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Who May Judge SIN?
Continuing in the Gospel of John

‘Who made you judge and jury,’ some ask the Christian who applies the Law? “Don’t judge sin,” some even preach deceptively. Many a sinner will quote Jesus to you: “Judge not, that you be not judged. – Matthew 7:1

We have been following the Good News of the Messiah Jesus told by John, only surviving disciple after all others had died for their witness of Truth, rather than recant the only Way to heaven, Christ Jesus. His Good News is explanation and not necessarily chronological.

Previously in John 7 at the Jewish Festival of Booths Jesus shouted out an invitation to the crowds:

“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

Now we move on to a discussion the following day about authority in the Law. Religious authorities who love to judge sin confront the Messiah with one of their favorites, adultery.

John 8:

2 At dawn he went to the temple again, and all the people were coming to him. He sat down and began to teach them.

Let’s not miss that Jesus had been teaching on the Holy Spirit of God the previous day.

He said this about the Spirit. Those who believed in Jesus were going to receive the Spirit, for the Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus had not yet been glorified.
John 7:39 CSB

Jesus said this about the Holy Spirit as witness to Himself as the Messiah of the Living God!

Wouldn’t you want to know more about this Man claiming the very power of the One Lord and God? So the crowds came, along with those who claimed earthly authority over the Law of Moses.

How do YOU judge sin?

3 Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, making her stand in the center. 4 “Teacher,” they said to him, “this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery.

Now, dear christian in this twenty-first century crowd, you think very little of the seriousness of her first century indiscretion with a man to whom she was not married. In fact, in all likelihood many of you commited a different and similar sin when you first loved the significant other of your own life. We are oh so ready to condemn any man who claims the authority of God over our own less severe way to judge sin.

5 In the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?”

So does Jesus believe in capital punishment?

How dare she sleep with another man! After all, she is married.

6 They asked this to trap him, in order that they might have evidence to accuse him.

You know the old (not so funny, really) question of the lawyer: “When did you stop beating your wife?” No right answer to the prosecuting question as stated. There’s more to her story than the evidence presented.

By the way, have you already answered without having had additional evidence presented – facts which perhaps only God may know?

Is accusation not guilty until proven innocent in these last days?

So here we look to the Messiah confronted an accusation of adultery in a court having already judged sin of the accused woman.

Jesus as Judge

The crowds look on. Religious officials have stated the Law clearly and ask for sentence confirming their judgment of this accused violator. Surly the Messiah who claims that every jot and tiddle of the Law must be fulfilled will not show mercy to this woman who sinned.

Yet Jesus does not speak a sentence to judge sin clearly accused of this woman.

7 When they persisted in questioning him, he stood up and said to them,

“The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.”

8 Then he stooped down again and continued writing on the ground.

How does the Messiah of God judge sin?

Jesus has already witnessed the standard by which the Lord will judge sin.

“I can do nothing on my own. I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of him who sent me.
John 5:30

“Stop judging according to outward appearances; rather judge according to righteous judgment.”
John 7:24

One reason the Pharisees confront Jesus rather than having arrested Him at that time is continuation from a previous confrontation.

John 7:50 Nicodemus—the one who came to him previously and who was one of them [the Pharisees] —said to them,

51 “Our law doesn’t judge a man before it hears from him and knows what he’s doing, does it?”

Neither does the Lord Jesus judge this woman accused of adultery without full evidence of what she has done. In His judgment Jesus shows mercy.

God is Light and Life – Sin is Darkness & Death

Do you, man or woman of flesh, judge sin?

Jesus stood to render His decision as Judge:

“He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
John 8:7b KJV

8 Then he stooped down again and continued writing on the ground. 9 When they heard this, they left one by one, starting with the older men. Only he was left, with the woman in the center.

Justice?

Was the full justice of the Law served here? Certainly not.

Did Jesus grant mercy to the woman who sinned against her husband and the Law of the land? Yes, mercy and grace where penalty could have been demanded.

Would He judge sin at a later time? (Perhaps you had not thought of His temporary grace calling this sinner to repentance.)

Will Jesus judge sin – adultery, dishonesty, failure to show mercy to the poor or unjustly accused, victims of hateful vengeance?
- “Put boundaries for the people all around the mountain and say: Be careful that you don’t go up on the mountain or touch its base. Anyone who touches the mountain must be put to death. – Exodus 19:12
- “Whoever strikes a person so that he dies must be put to death. – Exodus 21:12
- “If a person schemes and willfully acts against his neighbor to murder him, you must take him from my altar to be put to death. – Exodus 21:14
- “Whoever strikes his father or his mother must be put to death. – Exodus 21:15
- “Whoever kidnaps a person must be put to death, whether he sells him or the person is found in his possession. – Exodus 21:16
- “Whoever curses his father or his mother must be put to death. – Exodus 21:17
- “Whoever has sexual intercourse with an animal must be put to death. Exodus 22:19
“Observe the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Whoever profanes it must be put to death. If anyone does work on it, that person must be cut off from his people. Work may be done for six days, but on the seventh day there must be a Sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD. Anyone who does work on the Sabbath day must be put to death.
Exodus 31:14-15

His Merciful Sentence

“He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” –
Jesus’ question to accusers who would judge sin – John 8:7 NASB

“I am the light of the world.

You judge by human standards. I judge no one. And if I do judge, my judgment is true, because it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.
Jesus’ standard to judge sin – John 8:15-16 CSB

Is Jesus the Messiah?

If Jesus was, IS, and will always be the Lord God, the Messiah, then He IS Light itself. Jesus is the very image of Light of the Father God our Creator, sustainer and Judge.

12 Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”

13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are testifying about yourself. Your testimony is not valid.”

14 “Even if I testify about myself,” Jesus replied, “My testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I’m going. But you don’t know where I come from or where I’m going. 15 You judge by human standards…

Is this not true of every man or woman who must judge another man or woman?

Therefore what is our standard of temporal justice, prior to the judgment of our souls?

Leviticus 19: Laws of Holiness – Separation to the LORD

לֹא־תַעֲשׂ֥וּ עָ֨וֶל֙ בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֔ט לֹא־תִשָּׂ֣א פְנֵי־דָ֔ל וְלֹ֥א תֶהְדַּ֖ר פְּנֵ֣י גָדֹ֑ול בְּצֶ֖דֶק תִּשְׁפֹּ֥ט עֲמִיתֶֽךָ׃

John does not present every proof of witness that Jesus is the Messiah of Israel, but closes his Gospel written after many proofs of the resurrection of Jesus with this:

But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John 20:31 CSB

Light of Life from beyond the grave

12 Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”

… “You know neither me nor my Father,” Jesus answered. “If you knew me, you would also know my Father.”

20 He spoke these words by the treasury, while teaching in the temple. But no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.

… and you will die in your sin. Where I’m going, you cannot come.”

… You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”

25 “Who are you?” they questioned.

“Exactly what I’ve been telling you from the very beginning,” Jesus told them.

Do you believe the Light or hide in the darkness of death?

26 “I have many things to say and to judge about you, but the one who sent me is true, and what I have heard from him—these things I tell the world.”
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To be continued...
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February 14, 2020
About the Author John -2- Sons of Zebedee
Have you ever considered that Jesus may have called James and John the ‘sons of thunder’ because their father Zebedee, a businessman and owner of a Galilean fishing fleet may have best described as thunderous?

And He appointed the twelve:
Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter),
and James, the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James
(to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means, “Sons of Thunder”)
Mark 3:16-17 NASB

Zebedee’s story

In the introduction to our fictional story about this real father of two of Jesus’ Disciples, Zebedee had thoughtfully asked:

“Where shall I send my sons to learn the faith of our fathers?”

and

“What is the will of the Lord God for my sons James and John?”

Now we progress further into Zebedee’s first century considerations for his two beloved Jewish sons, both young men sent to learn more of the Lord God through known mentors of the faith.

A History of our Faith

Some thoughts of Zebedee

I know that we no longer have the faith of Abraham and Moses. We’re just a reconstructed people, continually broken by our own unfaithfulness to the Lord. My daily life on the Sea of Galilee centers on trade with men from every direction and faith, including Jewish merchants from far away.

Sea of Galilee, with port of Zebedee’s fleet in the north

After Solomon’s sons separated Israel from Judah, many kings and most men refused to listen to God’s Prophets, so we became a divided people. Jerusalem’s two tribes distant to us now look away from our ten tribes of families here.

Our Israel long ago cut-off from Judah, our own fathers and the generation of my father reap the consequences sown by Israel’s long forgotten faith in the LORD.

Assyria takes Samarian captives 722 BC & Babylon takes Judah’s captives 607-537 BC

Between Two Temples

Our faith remains, but never the same since Israel’s defeat some seven centuries ago and later in 586 BC when Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, conquered Jerusalem and destroyed our Temple.

Few of the faith even remembered our Hebrew language and traditions, though at one time some of Jerusalem recovered the Law buried in the rubble of the Temple.

In general, it is of the greatest importance to remember in regard to this Eastern dispersion, that only a minority of the Jews, consisting in all of about 50,000, originally returned from Babylon, first under Zerubbabel and afterwards under Ezra.
THE JEWISH WORLD IN THE DAYS OF CHRIST – THE JEWISH DISPERSION IN THE EAST – ALFRED EDERSHEIM

Ezra, a Scribe of the Law of Moses from Babylon, restored some of our faith to a new Temple in Jerusalem. But after later Prophets like Micah, our faith disintegrated into little more than discussion.

This map shows the vast empire conquered by Alexander the Great in red highlight. The extent of the empire is an approximation of 320 BC.

Alexander III of Macedon helped preserve our Hebrew Law in the great library at Alexandria. But because all the world has gone after their culture, philosophy and gods, our religion is translated into Greek. At least some Jews who know longer know Hebrew can hear some of the Law and understand it in our Synagogues.

The Israel of Zebedee

My dilemma instructing James and John really lies in the diverse schools of Judaism in our captive land ruled by Rome.

When we had no Temple we practiced our faith without the LORD’s prescribed sacrifice. Now we learn the faith of our ancestors through study, obedience and prayer only.

Many of my Jewish brothers speak only Aramaic and cannot even read Hebrew. Even our everyday language was imported from the east or Greek from the Roman language from the west.

Who is King of the Jews?

David and Solomon once sat on the Throne of the LORD in Jerusalem. We were then a United Israel under the King anointed by the LORD. Now the question of King depends on who you ask.

Who is King of the Jews since the LORD dethroned our former kings of Israel and Judah?

After King Josiah of Judah died Jerusalem became subject to Egypt. Then Nebuchadnezzar II defeated them and destroyed the first Temple.

Babylonians took charge in the east, allowing some Jews to return to Jerusalem with their language and culture to rebuild our second temple. The Law was unearthed at the site of our Temple, only to have Jerusalem’s second temple destroyed once more.

Now they have a third grand enough for a Roman Jerusalem, but here in the north we cling to a distanced faith in the LORD.

Zebedee’s Galilee, Samaria & Judea

Our forefathers who had remained in Samaria (as my ancestral lands were called by others) were hated by Babylonian Jews when they returned to Judea with their eastern ways.

Three centuries ago Jerusalem and our land surrounding the Galilee capitulated to Alexander of Macedon. Our fathers were like the rest of the world around us now dominated by this man some still worship as ‘Alexander the Great.’

But after Alexander died, Jews populating the entire world were still caught strategically in the middle of all the changing empires. Egypt ruled us again. Seleucids dominated our land just a couple of hundred years ago, before Rome defeated them.

The Maccabees once led a revolt to retake Jerusalem from the Seleucid idolaters. Then we held a measure of independence for about four generations.

But now that less-than-pure Herod has again rebuilt the Temple under the thumb of his friends in Rome.

Zebedee’s family perspective

My grandfather told us stories of Herod coming into power after the Roman Pompey appointed our High Priest.

He sent more than eight Legions here then made our king his Syrian vassal. What right does Rome have to appoint our king or choose the LORD’s priests?

To this day, Rome remains ruthless against most ordinary Jews, especially national zealots. Their Prefects administer our so-called Syrian provinces and our king collects their taxes.

Schools of Jewish Thought

I have several school choices where I could send my sons James and John to learn our faith. Trouble is that they vary greatly in what Jewish worship of the LORD has become in this day.

Pharisees, Sadducees & Essenes

The Ḥasidim ha-Rishonim helped bring about the revolt against the Hellenists, but years ago their school faded into a sect of the Pharisees.

I could send James or John to a well-known teacher of the Law, Philo, in Alexandria in nearby Egypt. Although there too, as with Rome and the Hellenists, they teach a different faith than that which spread back toward Galilee from the fertile crescent of Abraham.

Some Sadducees descended from Zadok are Elders teaching strict adherence to the Law, but their rich lives reflect liberal interpretations when it comes to political compromise.

In Jerusalem I have heard some good things about Gamaliel the new Elder descendant of Hillel, whose brother a trader from Babylon I have met. The religion of Jerusalem (and Herod) though are too tainted by politics away from which I hope to keep my sons.

Beit Shammai most likely would never admit sons such as mine unworthy of Jerusalem’s religious elite. They seem to be Zealots of a sort without the sicarii concealed under their tasseled cloaks.

And then there are the Essenes, who remain faithful to Scripture but hardly fit in to the day to day lives of merchants like us who must make a living by trade with others.

Historical Differences

Most jews have become proselytized Hellenists! Some four million of the seed of Abraham in the Empire now.

I trade mostly with Jews from the diaspora to the east. They too debate this and argue that, so I’m not sure who to believe from conversations with merchant Jews from all over the Empire and beyond.

‘Houses of Instruction,’ as they are now called. In which school of Jewish thought should I raise my sons James and John?

Zebedee’s Prayerful Choice of Schools

John is very young but like when we work in our fishing fleet, John will be in the capable hands of my eldest son James. I have prayed to the LORD to place them both into His care and teaching.

Alexandria and even Jerusalem seem to far from us in many ways. We still have to make our living on the sea.

The quiet places seem less likely to draw my sons away from the LORD. So after much prayer I lean toward a rabbi preaching repentance among the Essenes. This John is quickly gaining in fame and followers all up and down the Jordan.

John the Baptizer

Mark 1 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

4 John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. 6 John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey.

I had heard a story some time back from a merchant traveling back from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. My wife had also heard rumors of the words of a prophetess well-known in Jerusalem.

Prior to the Baptist’s Birth

There was a priest named Zacharias who was performing his priestly service before God in the Temple. Many witnesses in Jerusalem, including the man who told this to me, supposed that this priest saw an angel of the LORD in the Holy of Holies.

The people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple. But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he kept making signs to them, and remained mute. When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home.
Luke 1:21-23 NASB

My wife later told me of a story that she had heard of this priest’s barren wife.

She was of the line of Aaron and even in her advanced years later had a son. And her husband commanded her to name their son, John.

The second amazing thing about this is that Zacharias had not been able to speak since that day my friend told me about him in Jerusalem. But on the day he named his son John, his voice returned!

Others have confirmed this story about John son of Zacharias, who his followers call “JOHN THE BAPTIST.”

The Lord though my own prayer has directed me to send my sons to this rabbi in the wilderness of the Jordan. For John preaches to all a calling to all faithful Jews:

“I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”
John 1:23 NASB, quoting Isaiah 40

Zebedee’s Conclusion

James and John followed John the Baptist and it was not long until the Lord confirmed our choice to send them to this great teacher, who Herod now as already killed. Both of our boys told us of their God-led calling while John still preached at the Jordan.

I will tell it to you from my own son’s Good News of the Messiah.

John 1:

35 Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said,

“Behold, the Lamb of God!”

37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

(Of course my son John was one of these and he immediately told his older brother James.)

38 And Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them,

“What do you seek?”

They said to Him,

“Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?”

39 He said to them, “Come, and you will see.”

So they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.

Zebedee – Father of Apostles

My dear wife, mother to James and John, joined me in following our Messiah Jesus, whom our sons follow.

I plea to you to hear John’s Gospel or this Good News through any others of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus the Messiah.

Beloved brothers and sisters, chosen by the Lord God, I pray that the LORD will bless you and keep you and be gracious to you as He has done for me and my family.

Amen.
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God willing, we will return to John's Gospel
from where we paused after the Holy Spirit 
in my next post.
Roger
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February 8, 2020
About the Author John – a story from Zebedee
We have again been working through the Gospel of John with specific focus on the Trinity of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Before moving on to more signs of Jesus as the Messiah, I thought it appropriate to take a brief look at the Gospel’s author John.

About the Author John

In a larger sense the Author of Scripture is always the Lord God and specifically the Gospel author John refers to Jesus as, “the Word,” in effect crediting the Lord Jesus for Scripture.

The Good News of the author John and three other Gospel writers is that Jesus IS the Messiah of God, fulfillment of the Lord’s promise to redeem Israel.

John’s Gospel differs some from those of the Apostle Matthew, another Jewish author, and that of two gentile author’s, John Mark and Luke. (God-willing I may share more about these Gospel authors at a later time in separate posts.)

a First century story

I would like to relate a story to you which involves the author John, who wrote not only the Gospel, but three letters and the Revelation (or Apocalypse) of the New Testament. But first let’s consider the genre of my story to follow.

Fiction or Nonfiction?

Although we step away from the Bible and specifically the Gospel for a moment, I have crafted the following “biography” to make you think.

You might ask of any story, a classic novel, Scripture or a television script: ‘Is it true?’ That is, does this story I’m reading, hearing or seeing represent reliable truth? Is it nonfiction or is it (at least in part) fiction?

“Fiction or nonfiction,” we may ask thoughtfully?

If Scripture is true, then our only conclusion must be that the Bible is ‘nonfiction;’ therefore our compelling question must address God’s will, “How should I apply these truths?”
Roger Harned – talkofJesus.com

I caution however of entertainment which claims ‘authoritative’ speculation that misleads the masses into false and dangerous applications. Just one example would be “The History Channel.”

We naturally assume anything claiming history or science to be a reliable true source of researched fact. Yet what about a fantastical speculation proclaiming possibility of “Ancient Aliens,” which invades our thinking as pure fiction with no basis in fact?

Many writers of supposed ‘scientific fact’ place such nonsensical fiction in the same speculative category as they do the Bible. Their heretical premise implies that God does not exist anymore than ancient aliens do (therefore both are fiction). These authors create gods of their own making, denying the glory of the Living God.

Of course not all fiction denies the truth and historicity of Christ. Thankfully some fiction pursues a higher calling to give us insight into the historical men and women of the Bible, or even the true nature of faith following the Lord Jesus as a true Christian. Perhaps one of the best of these would be John Bunyan’s “The Pilgrim’s Progress.”

Historical Fiction

If a story, i.e. nonfiction, doesn’t qualify as fact, then what kind of fiction is it?

Some stories illustrate imagined or actual characteristics of historical characters who actually existed. One example might be the story of George Washington chopping down the cherry tree. (Certainly you can think of others.)

I would caution that many such stories have hidden agendas often opposed to the Lord God. So a story may pose as historical fiction when in fact it is not historical in any way (other than taking the name of its lead character in vain).

Some so-called ‘christian’ cults would have you believe that Jesus was nothing more than a character in the historical fiction of the New Testament of the Bible. It’s also important here to point out that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is NOT a “historical fiction,” acknowledging that Jesus was real and did exist in the first century, while denying Christ’s deity.

No deception of the devil will lead your soul astray more than this lie against the saving Son of the Most High! Many will concede and even preach the existence of Jesus, without worshiping Him as Lord.

A Father of Thunder

The following story hopefully will illustrate a helpful perspective as historical fiction from the first century A.D.

Although based on the characters discussed, including the author John, this fictional account is not intended to provide evidence for John’s Gospel, but to provide circumstance into its writing by the author John.

Israel & Sea of Galilee – crossroads of cultures and trade

And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?

Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life:

but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons…
Deuteronomy 4:8-9 KJV

Introduction

Men call me Bonerges for my thunderous commands they hear ‘mongst my fleet on the Galilee.

Sea of Galilee at inlet of Jordan River in the north

I thank the LORD for my blessings and that of my boisterous leadership, but mostly I call out for the supply of my business. Though faithful to the LORD in every area of my life as a Jew, I am no hammer upon the anvil of Israel’s hard-forged apostasy.

Now that my double blessing of sons join my fleet as young men of God, I must teach them not only of fishing but of the leading of men.

The LORD made me a man of modest means, so now I may send them to any man of God of my choosing to learn more of the LORD’s will for their lives. It’s not so simple though; for our life as Jews in the land which was once Israel had never been simple since Solomon.

Whether here in Bethsaida or on journeys to Jerusalem (also never the same again) all we seem to argue is how the LORD wants us to follow in a strange land which was once our own.

I should even say it was once HIS, but is no more. God help us.

Ahh, who would have thought that Israel could become a land which is not ours or the Lord’s?

(the second Law) דברים

We are sons of Moses; I have been praying on this Scripture.

Where shall I send my sons to learn the faith of our fathers?
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“Give ear, O heavens, and let me speak;
 And let the earth hear the words of my mouth.
“For I proclaim the name of the LORD;
 Ascribe greatness to our God!
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וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אַסְתִּ֤ירָה פָנַי֙ מֵהֶ֔ם אֶרְאֶ֖ה מָ֣ה אַחֲרִיתָ֑ם כִּ֣י דֹ֤ור תַּהְפֻּכֹת֙ הֵ֔מָּה בָּנִ֖ים לֹא־אֵמֻ֥ן בָּֽם׃

“Then He said, ‘I will hide My face from them,
I will see what their end shall be;
For they are a perverse generation,
Sons in whom is no faithfulness.
from the song of Moses – Deuteronomy 32:(1,3,)20 WLC;NASB

What is the will of the Lord God for my sons James and John?
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To be continued...
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January 28, 2020