2015년 요한복음 제8강-Then neither do I condemn you(영어,중국어 본문 포함)

[김스데반]

2015년 요한복음 제8강 중국어, 영어 성경

정죄하지 아니하노니

말씀 / 요한복음 (约翰福音, NIV) 7:53-8:20 (8:11)

[53] [다 각각 집으로 돌아가고

[53] .

[53] Then each went to his own home.

[8:1] 예수는 감람 산으로 가시니라

[8:1] 于是各人都回家去了。耶稣却往橄榄山去。

[8:1] But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

[2] 아침에 다시 성전으로 들어오시니 백성이 다 나아오는지라 앉으사 그들을 가르치시더니

[2] 清早又回到殿里。众百姓都到他那里去，他就坐下教训他们。

[2] At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts,

where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.

[3] 서기관들과 바리새인들이 음행중에 잡힌 여자를 끌고 와서 가운데 세우고

[3] 文士和法利赛人，带着一个行淫时被拿的妇人来，叫他站在当中。

[3] The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery.

They made her stand before the group

[4] 예수께 말하되 선생이여 이 여자가 간음하다가 현장에서 잡혔나이다

[4] 就对耶稣说，夫子，这妇人是正行淫之时被拿的。

[4] and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.

[5] 모세는 율법에 이러한 여자를 돌로 치라 명하였거니와 선생은 어떻게 말하겠나이까

[5] 摩西在律法上吩咐我们，把这样的妇人用石头打死。你说该把他怎麽样呢。

[5] In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?"

[6] 그들이 이렇게 말함은 고발할 조건을 얻고자 하여 예수를 시험함이러라

예수께서 몸을 굽히사 손가락으로 땅에 쓰시니

[6] 他们说这话，乃试探耶稣，要得着告他的把柄。耶稣却弯着腰用指头在地上画字。

[6] They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.

[7] 그들이 묻기를 마지 아니하는지라 이에 일어나 이르시되

너희 중에 죄 없는 자가 먼저 돌로 치라 하시고

[7] 他们还是不住的问他，耶稣直起腰来，对他们说，你们中间谁是没有罪的，谁就可以先拿石头打他。

[7] When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them,

"If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."

[8] 다시 몸을 굽혀 손가락으로 땅에 쓰시니

[8] 于是又弯着腰用指头在地上画字。

[8] Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

[9] 그들이 이 말씀을 듣고 양심에 가책을 느껴 어른으로 시작하여 젊은이까지

하나씩 하나씩 나가고 오직 예수와 그 가운데 섰는 여자만 남았더라

[9] 他们听见这话，就从老到少一个一个的都出去了。只剩下耶稣一人。还有那妇人仍然站在当中。

[9] At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first,

until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.

[10] 예수께서 일어나사 여자 외에 아무도 없는 것을 보시고 이르시되

여자여 너를 고발하던 그들이 어디 있느냐 너를 정죄한 자가 없느냐

[10] 耶稣就直起腰来，对他说，妇人，那些人在那里呢。没有人定你的罪麽。

[10] Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they?

Has no one condemned you?"

[11] 대답하되 주여 없나이다 예수께서 이르시되 나도 너를 정죄하지 아니하노니

가서 다시는 죄를 범하지 말라 하시니라]

[11] 他说，主阿，没有。耶稣说，我也不定你的罪。去吧。从此不要再犯罪了。

[11] "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared.

"Go now and leave your life of sin."

[12] 예수께서 또 말씀하여 이르시되 나는 세상의 빛이니

나를 따르는 자는 어둠에 다니지 아니하고 생명의 빛을 얻으리라

[12] 耶稣又对众人说，我是世上的光。跟从我的，就不在黑暗里走，必要得着生命的光。

[12] When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world.

Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

[13] 바리새인들이 이르되 네가 너를 위하여 증언하니 네 증언은 참되지 아니하도다

[13] 法利赛人对他说，你是为自己作见证。你的见证不真。

[13] The Pharisees challenged him, "Here you are, appearing as your own witness;

your testimony is not valid."

[14] 예수께서 대답하여 이르시되 내가 나를 위하여 증언하여도 내 증언이 참되니

나는 내가 어디서 오며 어디로 가는 것을 알거니와 너희는 내가 어디서 오며

어디로 가는 것을 알지 못하느니라

[14] 耶稣说，我虽然为自己作见证，我的见证还是真的。因我知道我是从那里来，往那里去。

你们却不知道我是从那里来，往那里去。

[14] Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid,

for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea

where I come from or where I am going.

[15] 너희는 육체를 따라 판단하나 나는 아무도 판단하지 아니하노라

[15] 你们是以外貌（原文作凭肉身）判断人。我却不判断人。

[15] You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one.

[16] 만일 내가 판단하여도 내 판단이 참되니 이는 내가 혼자 있는 것이 아니요

나를 보내신 이가 나와 함께 계심이라

[16] 就是判断人，我的判断也是真的。因为不是我独自在这里，还有差我来的父与我同在。

[16] But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone.

I stand with the Father, who sent me.

[17] 너희 율법에도 두 사람의 증언이 참되다 기록되었으니

[17] 你们的律法上也记着说，两个人的见证是真的。

[17] In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid.

[18] 내가 나를 위하여 증언하는 자가 되고 나를 보내신 아버지도 나를 위하여 증언하시느니라

[18] 我是为自己作见证，还有差我来的父，也是为我作见证。

[18] I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me."

[19] 이에 그들이 묻되 네 아버지가 어디 있느냐 예수께서 대답하시되 너희는 나를 알지 못하고

내 아버지도 알지 못하는도다 나를 알았더라면 내 아버지도 알았으리라

[19] 他们就问他说，你的父在那里。耶稣回答说，你们不认识我，也不认识我的父。

若认识我，也就认识我的父。

[19] Then they asked him, "Where is your father?" "You do not know me or my Father,"

Jesus replied. "If you knew me, you would know my Father also."

[20] 이 말씀은 성전에서 가르치실 때에 헌금함 앞에서 하셨으나 잡는 사람이 없으니

이는 그의 때가 아직 이르지 아니하였음이러라

[20] 这些话是耶稣在殿里的库房，教训人时所说的。也没有人拿他。因为他的时候还没有到。

[20] He spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place

where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his time had not yet come.

THEN NEITHER DO I CONDEMN YOU

John 7:53-8:20

Key Verse 8:11 “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

   Today’s passage shows us one very important reason why Jesus, the Son of God, came to the world. He came to be the light of the world to those living in the darkness of their sins. This means he came to show God’s unconditional forgiving and unfailing love to all kinds of sinners. To those who are suffering and burdened in their sins of self-condemnation, who feel that there is no hope and no solution to their dark lives, Jesus is the light of the world.

   In this passage, there are two kinds of people who are in the darkness because of their sins: The woman caught in the act of adultery, and the Pharisees. The woman knew that she was a sinner and was unable to free herself from her sinful life. She was living in self-condemnation, without any hope or way out of her adulterous life. The Pharisees thought they were holy and righteous. They thought they were right and everyone else was wrong. Their sins of pride and self-righteousness blinded them from seeing that they were in the darkness that they needed Jesus’ forgiving grace.

   This morning, let’s hear Jesus’ words and accept them. Let’s examine what Jesus meant when he said that he is the light of the world. May God help you to believe that Jesus was condemned for you so that you may know that your sins are forgiven. May God help you to have a new life of faith by following Jesus the light of the world.

Ⅰ. Jesus Saves a Condemned Woman (7:53-8:11)

   Let’s read 7:53-8:1, “Then each went to his own home. But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.” The people who participated in the Feast and who stayed up to the end were very tired and quite exhausted from all the celebrating and festive occasion. They probably had been on their feet for a long time and their feet hurt or were aching. They went home to bed and fell immediately to sleep. But Jesus did not go to bed after all was over, though he might have wanted to. Instead, he went to the Mount of Olives a favorite place for him to go and pray when he was in Jerusalem. There, Jesus began praying diligently and fervently for those who heard his message at the Feast that they would come to him and drink (Jn 7:37). In addition, he was praying for the salvation of the world.

   Look at verse 2, “At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people had gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.” Jesus’ prayer time with God the Father led him to go and do the will of God from the early morning. The sheep were eager and willing to hear the word of God from dawn of the new day. How thirsty they were to hear the words of life from Jesus! They were coming to Jesus to drink and eagerly expecting to be satisfied. It was like a 7AM Bible Conference morning devotional with Jesus as the main speaker. Here we see Jesus’ mission in a microcosm. He came to pray to do the will of the Father. Through prayer he could listen to the Heavenly Father. Through prayer he could prepare himself to do the great will of God to save the world. Then he went to teach the word of God and plant faith and hope in those who were willing and thirsty to hear the word of God.

   Sometimes teaching the Bible looks too slow to get any immediate results, we must believe it is the best way because this is what Jesus came to do. Only God’s word has the power to change anyone’s life because God’s word created the heavens and the earth. Also, God’s word endures forever so just as it powerfully worked through Jesus it is also working powerfully through us when we believe it and speak it like Jesus. You came this morning to hear the words of Jesus instead of sleeping in your bed. This shows, like the people who Jesus taught, that you are thirsty to hear his life giving words. I believe that you will be more satisfied when you listen to Jesus than sleeping late. What happened as Jesus was teaching the Bible to this thirsty group of people.

   Let’s read verses 3-6a, “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in the act of adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?’ They were using this question as a trap in order to have a basis for accusing him.”

   As Jesus was teaching the Bible to these thirsty people, the religious leaders came and rudely interrupted his Bible study, dragging a woman they had caught in the act of adultery. Their purpose in doing this was not to keep the Law of Moses, but to use this woman as a pawn to trap Jesus in his words. They were not the keepers of the Law as they boasted. They were hypocrites who wanted to murder the Holy Son of God. They wanted to get rid of Jesus because he didn’t fit into their plans. They were jealous of him and angry because he seemed to challenge their authority.

   Their insensitivity and murderous desires are shown further by the fact that they went in the early morning hours to find this woman caught in the act of adultery and drag her to Jesus and then use her for their own benefit. They were ready to condemn Jesus and this woman. However, they did not keep the Law. According to the Law, the man in the act of adultery was just as guilty as she was. He also should be there and be stoned because of his sins of adultery. But they didn’t bring him. They intimidated and bullied the woman considering her to be the weaker person.

   Then they made her stand before the group and they challenged Jesus with a question that seemed that whatever Jesus would say would be wrong so that they could accuse him. Look at their question again. “…Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”

   This question was a trap for two reasons. First, if Jesus said, “Stone her”, then he would be contradicting his teachings on love and compassion. This of course does not mean that Jesus was easy on those who sinned or turned his head away to those who were sinning. Jesus did rebuke sinners, calling people to repent or they would perish. In addition, because the Jews were under Roman occupation and hence under Roman law, they could not legally have anyone executed. So if he said to stone her, then it would seem as if he was challenging Roman authority. What if he said, “Don’t stone her?” If he said, “Don’t stone her” then he would be going against the Law of Moses and would be considered a law breaker by the Jews. This would be legal grounds for him to arrested.

   Now it seems that Jesus is trapped. What can he do? How can he escape this devious trap set by the Pharisees? What did Jesus do? At first, Jesus didn’t answer them, but bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. According to verse 7, they kept on questioning him and probably even harassing him to give them an answer. They thought they really had him this time. How did Jesus finally answer these hypocrites?

   Let’s read verse 7b, “…If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” With this statement, Jesus challenged their legal and moral authority. They could stone her on one condition: That they were without sin. What happened after Jesus made this statement? Let’s read verse 9, “At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman standing there.”

   Jesus’ words convicted their consciences. They came to condemn and convict a woman caught in the act of adultery. They came to trap Jesus and accuse him. They thought that they were not sinners, but everyone else was. They thought that they were righteous and everyone else was unrighteous. But now they couldn’t stand before the holy Son of God or anyone else. Their consciences had been convicted by the holy words of Jesus who spoke the truth of God. One by one they began to leave with the oldest leaving first. Why did the oldest ones leave first? It was because they knew in their hearts that they had sinned the most. Their hearts were convicted. The youngest ones left last because they thought that they did not sin as much as the others.

   The truth here is that we are all sinners before the Holy God and we have no right to condemn anyone. Before we desire to point out others sins, we need to remember that we are great sinners. Romans 3:10 says, “As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous not even one.’” Romans 3:23 also says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

   Now that everyone had left, who was there with Jesus? It was the woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. What did Jesus say to her and how did he save her from condemnation? Let’s read verses 10-11, “Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you? No one, sir, she said. Then neither do I condemn you, Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’”

   Jesus could condemn her because he is the Holy and perfect Son of God. He does not take sin lightly. He knows that sin leads to death and judgment. This is why sin should be taken seriously. Jesus did not ignore her sin. He did not say it was OK that she sinned this time. He did not say, “Well maybe you are going through a phase of life and you will get over it.” Adultery is a very serous sin. Many college students think sleeping around with others is the mature and independent thing to do. But it has serious consequences. All sin has serious consequences. What are they? Romans 6:23a says, “The wages of sin is death…”

   Sin brings condemnation and it brings God’s judgment and wrath. It brings the second death. The fiery lake of burning sulfur. Like this woman who was left standing before Jesus alone, we all must stand before the judgment seat of Christ, alone as individuals to give an accounting. When we stand before Jesus on the day of judgment, no one can condemn us, because they will all be dead. Only Jesus, the eternal Son of God can judge us and condemn us, because he is the Judge. But the great and wonderful news is that God sent Jesus in his great love, not to condemn, but to save sinners like us.

   How can Jesus save condemned sinners? Under the Law of God written in the Old Testament, if we break even one law, one time, then we are law breakers and under God’s curse. Then we must pay for our sins with our own life. So how can Jesus save us when we are condemned by God’s law and cursed by God’s law because of our sins, even one sin? It is by becoming a curse for us. It is by being condemned like a criminal on the cross for us. Galatians 3:13 says, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, as it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’”

   Jesus paid the cost for our sins with his very own life. This means our forgiveness is not free. It cost the Son of God his very own life. This is very expensive. Jesus’ life is costly because it was the life of the Son of God. Now this is the grace of God, so we should not feel condemned once we believe in Jesus. We should not look back at the past and live in regret and fatalism. We shouldn’t keep a record of our wrongs and mistakes. This is because we who are in Christ Jesus when we believe are free from God’s condemnation.

   Romans 8:1 says, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” No more condemnation, this is the good news! However, there is one condition. We must leave our lives of sin. This is what Jesus told the woman in verse 11, “Go now and leave your life of sin.” Taking God’s grace for granted in sinning. What does this mean? It means that we must actively put away our sinful habits and repent of our sinful desire and not abuse Jesus’ grace thinking we can keep on sinning and then say, “Lord, please forgive me this time.” One great German Christian Dietrich Bonhoffer said that there is no such thing as cheap grace. Grace is costly. It cost Jesus his life. This means we must give up something. This means we must give up our sinful life and bad sinful habits.

   May God help you to accept Jesus’ great love was that he was condemned for your sins, when you should have been condemned and gone to the judgment and to hell. May you come and stand with Jesus and trust his wonderful love and grace by leaving your past life of sin behind.

Ⅱ. I am the Light of the World (12-20)

   Jesus did not leave this woman saying, “Bye now, I hope your life gets better. Take care of yourself!” What he did next was to give her and anyone else who was listening, clear life direction when they leave their lives of sin. So where must we go when we accept Jesus’ grace and leave our lives of sin? We must follow him to a new life of faith. Let’s read verse 12. “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’”

   This woman whom Jesus had just forgiven had been living in darkness of her sins. She was living an adulterous life. She had been a slave to her physical desires. The more she sinned, the more dirty she felt inside. The more she sinned the farther from God she felt. She wanted to live a normal life. But she could not control her sinful nature. Her heart had convicted her of her sins, but she felt powerless to change her ways. She had no strength in herself to come out and start a new life. She felt like she was in a deep and dark pit, unable to climb out. But now she has Jesus’ word. Jesus did not condemn her. This was good news for her. Now he showed her clear life direction saying that he is the light of the world.

   If she would follow him, she would never walk in the darkness of sin anymore. She could have a new life. It could happen because Jesus is the light. He is the True light that gives light to every man (1:9). According to John’s gospel, light is a key word that describes the character of Jesus. Darkness refers to unbelief, and sin and rebellion towards God.

   Without Jesus we all either like this woman caught in adultery living a self-condemned life, or like the Pharisees who are in darkness because of their sins of self-righteous pride, denying they are sinners. As we know darkness is a scary and uncertain thing. When on walks in darkness one can only experience fear and uncertainty. Especially one does not know where they are going. I am sure this woman’s darkness was very real to her. It was because her adulterous life in the darkness of her sins gave her no meaning of life and no direction as to where her life was going. She was distraught and miserable. No man could be her light. Her physical pleasures made her more dark.

   However, Jesus is the light of the world. He invited her and all the people to follow him. He promised that when we follow him we would never walk in darkness, but have the light of life. How can Jesus be the light of the world? How can he give us the light of life?

   It is because he is God Almighty who forgives sins. He is God Almighty who gives us the meaning of life. He is God Almighty who gives us his truth as to why we are here and where we are going. When we accept his love and follow his word the meaning of life comes to our hearts. We become happy because we know God’s love.

   There is one simple gospel comic that I remember. It is with two people. On one side of the comic strip box is the yellow sun shining brightly. One person in that comic strip box is smiling from ear to ear. He is urging the person next to him whose head is turned way and who has a sad face to come into the light. Look! Come and look at the light! You don’t know what you are missing!” He resists at first, saying that he doesn’t want to out of fear. But then dares to take just a peek. When he does, his face is full of a big smile from ear to ear. Then he goes to another person who was just like him, in darkness, sitting with his face turned away from the light. The man who had received the light is telling this man, “Come and look at the light. You don’t know what you are missing!” The point is that we must come out of the darkness and not resist Jesus’ light. The light is much better than the darkness. It is so bright that it can drive out all the darkness of our hearts once and for all.

   The woman caught in the act of adultery knew she was a condemned sinner. She felt in her heart the great hopelessness and emptiness of living a sinful life. So she could accept Jesus’ invitation and grace more easily. She could come and embrace the light and live a new life, full of meaning and purpose. However, we also see in this passage another kind of sinner who had a chance from Jesus to come into the light and start a new life. They were the Pharisees. As students of the Bible, they should have realized their sin more because we know that when we study the Bible we see our sins more and more. In this way we get to know God’s unconditional love much better.

   However, the Pharisees never admitted that they were wrong or that they were sinners. In fact they strongly admitted that they were right and everyone was else was wrong. They pointed out others sins and weaknesses as much as they could. However, they were blinded in their sins and in the darkness. They rejected Jesus’ invitation many times and tried to kill him.

   What would be the result of their dark thinking and their unbelief? They came to judge Jesus in the darkness of their sins, yet even Jesus did not come to judge. Look at verse 15, “You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one.” Jesus did not give up on them when they were in unbelief. He tried and tried to help them to believe to have eternal life. Though they could not understand, he told them what would happen to him for their sakes and for our sakes. That is for their salvation and for our salvation.

   Jesus invites you to come out of the darkness. He does not want you to die in your sins. He invites you to come into the light, his light and follow him. Let’s not remain in the dark thinking of sin and self-condemnation anymore. Let’s come to Jesus who does not condemn us. Let’s come to Jesus the light of the world so that we may always walk in the light and have the meaning of life.