut I would get at snack time.
Instead of spending the time I really needed to make Sunday School preparations, I rushed through it Sunday morning.	I took out the gift my parents left in my younger sibling’s stocking, and put in a lump of coal.
Rather than giving students sufficient serious material to discuss, I spend too much time talking about Clinton/Lewinsky.	I overdid one of my jokes at a wedding, and left the bride and the groom very embarassed and/or upset.
I pretend to take notes during the pastor’s sermon, but was actually drawing non-sense on the bulletin.	Knowing that a teacher loves to eat eels, I left one in his drawer with a note that the eel is here to take vengence on him.