The Coldplay Kiss Cam and the Scandalous Grace of Jesus Christ
or, Jesus didn't hang Judas
Quick! Who’s the biggest villain in the Bible—not counting Satan?
Before you answer, we go live to Jerusalem.
John, are you there?
“Yes, Gene! I am here on the scene, and it is chaotic, lots of arguing, pushing, shoving, shouting, and then…silence.”
John, can you tell us what has happened?
“Yes, you know the story that has gone viral. The prominent businessman was caught red-handed in the act of adultery with an unnamed woman. It’s all over the Internet. People have been rushing to condemn and, of course, make Memes, which is the most important thing anyone can do right now, according to some.”
Has the man been identified, John?
“No. Just the woman. As usual.”
So, what is happening now?
“The Moral Authority of Jerusalem has stated they have seen enough. They have seized the woman to bring her to the Temple Courts, where it is reported Jesus has been teaching a fast-growing, pop-up crowd. I am on the scene now.”
John, can you…
“Hold that thought, Gene! They are here now, dressed in their elegant robes of purple and gold, and they are dragging this infamous woman along. The crowd is cheering and jeering. Phones are out everywhere. There is bound to be footage all over the Internet in the next few minutes. It is chaos.”
Now, John…
“Hold on! The Chief Pharisee is addressing Jesus. They have pushed their way to where he is teaching and seem ready for a confrontation. Yes! They are filling him in on the unquestionable guilt of the woman whose sinful act is now splashed all over the news and Social Media.”
What is happening, John?
“They have invoked the Law of Moses, which condemns such sin to death by stones. They are demanding Jesus as a Jewish Prophet and Teacher condemn her! You can hear a pin drop here. The crowd is stunned silent.”
What is Jesus doing, John?
“He is pointing to the woman, mocking her, shaming her, condemning her, telling her she must die for her sin. He’s…taking out his phone and posting…let me see what he posted. It’s a funny Meme! And he is encouraging others to post all the funny ones they can think of.”
Imagine if John 8:1–11 played out that way.
It did not. Praise God from whom all blessings of mercy and grace flow, it did not!
But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
Early in the morning He went back into the temple courts. All the people came to Him, and He sat down to teach them. The scribes and Pharisees, however, brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before them and said, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. So what do You say?” They said this to test Him, in order to have a basis for accusing Him. But Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with His finger.
When they continued to question Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.” And again He bent down and wrote on the ground.When they heard this, they began to go away one by one, beginning with the older ones, until only Jesus was left, with the woman standing there. Then Jesus straightened upc and asked her, “Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, Lord,” she answered.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Now go and sin no more.”
Just Plain Cold
I have seen enough of Christians making light of the Coldplay Kiss Cam couple. I have seen enough of their spewing righteous indignation, which is neither righteous nor indignation, but is typical human condemnation of every sinner but oneself.
What would Jesus do?
Would he say, “Memes! Give me more Memes!”
Would he tell every couple that if one betrays the other, there is no coming back from that, there is no path to reconciliation, there is no forgiveness?
People claim to know and love Jesus and laugh to scorn those caught red-handed in humiliating sin. Sometimes I wonder if we know Jesus from Jack in the Box, or Grace from a grenade.
It was scandalous what Jesus did. It was against every religious requirement. To extend grace and mercy to such a wretched and vile homewrecker as that. Horrible!
It was also typical.
I have seen so many say, “You cannot betray someone you love.”
St Peter the Vile
Tell Peter that. At the most crucial moment, when the chips were down, when the object of his love was going through the worst thing He had ever gone through, Peter was keeping his distance, blending in with the mob, cussing like the sailor he was, and denying he even knew that cat Jesus.
And did Jesus say, “That’s it! Deny me once, shame on you. Deny me twice, shame on me. Deny me three times, go to Hell!”
Nope.
John, Reporting from the Scene of the Confrontation between the Betrayer & the Betrayed
John? Do you know what happened on that post-Resurrection night when Jesus confronted Peter about his betrayal?
“Yes. I was there. I know.”
Tell us, John.
When they had finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.”
Jesus replied, “Feed My lambs.”
Jesus asked a second time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.”
Jesus told him, “Shepherd My sheep.”
Jesus asked a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?”
Peter was deeply hurt that Jesus had asked him a third time, “Do you love Me?”
“Lord, You know all things,” he replied. “You know I love You.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.
Infamous Villain, meet Radical Grace
Back to my original question.
Who is the worst human villain in the Bible?
Is it not hands down Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus for a bag of money?
Is he not one of the terrible villains in history?
But get this: Jesus did not hang Judas. He didn’t even condemn him to be hanged. Judas, overwrought with guilt and shame, hanged himself.
What if he hadn’t? What if he had done like one of the thieves crucified with Jesus? What if he had run to the foot of the Cross, the one his bloody hands nailed Jesus to, and begged forgiveness?
What if Iscariot sought redemption? What if he had waited around and attended that same dinner after the Resurrection, the one where Peter regained his footing and self-worth?
“Let’s Leave Jesus in the Church Where He Belongs.” —Jimmy “Jangles”, Businessman
I see Christians walking around LinkedIn every day, taking the hush money, letting the world tell them to keep quiet about Jesus because it is bad for business. Keep Jesus in the church where he belongs. (By the way, follow Jesus through the gospels and see how much time he spent in church and how much among the people who were doing the business of life.)
Little Judases are everywhere, trading Jesus for silver or status.
Guess what? Jesus loves you, too.
Jesus is radical like that. He is not satisfied to save the ones you think are worth saving and condemn those you revile.
You don’t get to tell Jesus who to love.
I think if He were at that Coldplay concert, He would fight through the Memes, the scorn, and the pious condemnations to embrace that couple caught in the web of their own sin and offer forgiveness and life.
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them
Hebrews 7:25
The only ones scandalized by that kind of grace are the ones who think they don’t need it.