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Among Snares
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this Man!” But they had stifled the Holy Spirit’s conviction. Now,
enraged, they cried, “Are you also deceived? Have any of the rulers
or the Pharisees believed in Him? But this crowd that does not know
the law is accursed.”
Those who hear the message of truth seldom ask, “Is it true?” but
instead ask, “Who supports it?” Many people judge it by the numbers
who accept it, and the question arises, “Have any of the educated
men or religious leaders believed?” It is no argument against the
truth that large numbers are not ready to accept it, or that it is not
received by the world’s great men or even by the religious leaders.
Again some of the rulers argued that if Jesus were left free,
He would draw the people away from the established leaders, and
the only safe course was to silence Him immediately. In the full
tide of their discussion, they were suddenly stopped. Nicodemus
questioned, “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and
knows what he is doing?” Silence fell on the assembly. They could
not condemn a man unheard. But the haughty rulers were startled
and distressed that one of their own members had been so impressed
by Jesus that he would now speak a word in His defense. “Surely
you are not also from Galilee, are you? Search and you will see that
no prophet is to arise from Galilee.” NRSV.
Yet because of the protest, the rulers were defeated for the time,
and “everyone went to his own house.”
Jesus Deals With a Case of Adultery
Jesus turned from the confusion of the city, from eager crowds
and treacherous rabbis, to the quiet of the olive groves where He
could be alone with God. But in the early morning, He returned to
the temple, and the people gathered around Him.
Soon He was interrupted. A group of Pharisees and scribes
approached, dragging a terror-stricken woman. With hard, eager
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voices they accused her of violating the seventh commandment.
They pushed her into the presence of Jesus and said, “Moses, in the
law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You
say?”
They had grasped this opportunity to trap and condemn Him,
thinking that whatever decision He might make, they would use it to