June 2: Weekly Reading- Jesus and the Woman Accused of Adultery; The Accused & Insight Post by Kim Feld

  -   June 2, 2025

Faith in God’s Provision: Trusting God to meet our needs in uncertain times strengthens our faith.

Monday Verse

But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NLT)

Monday Questions

In what areas of my life can I trust God more to provide for my needs, especially in times of uncertainty? How can I deepen my faith in God’s provision, knowing that those who trust in the Lord are like trees planted by the water, never withering, always producing fruit?

Monday Insight Post
by Kim Feld

The encounter we are focusing on this week appears to be a setup meant to entrap Jesus. Here’s my basis for this thought: First, how did the teachers of the law and Pharisees know about this private act? How was the woman “caught?” And furthermore, where was the man she was with? According to Levitical law, both should be put to death:

“If a man commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, both the man and the woman who have committed adultery must be put to death.” Leviticus 20:10 (NLT)

This trap presented what the leaders thought was a no-win situation for Jesus. If He let the woman go, He violated the law of Moses as recorded in Leviticus. If He upheld the law, the compassion and grace He was known for would be questioned. Additionally, if He agreed to the stoning, He could be viewed as overstepping the rule of Rome, which had the final say on any executions. I imagine the leaders were pretty proud of themselves for developing such a strategic plan. Still, they vastly underestimated the wisdom of Jesus.

This is another instance that leaves me with so many questions. What was Jesus writing in the dirt with His finger? A great deal of speculation has gone into this question, with possible answers, including a list of sins of the men present. But at the end of the day, it’s all speculation. We don’t know what He was writing. Still, I love the visual of Him taking the focus off the woman as the men undoubtedly watched Him closely to see what He was doing. His act was a profound display of compassion and kindness, a moment of grace amid judgment.

Our reflection questions for today ask us to consider areas of uncertainty where we need to trust God to provide. This is an enormous question in light of the uncertainty many live with today. The word that keeps popping into my mind as I try to process things I am dealing with is “vulnerable.” Many things feel very vulnerable to me right now, which certainly points to uncertainty. I imagine if we spoke to the woman in this encounter, she would tell us about her uncertainty and vulnerability. Did she believe she would suffer the painful death of stoning? I can’t imagine the humiliation and fear she must have felt! Yet, Jesus’ provision was unexpected, and she was set free. This encounter leads me to ask myself, “Am I looking for Jesus’ unexpected provision?”

We don’t have any further information about this woman after this encounter with Jesus. His parting words to her were that He didn’t condemn her and to go and sin no more. I hope this encounter was a watershed moment for her, and her life changed. God has the ability to take any negative and make it into a positive. He brings beauty from ashes (see Isaiah 61:3) and makes all things new (see Revelation 21:5). Here’s a promise to meditate on today if you are faced with uncertainty:

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Romans 8:28 (NLT)

Kim Feld
Executive Director of Education and Outreach

New Hope Church
Lorton, Virginia
www.newhope.org