but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in 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. John 8:1-6

This is a very familiar passage for most. We have the added benefit of knowing the full story, not just as it unfolds.

Of course the leaders tried to trap Him. I think it was their hobby, and they tried that for three years without once trapping him. They were arrogant enough to think they could trap the Son of God, especially after the first dozen times. They don’t realize it at this point but they were about to be set up. He would expose them for their hypocrisy.

Throughout Jesus’ ministry, we see a common thread: he has compassion on the masses, but exposes the hypocritical leaders. Those in power too often abuse it for their own personal gains. The lady caught in adultery is one example of that hypocrisy.

Pray for the leaders in your neighborhood. Graft, bribery, and corruption (different versions of power) are all too irresistible, especially when you don’t get caught the first time. Local leaders make weighty decisions that affect each of us a lot more closely than State or Federal leaders