One of These Things (Is Not Like the Others)

Father, where can I go, and You are not there? When I read David’s word in Psalm 139, I am reminded that there is nowhere I can go that I can escape from Your presence! All praise to You, God Almighty!

John 7:53-8:11 (<<click here to read the passage)

Believe it or not, I enjoyed watching Sesame Street as a kid! I was in the 1^st grade when it first aired in November of 1969. I read on Wikipedia that in 2018, it was estimated that 86 million Americans had watched the series as children. They have done an amazing job of educating children for over 50 years now.

Do you remember the One of These Things (Is Not Like the Others) song? Four things would be before you and as the song goes, “One of these things just doesn’t belong”. Of course, it was always something very obvious, but it succeeded in getting young minds to think.

Today’s text is one some might say just doesn’t belong. In the New Living Translation, it says,

[The most ancient Greek manuscripts do not include John 7:53–8:11.]

I believe that the Bible is God’s holy word, so it has always bugged me to read that. But I must share what the Amplified Bible has as their note on this passage.

Most late mss [manuscripts] include the story of the adulterous woman, numbering it as 7:53-8:11, though some mss place it elsewhere in the text. The story is considered authentic as part of the oral tradition of the early church, and perhaps for that reason it was inserted in John’s Gospel.

It may not have been a part of John’s original narrative, but I believe that God wanted it there and there it is!

Another aspect of this story that just doesn’t belong is the adulterous woman. She didn’t belong in the bed of a man who was not her husband.

(Many think that Jesus was set up to be trapped in His words – unsuccessfully I might add! – but the woman was probably set up, too! She alone was brought before Jesus for condemnation – where was the man? Leviticus 20:10 clearly says, “If a man commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, both the man and the woman who have committed adultery must be put to death. _NLT)

But she was definitely one of those things that just didn’t belong.

Truth be told, I love this story! With all my heart I believe that as the Apostle Paul said in 1 Timothy 1:15,

This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…” _NLT

Jesus did not come for the righteous…for in truth all who claim righteousness on their own are liars. There is no righteousness save but through Him!

Paul is very clear in verse 15. Here’s the whole thing,

This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. _NLT [Emphasis mine]

Those slimy teachers of religious law and Pharisees thought they were so high and mighty. They were the self-proclaimed epitome of righteousness. But as Jesus said in numerous places, they were the prime examples of hypocrisy! They were liars just like their father the devil! See John 8:44.

In truth, the teachers of religious law and Pharisees were the ones who just didn’t belong! They were the ones outside God’s truth and Law…not the woman caught in adultery!

Lord Jesus, help us to closely examine our state of righteousness. May we realize that we, because of our own sinful state before coming into relationship with You, would never be able to throw the first stone. Forgive us for our insolence. Amen.

June 21^st, 2021, Mon, 9:31 pm