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About Jesus Steve Sweetman The
Ultimate Defense Attorney Every
so often I hear someone speak of Jesus as being a simple teacher of
morality who walked the dusty roads of Galilee. Nothing could be farther
from the truth. Jesus
did live a humble and uncluttered life, something we could learn from,
but He was far from simple. He
was the most complex, intelligent, witty, creative … individual who
has ever walked the face of this earth.
I'm convinced that He'd be one very talented attorney today
because in one sense of the word, He was one very talented attorney when
He walk those dusty roads of Legal
experts often engaged Jesus in debate in the hopes of trapping Him in
matters of law. One such
occasion is recorded in John 8:1-11.
Certain Pharisees, well educated in issues pertaining to the Law
of Moses, brought a woman who they caught in the very act of adultery.
I've often wondered how these guys just happened to have stumbled
across a woman engaged in such sexual activity.
My guess is that they set her up.
One of them paid for her services while the others enjoyed
watching the porn show through a window or a crack in the door.
After the show ended, being the upright and lawful men they were
reported to be, they brought the sinful woman to Jesus.
Just
in case Jesus didn't know, these Pharisees reminded Him that the Law of
Moses stated that this woman must die.
What could Jesus do or say? He
had to uphold the Law of God. Knowing
the loving and caring nature of Jesus, these legal experts figured they
had Him trapped between love and justice. As
Jesus pondered the situation, I picture these men standing proudly,
chest out, arms crossed, heads held high, and thinking, "got you
this time Jesus". Jesus
didn't have to be reminded of the death penalty.
He knew the law well, including the provision that demanded a
fair trial. At least two or
three credible witnesses must provide valid proof of the offense. There
could be no conviction without valid witnesses.
We don't know all that transpired on this occasion.
We know Jesus told these men that he who is without sin could
throw the first stone. If
these men did set this woman up, Jesus would have known that they were
just as guilty of this particular act of adultery as the woman was.
They were not without sin. Whatever
the case, Jesus used the witness provision clause found in the Law to
disarm these legal experts. Jesus
asked the woman, "where are those who accuse you"? None
could be found. In disgust
and embarrassment, all the valid witnesses to the woman's offense
quietly slipped away, hoping no one would see their failure. There were
no witnesses to validate the woman's sin, so she could not be convicted.
Jesus disarmed the legal experts and defused the whole situation.
Jesus was not trapped between love and justice.
Love and justice met each other in one very important little
sentence. "Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more".
The women's sin was "justly" acknowledged, and in
"love", it was forgiven. I'm
sure this woman was so thankful that Jesus saved her life that she
accepted His offer of forgiveness with heart felt repentance. The
Pharisees tried to trap Jesus with a point of law, but Jesus could not
be trapped. They had no
witnesses. They had no
evidence. They had no case.
Jesus not only knew the Law, He silenced His opposition with the
very law they based their case on. They left looking legally limp.
This whole event was just as much about the hypocrisy of religious
legalism and those who promote it as it was about the forgiveness of a
sinful woman. Jesus
wasn't a simple teacher of morality.
The Pharisees were no match for this defense attorney, and a
defense attorney He is. Right
now, before the Almighty, Jesus defends those of us who have asked Him
to do so. The Bible calls
Him our "Great High Priest".
(Hebrews 4:14) That's
just a Biblical way of saying that Jesus is the most powerful and
authoritative defense attorney in the universe.
If you understand what the Bible says about our state of
sinfulness, you will certainly be thankful that we have such a defense
attorney. We'd be condemned
to the The
next time you hear someone saying that Jesus was a simple teacher of
morality, fill him in with the facts.
Jesus is both Lord and Christ.
He is the final authority over all things.
He has no rivals. He
has no competition. He
silences every critic. He
has the last word on all issues. He
bows to no one. He can't be
trapped. He puts to rest all
demonic accusations railed against
us. He is the ultimate
defense attorney. He defends
those who are His on a daily basis. And
besides all that, He is both judge and jury, as well as attorney.
He is the eternal court of Law.
We can't lose with Him on our side. I
am personally grateful to Jesus, my defense attorney, judge, and jury.
The words He spoke to the adulterous woman, He speaks to me every
day, and to you as well. He
has freed us from the condemnation legally due us.
Both love and justice meet in Jesus when He says, "neither
do I condemn you. Go and sin
no more".
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