Lynne Baab

Jesus extends forgiveness, parts 3 and 4

Lynne Baab • Tuesday March 3 2026

Overall theme for the next few months: God’s law is love

Lesson 4: Jesus extends forgiveness, parts 3 and 4 (John 8:1-11; you can find parts 1 and 2 here) 

Key verse: Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.” John 8:11b

3. The heart of the Gospel

The two earliest manuscripts of the Gospel of John, which date from the second and early third centuries after Christ, do not include the story of the woman caught in adultery. The story appears in later manuscripts, and scholars believe it may have been added as early as the third century. The story has been popular throughout Christian history because it seems to summarize the heart of the Gospel message. Jesus speaks respectfully to a woman. He responds to the Jewish leaders’ sledgehammer tactics with creativity and boldness. He extends grace, and he calls the woman to a holy life. All of these are hallmarks of Jesus’s ministry. The story is consistent with Jesus’s teaching and actions in the four gospels, and it is viewed as authentic by many scholars because of that consistency.

In numerous instances, Jesus interacts with people viewed as sinful. He calls Matthew, a tax collector, to be a disciple (Matthew 10:1-4). In his discussion with Levi, another tax collector, Jesus says, “I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). Jesus praises the humble prayer of a tax collector (Luke 18:9-14), and he eats dinner with Zaccheus, yet another tax collector, whose faithful response in the form of restitution is presented as a model (Luke 19:1-10). A woman called “a sinner” anoints Jesus with oil, and Jesus receives her tribute with praise (Luke 7:36-50), and the longest conversation with an individual in the gospels takes place in John 4, with the woman of Samaria.  This is Jesus, the one we worship. His interaction with the woman caught in adultery fits the pattern of his ministry and reveals his grace so clearly — grace that empowers us to live following the model of Jesus.

Jesus forgives the woman before calling her to a different pattern of life. The New Testament repeatedly emphasizes the freedom we have in Christ from sin, death, and evil. That freedom makes it possible for us to love and serve and follow Jesus. His words, to the woman and to us — “neither do I condemn you” — frees us to open our hearts and minds to hear God’s word and obey what we hear. The Jewish leaders see the woman as a tool that they can use to trap Jesus into saying something worthy of being put to death. Jesus sees the woman as a human being with huge potential to be a loving, devoted disciple who can fulfil the design God placed in her at creation. Jesus’s words set her free to do that.

List four or five of Jesus’s highest priorities. How do you see those priorities in his interaction with the woman of John 8?

3. Stepping into the World

If a prayer of confession is offered in our worship services, it is usually followed by an assurance of pardon. The Bible supports the common pattern of confession then assurance: “If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Elsewhere in the Bible, forgiveness appears to be offered unconditionally, whether or not sins are confessed first. Psalm 103:3 is one of many places where God is described as the one who forgives our sins, and no condition for that forgiveness is mentioned. Imagine how it might feel to you if you heard words that assured you of God’s forgiveness before you confessed your sins. Perhaps you might confess your sins in a different way or with a different attitude.

The Christian life is like a piece of music with a two-beat rhythm. The opening chord — the first beat — comes from God, who created us, loves us, and came to earth for us in Jesus. The second beat is our response to God’s love. That response can take countless forms, including confession of sin and many different acts of obedience and love. God responds to our response with more love and grace, and then we respond again. The two-beat rhythm continues. The music plays on.

Yes, if we confess our sins, God faithfully forgives us. However, the origin of our ability to approach God in confession lies in God’s initiating love for us. As soon as we start believing that we have initiated love toward God, then we can slide into being judgmental of ourselves and others. The popularity of the story of the woman of John 8 comes at least in part from the powerful reminder of Jesus’s extension of love based on no action of hers. At the same time, Jesus calls her to obedience, and we resonate with the high calling he extends to her. Deep inside, we too long to be our best selves.

If God’s love and grace are the first beat of the two-beat rhythm of life, then our challenge in daily life is to pay attention. We can also look for the places, practices, and relationships that help us soak up that love. Options include worshipping with others, getting out in nature, pondering passages in the Bible, praying alone or in groups, singing hymns and praise songs, reading Christian books, using prayer and devotional apps, keeping a Sabbath, and many more. All of those can help us find that opening beat, God’s extravagant love, so we can respond in the best way possible, showing love as Jesus loved.

What helps you pay attention to God’s love for you?

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Next week: Keeping the law inwardly, parts 1 and 2. Illustration by Dave Baab: the Waters of Leith, Dunedin, New Zealand

The most popular articles for magazines I’ve written:

• The compassion and empathy of Jesus
• Fasting: an invitation to spiritual freedom
• Faith at midlife

This lesson appeared in the Fall 2023 edition of The Present Word adult Bible study curriculum published by the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation. Used with permission.

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Lynne M. Baab, Ph.D., is an author and adjunct professor. She has written numerous books, Bible study guides, and articles for magazines and journals. Lynne is passionate about prayer and other ways to draw near to God, and her writing conveys encouragement for readers to be their authentic selves before God. She encourages experimentation and lightness in Christian spiritual practices. Read more »

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