The Real Reason Jesus Said Go & Sin No More

[Oneofhope]

No one ever talks about why Jesus upturned the tables in the Temple where animals were being sold for sacrifice. Perhaps this has something to do with why the woman was completely forgiven by Christ.

Hint: Where there is forgiveness, there is no longer a need for sacrifice.

If we learn the entire Bible, we would know that this principle also applied in the Old Testament days. God wanted those of the past to forgive as well, for if they forgave one another, sacrifices would not have been required. But the Jews didn't get it and we still don't to this day.

Study the whole Bible. Stop picking and choosing which parts of it we want to study.

 

[Oneofhope]

Hint: for sin, a sacrifice was(and still is) required.

Unbelievable.

 

[Devin P]

The Jews, under occupation by Rome, weren't allowed to carry out their own executions. John 18:31.

Sanctioning it, even under Mosaic Law, would've gotten Jesus in trouble with the Roman authority. Saying something against the Law would've gotten him in trouble with the people.

But he wasn't inclined to see her executed. He saw through their facade and knew the real reason they were there.

Disagree with your interpretation. Jesus knowledge of the Scriptures and the Law was widely known starting from the time he was 12 (Luke 2:39-52). He wasn't challenging them to follow the Law, he was challenging them to look within and examine their own motives.

Sanctioning an execution would have been fine. They were executing people all of the time. At this point, the Romans respected the traditions and laws they observed. It wasn't until the time of the temple's destruction that they stopped respecting these things.

That is the very reason the Jews had the Romans kill Jesus. Even Paul, what was he famous for? Killing Christians left, right, and center. Killing people was more than allowed for them. They were definitely allowed to carry out everything as they needed/pleased.
He did see through their facade. But, the reason they were there was that they were trying to get Him to go against the law so they would have a reason to kill Him. That's literally what the scripture tells us.

Jesus was hyped up as someone important spiritually. A messiah, a prophet. Many rumors were going around about his identity, and so the Pharisees and Sadducees were desperately trying to get Him to go against the law so they could "debunk" this and have Him put to death according to the law. Had He sinned, His importance would have been greatly diminished in the eyes of the people, and they would again have their power back. That is why they constantly tested Him and tried to get Him to slip up according to the law. But, even with the adulterous woman, He kept strict with the law so much so that He obviously never broke it.

 

[Devin P]

I'm not trying to have this turn into a huge debate. I was pointing out something I thought was cool.

It's just a deeper explanation as to why things unfolded as they did.

My main point was that there was a specific way things were to be carried out to stone someone for adultery, and the Pharisees had not followed this process.

Jesus understood that they had not carried out the process properly and were trying to trap Him. Given that He saw right through their attempts to trick Him, I thought I would provide a contextual breakdown of the process required to stone for adultery, so others can have more of an understanding of how they were trying to trick Him.

No need to talk down to one another, get mean, or be disrespectful because we don't see eye to eye with one another.

 

[water of life]

Sanctioning an execution would have been fine.

John 18:31.
Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.

 

[Oneofhope]

John 18:31.
Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.

Except that Jewish leaders put Stephen to death later on in Acts 7. They didn't like being accused of the lack of Spiritual Circumcision.

 

[B Griffin]

Everyone knows about the story when Jesus told the woman who committed adultery, "Go and sin no more...". But why did He say that?

If you read the passage, it says the Pharisees were trying to trick Him. But how were they trying to trick Him?

Back in that time, common people had little access to scripture. Unless you were a scribe or a pharisee, you had no way of memorizing or having the ability to read scripture whenever you wanted.

Jesus said, "Go and sin no more..." not because He thought there should be no death penalty or that she should be forgiven for her sins, but because, according to scripture, she couldn't have been stoned at that moment, and especially not by Him.

See, the Pharisees weren't expecting a carpenter to have an intimate enough understanding of the scriptures to be able to discern their trap.
So, according to scripture, God's law requires a few things before someone can be stoned to death for adultery (or anything else).

1. The person or people have to commit something scripture deems worthy of the death penalty (adultery in this context).
2. There has to be 2-3+ witnesses
3. Both parties (that committed adultery) have to be brought to trial and found guilty.
4. In the case of adultery, both parties must be present when the death penalty is carried out.
5. One of the witnesses must be the first to cast a stone. That way, if they are actually lying, the blame is placed on them.

Because 2, 3, and 4 weren't yet complete, and because Jesus wasn't one of the witnesses (5), He wouldn't have been able to throw the first stone regardless, or else He would've been sinning.

When Jesus said, "He among you without sin, cast the first stone." He was saying if everything was carried out as it should be, and one of the witnesses was present, then they should be the one to throw the first stone.

If the woman deserved to be stoned according to the law, and Jesus stopped that, He would've been sinning. But, because, according to scripture, she couldn't have been stoned to death, and the Pharisees understood this, He didn't stone her.

I've seen this scripture around online a lot lately, and I figured I'd break down why He told her to "go and sin no more..". Hopefully, everyone is doing well!

Well, we know why Jesus didn't stone her, and it wasn't because of the law. It was 1) because He did not come to condemn, but to save (John 3:17) and 2) because He had power on earth to forgive sins (Mark 2:10).

 

[Oneofhope]

John 20:23 NLT - "If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

Like the woman caught in adultery, the woman whom the Lord Jesus defended and managed to find a way to prevent her from being Rightfully stoned to death. - Could this be directly related to Heb 10:18 where it states that where there is forgiveness, there is no need for sacrifice? If people would have simply forgiven each other, sacrifice would not have been required.

Hebrews 10:18 NLT - "And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices."

 

[timothyu]

go and sin no more scripture

 

[timothyu]

Jesus said He would not condemn her because no witness condemned her. But that most likely was due to the fact, not because there was no witness there (let alone the other adulterer), but that He first stipulated “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”

 

[Devin P]

Jesus said He would not condemn her because no witness condemned her. But that most likely was due to the fact, not because there was no witness there (let alone the other adulterer), but that He first stipulated “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”

By saying him among you without sin, He was saying, whoever is carrying this out properly according to the law.

Had he meant what you're saying, He would have been sinning because he'd be breaking Gods law.

There was probably no witness, and the man had to be there. There is a process that wasn't followed. He knew this and knew they were trying to trick Him.

 

[timothyu]

Had he meant what you're saying, He would have been sinning because he'd be breaking Gods law.

He who is without sin among you is exactly what it says. He was making a point that we should spend less time being judgemental of others and start putting God's will first before crabbing about the speck in others eyes.

 

[Devin P]

He who is without sin among you is exactly what it says. He was making a point that we should spend less time being judgemental of others and start putting God's will first before crabbing about the speck in others eyes.

What the text tells us is that the Pharisees tried to trick Him. How does what you're saying align with that?

If Him breaking Gods law and saying “forgive” is what happened, they would've had a reason to go after Him because He would be teaching against the law .

 

[timothyu]

Logical but He still said whoever among you is without sin.. a clear reminder that as you judge you will be judged

 

[Strong in Him]

Everyone knows about the story when Jesus told the woman who committed adultery, "Go and sin no more...". But why did He say that?

What did you expect him to say; "you've broken the 7th commandment, but I've forgiven you, so just carry on and do it again"?

 

[Devin P]

Logical but He still said whoever among you is without sin.. a clear reminder that as you judge you will be judged

Well, there is a legal process that He knew they weren't following. He always followed these steps and procedures.

That is why there are verses where Jesus cleanses someone with, say, Leoprasy, for example, but then tells them to go to the priests so they can offer the sacrifice the law requires after someone is declared clean.

Everything Jesus did was according to the law because had He ever gone against the law, that would have been a sin. So he can never go against the law, nor can He tell anyone to go against the law, or else He would be guilty of sinning or causing others to sin.

 

[Devin P]

What did you expect him to say; "you've broken the 7th commandment, but I've forgiven you, so just carry on and do it again"?

You just took the first sentence and didn't take into consideration the rest of the OP. Obviously what you're insinuating isn't what I meant, nor is it what was concluded. Pointlessly dismissive.

Besides, the position you would be taking if you agree with everyone going against me in this thread is literally that exact statement. "You've committed adultery, but I forgive you, carry on and do it again." Literally, everyone is saying that was essentially His message/point.

Obviously, no one is saying He was telling her to "carry on and do it again..." but that is the basic point of the message everyone is saying he was saying. Without taking into consideration the fact that Jesus was the law made flesh, and carried out everything He did according to the law, including this interaction, you would be assuming Jesus simply forgave her of her adultery, which isn't the case.

Even if she actually committed adultery, no one could have stoned her according to the law, because they hadn't done things the way the law required. Jesus knew this, and that was why He didn't condone stoning her. He put the ball in their court, and they (trying to trick Him) knew they were in the wrong, so no one stoned her. In a way, that is mercy to this woman, because even if she was guilty, by the law, she was protected from being stoned, and was essentially given a second chance.

 

[Strong in Him]

You just took the first sentence and didn't take into consideration the rest of the OP.

The title of your thread is;

The Real Reason Jesus Said Go & Sin No More​

I suggest the real reason he said "go and sin no more" was because he didn't want to continue with her sin.

Obviously what you're insinuating isn't what I meant, nor is it what was concluded. Pointlessly dismissive.

It's not dismissive at all. You asked "why did he say that?" - I gave you an answer.
I didn't understand the rest of your thread.

 

[timothyu]

Everything Jesus did was according to the law because had He ever gone against the law, that would have been a sin. So he can never go against the law, nor can He tell anyone to go against the law, or else He would be guilty of sinning or causing others to sin.

Yet they wanted Him dead because He committed a sin..

 

[Devin P]

Yet they wanted Him dead because He committed a sin..

That's not why they wanted Him dead. He never once committed a sin, ever. Had He sinned He wouldn't have been able to sacrifice Himself for our sins.

Book chapter verse.