Christ: The Master Attorney

In the story of the woman caught in adultery, Jesus does not question the law nor the verdict (John 8:1-11). He tells those present they may stone the woman, so long as they are without sin and therefore eligible to impose the death penalty. He frees this woman on a brilliant technicality: no one is qualified to carry out the sentence (John 8:7).

In Jesus’ time it was illegal for Pharisees to administer the death penalty, which was only to be applied under Roman authority.

The law demanded the execution of this woman, but Rome had removed capital jurisdiction from Jewish courts, except for temple violations.

                                IVP Bible Background Commentary

They could do nothing despite their bravado, and after all, where was the man? If the woman was caught ‘in the act’ (John 8:5) where was her partner? When has adultery ever been committed alone?

Rather than scold, Jesus  gives the Saducee and Pharisee Judaic priests and scholars  one of the greatest gifts of wisdom ever recorded: the highest standard of enlightened forbearance in human history.

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

When these words are understood terrorism, retribution, violence, murder, oppression and cruelty end.  They are sacrosanct and cross all lines of religion, politics and nationality.  They are the first and most important lesson every parent   can teach their child no matter their creed or color. In this, we are all Christians.

Some scholars have questioned the authenticity of this passage. The sentiment is so very noble that religious scholars struggle to understand it let alone find any precedence of it in the Bible or elsewhere.  But it is replete in Jesus’ sermon on the mount.

Scholars argue that  traditional Judaic law does not require that the first to throw stones be free of sin. Those who are to cast the first stones are the witnesses, and then everyone else is to join in (Deuteronomy 17:7 ), sinful or not.  The Pharisees could have pointed out that in reference to the law, Jesus was in error.

Jews didn’t claim to be without sin, nor did they propose to be deities at the level of the Father.

It was a commonplace of Jewish teaching that even the most pious had committed sins.

                IVP Bible Background Commentary

But more recent scholars have uncovered laws extant at Jesus’ time that mirror exactly what Jesus said: Christ  was well aware that the Saducees had indeed laws prohibiting any witnesses who had sinned:

No one who has knowingly violated a single word of the commandment will be considered a reliable witness against his fellow until he is considered fit to return to full fellowship.

The Dead Sea Scrolls – A New Translation, p. 67 (Wise, Abeg, Cook translation,  1996)

Jesus knew very well the laws of His time.  He used what the mob claimed their justification to disqualify them and free the woman.

They were tangled up in their own legal underwear, and stood momentarily dumbfounded, check-mated before the Master Attorney.

After the Pharisees leave, Jesus addresses the adulteress.

He does not ask the woman to repent, to admit her sin publicly, to believe in His divinity, nor to demonstrate any sign of remorse or servility. He isn’t seeking converts. He isn’t demanding a pledge of allegiance.

• He merely tells her to give up sin. 
• Christ does not ask her to make a public commitment to do so.
• Jesus does not demand her testimony nor exploit her situation to promote His ministry. She has been paraded about enough.
• He does nothing to further embarrass or debase her. 
• He does not question that she is guilty, but He refuses to take the role of her judge. He appeals to her as a peer. That is why He came down here.
• Nor does Jesus condemn the Pharisees. 

Jesus first pulls the Pharisees down to the level of the adulteress then makes Himself their equal: He tells her that since the men have not condemned her neither will He (John 8:9-11). 

Rather than take authority, he dispenses with it.

Jesus is as constant in His universal application of compassion and tolerance as a law of nature.  He uses mercy to create both equality and intimacy. 

In modern religion mercy is used as a divider, an exclusive benefit of club membership. That is an artificial construction. In this story of the woman to be stoned, Jesus demonstrates that the Lord does not discriminate. He is Father to the woman and the Pharisees, and in service to all. God’s mercy is unlimited, if we can learn to see it.

He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

                                Matthew (5:45)                           

 

He made himself known to me,

Without grudging in his generosity:

For in his kindness,

He set aside his majesty.

He became like me,

In order that I might accept him.

In appearance, he seemed like me,

That I might be clothed in him.

And I did not tremble when I saw him,

Because he had compassion for me.

He became like my nature,

That I might come to know him;

And like my form,

That I might not turn away from him…

From  Ode 7 of the ancient Odes of Solomon

 

Merry Christmas!

 

Comments

[777]

I owe a lot to Sri Yukteswar
the Guru of Yogananda

A hundred years ago ( it seems now )
I went with my wife to
Dr. Piet Romein , head/representative of the Self Realization Fellowship
in Holland
after reading "Autobiography of a Yogi" ( is on the web )

so we came there and he did bees, showed us everything
showed also his house with many many big
portraits of Yogananda, Yukteswar, and older Gurus
living in the Himalayas

So, I ask after an hour
Do WE need to subscribe now

Piet says "NO"

You must go to this lady Nel Kuys
in Bilthoven ( 30 KM from Him )

He told that she was since always Krisnamurti's secretary
and great language - the only Sankrit reader / translator in Holland

He sais : You are wrong here >. Go to here

So we drove 20 minutes and saw so many nice plants around her house but
she wasn't there

On our way back to Rotterdam
we wondered so much about his refusal
to accept us in that 'fellowship'

The evening
I phoned her
and she said she had nothing to do with the Yoganandas
but she knew Piet Romein and wondered also

Next she said
After all my life being Krishnamurti's secretary
myself I found a Holy Guru in India
who gave me "5 words"

THEN before I could ask explanations
I started to tremble and could not stop it
I could not even speak anymore - I had
to disconnect without saying another word
( Ofc phoned back after 15 minutes )

BTW
I phoned back at the location I lived
I told about in the ChurchBlog ( CB)
where , when I started meditations and I repeated the second word
a great 6 x3 Meter iron fence there started to vibrate, so loudly
that I had to stop )
In a way A OBJECTIV THING but no witnesses
except my wife
and half a street there wondering
Let's call it also a kind of Serendipity

Please S*
U now know who I am
Please keep it secret

777

This blog now is perfect to describe
all so many serendipities that happened in our life
and some deleted by Brian as non- sense

-
Life is beautiful

[Osho Robbins]

Spence

its a nice idea.

However, when you heard about GSD and the possible mis-appropriations of funds.
Even without a court hearing, you not only pronounced him guilty - but even sentenced him to prison.

Where then was the sentiment "let he who is without sin...."

If you look up to Jesus's idea, you must agree with the principle behind it.

as you say:
"He does not question that she is guilty, but He refuses to take the role of her judge."

One more point:

In the eyes of Jesus, did she do anything "wrong"?

was there a sin?

Are you suggesting this would be a way to operate in society today?

If not, what good is it? If you believe justice is needed, then why look up to someone who forgives. In fact more than forgives, he doesn't even say it was a sin

[Osho Robbins]

@spence:

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

When these words are understood terrorism, retribution, violence, murder, oppression and cruelty end. They are sacrosanct and cross all lines of religion, politics and nationality. They are the first and most important lesson every parent can teach their child no matter their creed or color. In this, we are all Christians.

How will terrorism, violence etc end?
If person A does something wrong, what do you suggest? should he be tried or forgiven.

If tried, then are you applying Jesus's idea?

If forgiven, nobody will have fear of breaking the law

Will that end terrorism?

Please explain your reasoning.

This is nothing abstract now.

I dont see how violence ends

[777]

Osho
Y r an ant-fucker

[Jesussaves]

Praise the Lord

Jesus was the only begotten Son of God. Only those who believe in him will be saved. This is the only way to salvation.
Nobody else has the power to forgive sins.

Jesus died for your sins that you might have everlasting life.

God gave his only son for us.
Praise Jesus

[Osho Robbins]

@777

what is an ant fucker? and how is that a useful argument?

I could write

You,777 are a cat fucker

is that a useful comment?

seriously man - you need medical help

check yourself into the local lunnie house

[777]

The dutch expression is "mierenneuker"

Google translated literally - there must be a regular English expression
It is not being able to see the wood
by analyzing each tree

[Spence Tepper]

Hi Jesus Saves!
You wrote
"Praise the Lord

Jesus was the only begotten Son of God. Only those who believe in him will be saved. This is the only way to salvation.
Nobody else has the power to forgive sins.

Jesus died for your sins that you might have everlasting life.

God gave his only son for us.
Praise Jesus"

How do you know the truth of your claims?

Are they truthful because they are beautiful sentiments to you personally?

Or is there some reason you can share by which you believe they apply to others? Something rationale that is transferable?

[Spence Tepper]

Hi Osho
What sentiment do you believe in?
If evidence of criminal activity taking place over many years, well documented and carefully engineered, comes to our attention we should lovingly take action to stop further criminal activity. We should certainly not stand by and allow or passively support its continuing.

There is no issue of blame, emotion of any kind, except filled with loving kindness as a brother we do the above to help both the perpetrators and the victims, all as our family members.

[Jen]

omg I'm cracking up with laughter... I also wondered about 777 calling Osho "Y r an ant-fucker"...

"This word is composed of “mieren” (“ants”) and “neuker” – derived from “neuken”. Originally “neuken” meant “to knock / thrust” but is currently only known in its translation of “to f*ck”. That’s why some people may consider “mierenneuker” to be foul language. Although its use is mostly informal, this word is not meant to have an offensive connotation. In fact, a man was acquited after charges were pressed against him for calling a traffic warden a “mierenneuker”, see also Extra.
The related verb is “mierenneuken”: to nitpick.
Extra:
Calling an overzealous traffic warden a “mierenneuker” is allowed in The Netherlands. This was the verdict of judge in Alkmaar. A driver had parked his car on the sidewalk for quickly withdrawing some cash from an ATM (“pinnen“). When the man got back to his car, a traffic warden was already writing out a fine (“bon“). The man got angry and called the traffic warden a “mierenneuker”, at which the traffic warden felt offended and threatened, so he had the driver arrested by the police. The driver refused to pay the 220 euro fine and went to court with it…
The judge decided that the driver was right! Based on the authorative Dutch dictionary Van Dale, he concluded that the word “mierenneuker” is not offensive. According to the judge, a “mierenneuker” or a “muggenzifter” is a person who is very meticulous at his job. The judge found the remark inappropriate, but the traffic warden could have interpreted “mierenneuker” as a compliment too…"

wtf, everything is getting more and more extreme, weirder and weirder, from praising the lord Jesus to ant-fucker, LOL

[777]

@Jen
Thank you a lot for all these informations
new to me
Yes , a compliment and an offense in the same package
So, . . y'r dutch or South African , I try to remember. . . . .

7

[Dungeness]

"This word is composed of “mieren” (“ants”) and “neuker” – derived from “neuken”. Originally “neuken” meant “to knock / thrust” but is currently only known in its translation of “to f*ck”

Has a much dirtier ring in German and without the idiomatic softening:

"Ameisenficker"

But I think Germans would laugh anyway.

[Dungeness]

Has a much dirtier ring in German and without the idiomatic softening:

"Ameisenficker"

But I think Germans would laugh anyway.

Nope, same idiom. My showing-off in German is put to the lie :)
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Ameisenficker

[Jesussaves]

Jesus is the only messiah in history who died for our sins. He had no sins of his own.

Only human who was ever sinless.

Other people like gurus and prophets are fake. Mohammed for example committed lots of sins Koran is full of them. No comparison to Jesus. Jesus was unique in history.
The proof is the bible.

Show me anyone else who died for humanity and rose after three days. Anyone else who dies stays dead. Jesus was raised from the dead. Mohammad wasn't raise again. No guru in history was raised again. So there is plenty of evidence if you have an open heart and sincerely want God in your life. I speak from my own experience. I pray daily and have visions of Jesus, he guides me in my daily life when I ask him for help. Majority of christians are fake because they don't live according to Jesus.
Unless you repent you cannot follow Jesus.
Some of you here follow gurus. What evidence do you have that he is a savior? More like you have evidence he is a fake and a fraud, yet you still follow him. Why would you do that?

[Spence Tepper]

Hi Jesus Saves
Thank you for sharing the reasons for your brief.

Can you share how you came to Christianity?
Were you raised in a Christian home?

[Spence Tepper]

Actually JesusSaves, Jesus Himself teaches us that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob all rose before Him, and that those who do never need to die again, teaching reincarnation as well.

"35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:

36 Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.

37 Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

38 For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him."
Like 20:35-38

[jesussaves]

Only Jesus died on the cross for our sins.
"those who believe in me shall have everlasting life" is what He said.

Nobody else can make that claim, except the only son of God

all other religions are fake

All these gurus who show up are just misleading the unwise

The wise cannot be deceived.
http://jesuschrist.lds.org/pictures-and-videos/video/the-only-true-god-and-jesus-christ-whom-he-hath-sent

[Jesussaves]

Abraham was not like Jesus. Jesus was unique.
Abraham was not crucified, did not die for our sins.

There is so much evidence for Jesus. I was not born in a christian family.

I found Jesus, He found me

[777]

HERE IS SOME DELETED TEXT

OFCOURSE THIS DISRUPTION MAKES FOLLOWING A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED BUT EACH PARAGRAPHE HAS ALSO A BEAUTY OF ITSELF
“””. Brian - that’s what you call courage! Well done to this young person! I really feel for the youngsters who are guided and then subjected to other people dreams and opinions- so fair play to this young person!
I myself am on the fence but will topple in the way of truth- just one point from me: how could he have not known about what was going on??? He is supposed to be God!!!!
I don’t get people who would think that he wouldn’t have known- it’s time for closure for a lot of decent people on this -I think!!! 

Posted by: Arjuna | December 26, 2018 at 04:08 PM. “”””

I myself am on the fence but will topple in the way of truth- just one point from me: how could he have not known about what was going on??? He is supposed to be God!!!!

Hi Arjuna,
Just one other point and I'll keep it short since we're talkin' more
mysticism than unchurchy-stuff. if GIHF knows everything, which
issue should he tackle first: poverty? hunger? RSSB reputation? 
what would his triage calculus be? The anti-theists would torch
a GIHF no matter what he did.
Fed the world? What other crises has he solved? Spotless rep?
Fine, why couldn't he prevent scandals in his own family :) 
Super human? Well, why couldn't he just make his own cancer
go into remission? Compassionate? Why doesn't he take the world's
sufferin' instead of harping on meditation?
No, mystics live within karmic law. They're here to give spiritual
support to humanity. They get diseases themselves, endure
poverty, live within their karmic circumstances. They don't
immunize themselves from scandals either.
If someone feels compelled to respond to my comments, please
honor Brian's request and object/comment/excoriate, then do
so on the AtheistsNBelievers blog. Thanks.
Posted by: Dungeness | December 27, 2018 at 12:39 AM

@Arjuna
Little ( or Giant ) correction here on Gurinders "All Knowing"
I said it many times; he is not.
Neither was any of the God-men fro Zaratrustra and Melchizedek on.
Just like You and me they are guided by the news AND intuition
Their intuition PLUS SERENDIPITIES concerning the Shabd and how to transfer the Power in the 5 Words package to the needy
Myself, I agree even with faqir Chand that this should be better exposed
Gurinder is just appointed to do this Point
The remark about the sex relations : of course there is quite some karma involved
if that is good or bad is not @us to judge
In that sphere there is gigantic hypocrisy 
Mirdad sais : To judge , you have to know how the wind blew, . . . at creation's time
Edgar Cayce, a Minister, Ameriicas most famous psychic declared to have been a prostitute
in his former life during the civil war
and had helped so many soldiers not to go crazy & suicidal

There is so much more to say around the "Guru Quest" but on Brians request I do that
on the recently opened other blog
( at least make a green button here Brian to switch easily between the two blogs )
The plane needs no arguments, . . I hear only Satsangis sayng
"Oh If only Charan could have had that"
The main Point however and Gurinder is the most amazed of all
is his function as a BEAM OF SOUND AND LIGHT for the willing
. . around, . . . or the sensibles at great distances
Of course : those who prefer shadow had never seen that . 
Also , young man, nobody should insist you must look to the light only
There is so much excitement on the planet
Charan and other Mystics only say : If you want avoid pain & stress : please attach yourself to something you can 
definitely describe as nice and eternal :
I'm far from Beas but recently I heard from a kind of secretary there that Gurinder
ALWAYS want a quick resuméé on something coming up
like : Write everything on one page letterpage > not more
I like that too but it is not an excellent idéé with people who
are a kind of ashamed about a havock they created

777
PS
All the SatGurus Power comes from His Master, EVERYTHING


Posted by: 777 | December 27, 2018 at 01:22 AM

[777]

ANOTHER DELETION :
e probability of there existing at all this sort of impossible to know information. Or just ask Manjit, since he's read all the right studies using the right methodologies. Holy shit, he's so smart. People are impressed by him.
Posted by: Jesse | December 23, 2018 at 10:53 AM
Rarely in this blog
the 'obvious' up coming remark "You are a lyer". is seen

After the 'DER SPIEGEL' journalist making up half he wrote,
we might become somewhat more assertive
Best would be to use colours
Red : if no single proof is offered
Blue : if there were witnesses
Green : if material proof exists
Black : if an actuarial will declare : this is outside the scope of calculations and cannot be other than supra (para) natural
This way this blog would be very colour full

777

Posted by: 777 | December 23, 2018 at 11:33 AM
On the question
"What to do with life"
I would suggest
HAVE MAXIMUM FUN & LOVE
without hurting !
777
Posted by: 777 | December 23, 2018 at 11:39 AM

Arjuna
Do U agree with Charan's any Satsang opening line
How to be happy ?
By attaching to an eternal fun instead of temporal
Next HE offers a way to do that
Orgasmic SOUND that increases forever
You Like ?
777

Posted by: 777 | December 23, 2018 at 11:44 AM

[777]

Those who find life to simple, . . .
have always Brian to make it complicated as it should be

777

[Jesussaves]

who is 777?
I don't understand what he writes, and he writes a lot.
wierd.

on the topic of Jesus, some doubt his existence, but then where did the scriptures come from? why would Palu and the apostles write about someone who never existed?

article in The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/14/what-is-the-historical-evidence-that-jesus-christ-lived-and-died

[777]

@jesussaves

Seems weird if you know nothing about other Jesus
on Earth

It would be so great if Christians knew about the Holy Ghost
a sweet fascinating vibration ( Sound) that every compassionated human being can hear above his/her eyes

Yes, I agree, Jesus was the Greatest Guy of His time
even understandable
according to a bible SO MUCH DELETED and EDITED
during the 1500 years it was in the hands of the Mafia
Pauls letters included

Jesus was a vegetarian
If catholics shad continued abstaining meat on Friday
the planet would be better off now

But so few of Jesus followers are compassionated

Take Mr Pence actually supporting 666
without any shame

777

btw
You are blessed that Jesus let you hear now on this blog
how to unify with the Holy Ghost and never need to die

[Jesussaves]

I don't know of any other Jesus on earth, and there cannot be, because Jesus was the only begotten son of God. All others are from the devil.

The Holy ghost or holy spirit is part of the trinity. It is not some kind of sound or vibration.

These are perverted teachings you are quoting, and are not from the holy bible

[Spence Tepper]

Hi Jesussaves:

You wrote:
"...Jesus was the only begotten son of God. All others are from the devil."

This is correct, if one understands it correctly, and according to the whole Holy Bible. God has had a number of obedient and loving Sons before Jesus walked the earth as Jesus. They were all followers of Christ:

"10 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ."
1 Corinthians 10:1-4

And all of us were knitted in the womb by none other than God Himself, as David also teaches.

"For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb."
Psalm 139:13

As you know, in the Old Testament Hebrews were referred to as the Sons of God (Genesis 6:2, 4) and Sons of the Most High (Psalm 82:6). Moses was referred to as the man of God (Dueteronomy 33:2) as was Samuel (Isaiah 9:6-20) an angel (Isaiah 13:6-31) and others. The Son of Man was also a term used in the Old Testament (for example, God repeatedly calls Ezekiel the Son of Man: EZ 17:2, 20:3, 21:2, 28, 22:2, 18, 24, 23:2, 23:36, 24:2, 16, 25, 25:2, 26:2, 27:2, 28:2,21, 29:2, 30:2, 31:2, 35:2).

God calls David His Son when the Psalmist writes

I will proclaim the decree of the LORD:
He said to me, “You are my Son
today I have become your Father.
Ask of me,
and I will make the nations your inheritance,
the ends of the earth your possession.”
Psalm 2: 7-8

God calls Solomon His Son in 1 Chronicles:

His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign. He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.
1 Chronicles 22:9-10

How could Jesus be the only Son of God if, in God’s own words, David and Solomon were His Sons? In the NIV marginal text the phrase referring to Psalm 2, “I have become your Father” is also translated as “I have begotten you.” Perhaps those whom the Lord anoints are begotten, born again in the spirit of God.

The Holy Spirit, the Word of God, the Logos, the Voice of The Lord or Memra in Judaism, was also referred to by Judaic Scholars of Jesus’ time as the true, first-born Son of God (in the Targums and the writings of Philo). God breathes the Spirit, the Pneuma. All life comes from that. That is the true son.

Jesus was one with the Father, merged with Father and Holy Spirit. But was He the only one? He tells us it is written those whom the Word of God has come to are Gods (John 10:34). Jesus also says when He and the Father take up residence in the disciples, when the disciples are living with the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, in total faith they too will be Gods and will be able to perform works as Jesus did (John 14:12-27).

You may be interested to know that my own Master, Maharaj Charan Singh, said directly to one seeker before a large audience, "Daughter, we are all following Christ."

There is only one Christ, but what of the twelve tribes of Israel? What of the other branches that fell away long before and which Christ came to restore?

Many are restored, and every one claims Christ is the only Son of God. But there are different teachers, different practices of prayer to meet with Christ and be saved, to be truly born again in Spirit.

The Sufi mystic Sultan Bahu also writes of the holy spirit, the Word of God known as Kalma, heard within ones’ own self as a sacred melody, which carries souls to heaven.

The Kalma has ferried millions across.
In countless ways has it transformed
Ordinary mortals into Saints.

… Within me resounds the melody of Kalma,
the melody that love has taught me to hear.
Why don’t you put away your books,
And forget what you have learnt from them-
For within the Kalma you will find
The fourteen inner realms.
Scholars sharpen reeds into pens,
But they are not capable of writing the true Kalma.
This Kalma has rid me of all afflictions
Of the body and mind –
Only a Master could have taught it to me, O Bahu
The Abyat of Sultan Bahu

God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.
John (4:24)