Were The Pharisees Doxxed by Jesus?
John 8:10-11
Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
Guilt was hardly the question. Everyone knew her sin. In modern terminology, she was doxed and some were trying to get her cancelled. Some of the Pharisees were dropping a dox on her so that they could maybe catch Jesus in a theological dilemma. This really wasn't about the sinful woman insomuch as it was about setting the record straight on the relationship between mankind and the law. We don't know her name, or her family, her job, or her beliefs. We only know she's like everyone else in that crowd, a sinful person. And in his presence her accusers were silenced.
Q: So what was this? If Christ didn't come to bring condemnation (see John 3:17), then what was this encounter about?
A: This was an illustration. Jesus in the flesh, was illustrating what God in The Holy Spirit is working out every day in everyone who is in Christ, and even those who aren't. The Holy Spirit isn't going around condemning people to get them to comply with the law. He's convincing, he's bringing about conscience thoughts that cause people to think. In the gospels it talks about how most folks are like a stubborn ox that kicks at the prod (goad) because it doesn't like the encouragement it's receiving to go in a certain direction. It kicks at the prickly prod because it's annoying and stings. It hates it. It's like biting flies. And it never quits. Probably that ox would do just about anything it could to stop the prod from stabbing at its hide legs. But, somehow that animal spirit can't catch a clue, just get up and go. Don't resist. And no more pain.
"go, and from now on sin no more."
John3:18 says,
"Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already"
You see, you already know what you are. Your spirit isn't fooled by your transpositions. Your spirit isn't fooled by your pride. You know the real you. And you know you're condemned already because what you believe isn't what The Lord believes. And so all this bold brash talk, and parading around is a distraction.
John 3:19
"And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil."
So here we are...in just a few short moments, Jesus goes from God loving the world, doesn't condemn the people, and the people respond with unbelief and arrogant love for darkness. God doesn't condemn the individual person, but he condemns the whole of his created image bearers, "for their actions were evil".
And just in case someone were to argue, "but why does he condemn his image bearers?" "Just because they sin he condemns them?"
God continues; John 3:20 "All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed."
So there it is. The truth. They already know who they really are. And they're afraid they'll be doxxed, and canceled if word gets out. Their conscience is exposing them to themselves every day. And they fear that truth getting out. Inside their mind it's safe they think. No one knows what's in their mind. But imagine if they could know.
Wow...what would life be like if we couldn't hold our thoughts private?
But here's the thing...we already live that reality. Our thoughts are not private. The Lord knows your heart and your mind. He knows what you love, what you do, what you're enslaved too, and your true intentions. In another word, you've already been and are being doxxed. Not doxxed before people, but before the righteous judge. The One who has the authority to cover your sin, or give you over to it.
So what are we going to do? What are you going to do?
Keep kicking at the prod?
Solution: Seek the things from above. Fear The Lord.
Fear? What? See that's the thing, it shouldn't have to be about fear, right? Why isn't it all about love?
It's is ALL about love.
Love the Lord with ALL your heart, mind, spirit, and strength.
If someone or something has ever “put the fear of God in you,” it likely wasn’t a positive experience.
Why wasn't it positive?
Because the goad hurts...it stings, it's annoying, and it wants us to go a certain way that we really don't want to go. But the Bible calls “the fear of the Lord” the “beginning of wisdom”—making the fear of the Lord an incredibly positive, and ultimately necessary thing. It's wisdom because it's humble, loving obedience to God because of who he is. So it means you've done the work, you've taken notice. You sacrificed yourself long enough to gain some understanding about God's glory to some extent. At least enough to compel you to move on. You've likely realized that God is God and you definitely are not. In other words you're developing a relationship with God. Therefore, fearing the Lord, in other words, is the chronological starting point for acquiring wisdom. It all begins to get clearer at that point of fear. It begins our path to wisdom and sets the conditions for the journey (there's that nasty prod again).
Think of it this way...you can't learn to read a book, or understand a music sheet, or follow signs on a highway, until you first learn the alphabet. The fear of the Lord is like that alphabet. Without the right view of God—that being our righteous Creator who loves us and treasures us so much that he'd give his life for us—we will set out on the wrong path to wisdom. It's basic wisdom, necessary if we want to get on the right path. And once we have that understanding we are then ready to travel on into understanding His grace, mercy and forgiveness. It's imperative we first learn his ways, fear of the Lord does that.
Still bristling at that word "fear"?
Fear is a God-given survival mechanism. It’s hardwired into humans for their own safety. Fear in itself can be lifesaving. In the Bible we see time after time that people who encounter a clear and present visitation from God immediately fall to the ground in fear. They cower, and cringe, and they fall on the ground begging God to spare them. Truth is, the God who says no one can see him and live is worth being afraid of. His power, holiness and righteousness contrasts our own so much that in his presence we are nearly destroyed by it. In his divine presence we are immediately hit with one sense, our sin makes us deserving of His divine judgment. Immediate doxxing. The fear of the Lord helps us to put our faith in His forgiving grace and begins teaching us about his wisdom which removes the threat of divine judgment.
The early church lived “in the fear of the Lord” (Acts 9:31)
The apostle Peter said God accepts anyone who fears him (Acts 10:35)
And Jesus himself instructed his disciples to fear God (Luke 12:5)
He is God. We are not. We obey him, we love him. We fear, we respect, we revere. And love casts out fear. It casts out the negative light but reveals the positive light. Yes fear can be positive and a light that guides us through that darkness we read about earlier.
Go now, and fear not.
Malachi 4:2
“But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture."