Exposition of John, Chapter 8 · Verse 2
Verſe 3. And the Scribes and Phariſees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery, and when they had ſet her in the mids.
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.—
Followeth the hiſtory it ſelfe: wherein, firſt, (in theſe verſes) we have the caſe propounded to Chriſt by the Scribes and Phariſees, who while he is preaching, do preſent a woman taken in the act of adultery unto him, and pointing out what was determined in Moſes law, they do in an inſinuating way ask his judgement, only that they might take ſome advantage of him by his anſwer. For, if he ſhould, according to his wonted offers of clemency aſſoile her, they would condemne him as contrary to Moſes; and if he condemned her to die, then they thought to make him odious to the people, as contradicting his own practice, in eating with Publicans and ſinners, and his Doctrine, in offering mercy and grace ſo freely. We need not be inquiſitive why they preſent only the woman, though it be probable, that however they were taken in the very act, yet the man had eſcaped from among their hands. Doctrine. 1. Chriſts ſervants ought not to think it ſtrange, when they get not through ſpiritual duties with eaſe, but do meet with many temptations and interruptions in them; for, Chriſt himſelfe was interrupted by theſe wicked men; They brought in a woman taken in adultery, &c. 2. It gives juſt ground of ſuſpition, when men, who were violent enemies, do on a ſuddain become flattering and inſinuating friends; for, it was for little good that they who, even now, were ſeeking to kill him, do in a flattering way call him Maſter, and do ſet this woman in the mids, or, in open judgement, before him, and do ſeek reſolution concerning her from him. 3. Such is the perverſity of fallen man, that whatever God do teſtifie of his diſpleaſure, by word or judgements, againſt groſſeſt ſinnes; Yet they are continued in and followed, yea, and committed in times when God calls them to ſolemne-exerciſes of his worſhip: for, albeit adultery be expreſſely prohibited, as a groſſe iniquity, and albeit that and the like uncleanneſſe had oftentimes drawn down very remarkable judgements, as on Sodom and the tribe of Benjamin; Yet there is a woman taken in adultery, and that in the time of their ſolemne feaſt. 4. Albeit men think to carry their ſinnes very cloſly; and albeit uncleanneſſe in particular, be a work of darkneſſe; Yet the Lord, when he pleaſeth can eaſily bring it out to light; for, ſhe is taken in the very act. And albeit many may eſcape this, yet the Lord can make their ſinne finde them out, and make their own conſciences bring it out many years after it is committed. 5. Albeit the Lord may juſtly bring out hidden ſinne, that the ſinner may be made a ſpectacle of his vengeance; Yet oft-times it proves a great mercy to the ſinner, when he gets not liberty to lurk in a ſinful courſe, but is brought out to light with it: As here it proved in the iſſue, this woman being diſcovered, is brought to Chriſt even by his very enemies, and (in appearance) gets good of him, which ſhe had miſſed, if ſhe had not been found out. 6. The Lord doth ſo far deteſt the ſinne of adultery, violating the Covenant of marriage, and eſpecially in women, who do corrupt a family, by bringing in an illegitimate iſſue into it; That it is his will, that ſuch, a tranſgreſſion be puniſhed with death: for, ſo do they repeat his Law given by Moſes, that ſuch ſhould be ſtoned; and being a puniſhment of a moral tranſgreſſion, it ſhould ſtand in force ſo long as the tranſgreſſion is ſtill the ſame: The law concerning the putting of adulterers to death, is clear from Levit. 20.10. Deut. 22.22. But for the particular way of it, by ſtoning, it ſeems to be gathered from that particular Law, concerning the betrothed Virgin, and him that lay with her, Deut. 22.23, 24. 7. It is the diſpoſition of wicked men, to make it their ſtudy to lay ſnares, whereby they think to entrap Gods people, and to ſeek advantages againſt them; partly, by faire language, and partly, by cunning tentations, that ſo they may make them and their way odious: for, ſo do they deale with Chriſt, they flatter him, and ask but what ſayeſt thou? but they did it tempting him, that they might have to accuſe him. And albeit they gained nothing at Chriſts hand in this; Yet his followers have need to be cautious, and to beware of ſubtile inſinuaters: Not that it is beſt to countermine ſubtilty with ſubtilty, but they ſhould look on honeſty as great ſafety, and divine policy, in ſuch caſes. 8. Chriſt doth eaſily diſcerne the drift of his enemies, and doth know which are tempting curious queſtions, and which are propounded out of neceſſity: Therefore doth John, being taught of him, record what was their drift, This they ſaid tempting him, that they might have to accuſe him. And indeed, when any come to Chriſt with caſes, he firſt looks into the queſtioners heart, that he may know how it is affected with what he propounds, before he anſwer it.