THE K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
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CONSCIENCE, vs. 7-9, “Being convicted by th eir own conscience.” They continued to question Him and He lifted His head and said unto them, “He th a t is w ithout sin among you, let him first cast a stone a t h er,” and then stooped down and again wrote on the ground. He tu rn s the tables upon them. He catches them in place of being caught, (Prov. 26:4, 5 ),' “A n s w e r n o t a fo o l a c c o r d in g t o h fo lly , l e s t th o u h e a ls o li k e u n to h im . A n s w e r a fo o l a c c o r d in g t o h is fo lly , l h e h e w is e i n h is, o w n c o n c e it.” A pall fell upon the persecutors. Their own sins began to rise before them and one by one, perhaps led by some gray haired, sanctimonious, hypocritical sin ner, they filed out from the presence of Christ and th e congregation. How often do the providences of God tu rn upon us and bring to light our secret sins (1 John 3 :2 0 ), “ F o r i f o u r h e a r t c o n d e m n u s , G o d g r e a t e r t h a n o u r h e a r t , a n d k n o w e th t h i n g s .” W hat burning words confront us in th e Word of God and either bring us in hum iliation to H is feet, or 'else drive us fo rth from Him (Rom. 2:15, 22), “W h ic h s h e w t h e w o r k o f th e la w r i t t e n in t h e i r h e a r t s , t h e i r c o n s c ie n a ls o b e a r i n g w itn e s s , a n d t h e i r th o u g th e m e a n w h ile a c c u s in g o r e ls e e x c u s i o n e a n o th e r . T h o u t h a t s a y e s t a m a n s h o u ld n c o m m it a d u lte r y , d o s t th o u c o m m it a d te r y ? T h o u t h a t a b h o r r e s t id o ls , dos t» t h c o m m it s a c r ile g e ? ” Be sure your sin will find you out; not necessarily th a t your sin will be found out, but th a t it will find you out. Follow these men and listen and hear what they say to each other. Or perhaps they do not say anything bu t rath e r slink away w ith shamed faces. P e r haps it was a repetition of the experience of Joseph’s brothers (Gen. 42:21, 22). Surely conscience doth make cowards of us all. H ere is ano th er proof of the Deity of Je su s.' His conscious holiness drives men from His presence, or else draws them to His cross. He stood sinless in th e m idst of sin.
girls who feast upon these accounts of sordid and saddening sins. These Scribes and Pharisees were the religious ru lers of the Jews. Notice: Their P itiless Persecution. There is no evidence of pity for the woman. There is no offer of help for her. There is no suggestion of a kind word. There is no effort to win h er back to a decent life. Why did they not bring th e guilty man? They drag her into the presence of th e people to whom Jesus is speak ing, w ith no opportunity for h er to escape th e ir eyes or ears as the story is told out. They cared nothing for her shame and suffering, nor how soon or how far they drove her on her jo u r ney to hell. It is a picture of the tre a t m ent of sinners by sinners. They were tem pting Christ th a t they m ight have to accuse Him. They had been trying th is from th e beginning of His m inistry, (Matt. 15:12-14). H ear what Paul says (1 Cor. 1 0 :9 ), “ P te ith e r l e t u s t e m p t C h risty a s s o m e o f th e m a ls o te m p te d , a n d w e r e d e s tr o y e d o f t h e d e s tr o y e r .” Now look again a t th e picture. Jesus makes no reply but stoops down and w ith His finger w rites on the ground, as though He did not h ear th eir charges against the woman (Psa. 38:12-14). “ T h e y a ls o t h a t s e e k a f t e r m y li f e l a ^ s n a r e s f o r m e ; a n d th e y t h a t s e e k m y h u r t s p e a k m is c h ie v o u s t h i n g s , a n d im a g in e d e c e its a l l t h e d a y lo n g . B u t I , a s a d e a f m a n , h e a r d n o t ; a n d I w a s a s a d u m b m a n t h a t o p e n e th n o t h is m o u th . T h u s I w a s a s a m a n t h a t h e a r e t h n o t, a n d i n w h o s e m o u th a r e n o r e p r o o f s .” Foolish men! It had been well for them had they spent more time in study ing God’s Word and les§ in effort to defeat God’s purposes. Had they read the Proverbs they would have found this (Prov. 2 6 :17 ), “ H e t h a t p a s s e th b y , a n d m e d d le th w ith s t r i f e b e lo n g in g n o t t o h im , is li k e o n e t h a t t a k e t h a d o g b y t h e e a r s .” This would be a good message of warning for some of the men who are seeking to rob our Lord of His glory. (2) THE CONDEMNATION OF
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