The adultress and the stone - not a contradiction?

Question

A few days ago, the question of bible contradictions came up, once again, in a very general sense; as it turns out, faithfuls didn't actually see any.

So here's two details that strike me as odd (quoted from King James):
Leviticus 20,10: "And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbor's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death." (note it is the Lord speaking to Moses)

John 8,7: "So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." (Jesus pressed to condemn an adultress)

In the latter, the adultress will surely not be put to death, for no man is without sin; Jesus teaches giving her another chance in what appears to be a direct contradiction of the Lord's words toward Moses.

Please explain this apparent contradiction away logically if you can.

Okay... looking at the Chrsitian answers so far:

The Lord says "the adulteress shall surely be put to death", adulteresses get put to death for centuries, then suddenly - when they're no longer foolish children at that! - his chosen people are no longer worthy of carrying out his law because they're suddenly all full of sin that is taken away by the guy making the second statement dying a few years later thus fulfilling the law that has become moot. And thus, there is no contradiction.

Did I understand that explanation correctly?

As for the other interpretation:
So, basically, Jesus proves a point by breaking god's law. And forgives. And it's okay for him to do that, because he is an aspect of the god that said the adultress will be surely put to death. Because that god can surely change his mind on whether his absolute law is absolute.

That seems reasonable enough, only most Christians seem to have a problem with the interpretation that this god changed his mind. How come that, then?

Answer 1

For verses to contradict there would be no possible alternative to answer the contradiction other than the contradiction itself.

In this case, there are several possible answers.

First, the man caught with the prostitute was another Pharisee.

The leaders seem to have forgotten that the Law called for the same penalty for the male partner in the adulterous relationship, but interestingly the Pharisees bring only the woman and not the man.

Jesus invited the Pharisees to carry out the law, but in order for them to do so, they had to be without sin and guilt.

What sin and guilt? I have heard that it can be argued that the words “he that is without sin” could also be translated “he that is without THIS sin”.

Therefore, the Pharisees knew where to get the prostitute because all of them “did” the same prostitute.

That is why all of them dropped their rocks and slithered off.

Anyone of them could qualify for the male’s part in this skit, the part of the guy getting stoned.

Second, was Jesus the proper legal judge, court, or official to whom the Jews should bring offenders? No. The Sanhedrin, or Jewish high council, were the proper ones.

Answer 2

Jesus tells us he did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it.

In fulfilling it, the law no longer required that it be fulfilled in the original ways. Now it is fulfilled in the sacrifice of Christ. He was teaching them that instead of stoning her, that she could find forgiveness through Christ's sacrifice.

Sin requires a consequence and justice. This is a fact not an opinion. Just like if you touch a burning stove, you'll get burned...it's a fact. The reason there were so many laws in the Old Testament is that sins required an action in order to be purged. This was not a requirement of God but a requirement of sin.

Through Christ's sacrifice our sins are and can be forgiven. We are no longer held to the letter of the law because Christ already fulfilled the requirements of that law on the cross But that justification can only come through Christ.

Jesus was showing the way. Even though he had not yet died on the cross, he was leading us towards that understanding, throughout his ministry.

Answer 3

The John 8 account of the Samaratan women is not in the oldest manuscripts. The Sinaitic Manuscript or the Vatican Manuscript No. 1209.

Some Bibles show John 7:53 through 8:11 along with a footnote stating that.

They do appear in the sixth-century Codex Bezae and later Greek manuscripts.
They are omitted, however, by most of the early versions.

It is evident that they are not part of John’s Gospel

Answer 4

In Leviticus Jesus is setting down a general law for all to follow. In John Jesus is trying to prove a point to the people that there is no one person without sin. GOD BLESS!!

Answer 5

Some do, sure. Most international locations most effective flog guys and females for adultry although if they're single. Under Sharia, most effective MARRIED adulterers are meant to be stoned to dying, despite the fact that a few international locations like Somalia have an excessively harsh variant of Sharia in which they'll stone to dying all adulteresses, despite the fact that they're single, and despite the fact that they have been raped...then they'll sentence rapists to only a flogging.

Answer 6

Jesus came to this earth as a fulfillment of the law. He came so that others could live life more fully. The people that tried to trap Jesus were legalists. The law of God is love. God is love. Jesus is that love in human form. They lost that in trying to "follow the rules." They were no longer serving God or keeping His law out of love. Jesus saved that adultress from being put to death because of His love for each of us. Imagine yourself as that adultress about to be put to death. Then Jesus steps in and stops it. He tells you to look around for your accusers. There are none. Her story is symbolic of what He came here to do and that was to break us free from the chains and bondage of legalism and teach us about love. I'm sorry you choose to see that as a contradiction of God's law, when it is a more clear explanation of it.

One more thing, you should read the entire story of Moses, the children of Israel were like children in a very real sense. They couldn't care for themselves. They were much like sheep. Those laws were put in place for them while they were wandering in the wilderness because they couldn't care for themselves or make wise judgments. They scrutinized everything and insisted that Moses literally lead them every step of the way. They looked to him instead of God. And so God had Moses put those laws in place. There are other things involved in that process as well as other ceremonial laws, etc. but there isn't enough space to discuss it all.

Answer 7

Jesus was about forgiving sins, that's why He came. He came to lift people from sin and death and give them a new life as he did with the Adulterous Woman. Jesus does tell her to "sin no more" after the incident. There is no contradiction.

Answer 8

No, he merely said that no one on earth was worthy to perform those judgments. The physical Israel founded by God was taken into Babylon for their sins, and the true Israel revealed by Jesus. The fact is God is the only righteous judge worthy to condemn, and even he has shown his mercy towards us by the gift of his only begotten Son.

Answer 9

None to explain Christ simply said,,He that is WITHOUT sin let him cast the first stone,,,,,and when he looked up from writing in the dirt,,,the accusers were GONE,,,YOU just never considered God's gift of GRACE, and He said "neither do I condenm you" so then the contradiction is YOURS, So whatcha gon'do 'bout him healing on the SABBATH then??? See you said APPARENT,,, I say it is NOT!!

Answer 10

there is no explanation: the bible is full of contradictions like this one. what believers usually tell me when i point out these contradictions is: don't interpret the bible literally. so in this case the idea that the bible wants to pass is that adultery is very wrong (making adulterers deserving of the punishment of death), but when people make mistakes, you should try to forgive them, because everyone makes mistakes.