Anat

Well, there are laws that the Jews considered deliberately absurd, so it's no wonder. It was a Jewish reading that the law of the Rebellious Son was never followed. The rabbis did it by deliberately interpreting the law in such a specific way that it was extremely unlikely any case would ever fulfill all the stipulates.

Solo

And then again it could have just as easily not have been taken from there. This saying is not about the similarity between prayer and meditation but about the character that favours ostentatious public display of religiousity.

Jiri

storytime

It seems to be set as an example in teaching how to judge and not judge others. "He who is without sin cast the first stone". All were guilty of the same offense and so could not convict her. She was then freed due to no witnesses who could testify against her and she was told to go and sin no more. So, when Christians acccuse someone of adultery or whatever else, they should not be guilty of practicing the same offense. Commentaries such as this are added to the bible stories to keep them relevant to the times. I can imagine the writers such as Eusebius doing the same thing. Inerrancy would probably play into this never-ending updating of old stories.

Sheshbazzar

I have found this principal, along with several similar related verses and injunctions to be invaluable in the 'weighing' of, and in the comprehending or interpreting of the underlying 'hidden' intents behind the composition of many otherwise seemingly outlandish, obscure, or otherwise incomprehensible Biblical tales.
Those somewhat familiar with me may recall that during my seven years of participation within these forums, and although a regular participant with over twenty-two hundred posts, I have initiated only ONE single thread (back in two-thousand five) And that dealing with the subject of Mathematics, Measure, and Geometry in general, and 'Biblical mathematics' in particular.
Recently a thread titled 'Sheshbazzar's Flood Mathematics' was opened in my name and forced upon me under protest on my part, it was closed and locked before I could reply to the many questions being asked.

I said it then, and I'm taking this opportunity to plainly state it again, that the 'Flood Story' and many other Biblical stories and situations were not created as factual historical presentations, but principally to serve as containers, as a 'framework' or medium to preserve certain inviolable mathematical/geometrical measurements, ratio and proportion principals and information.
And further, that this 'hidden in plain sight' form of mathematical/geometrical information incorporation is employed throughout the entire Bible, from Genesis, the Prophets, is the the basis of the NTs Passion story, is incorporated into the Pauline Epistles, and the Book of Revelation.

Yes, I am stating that there was/is an underlying mathematical/geometrical theme and agenda that was consistently understood and employed by the dozens of Biblical writers that engaged in the composition of Bible's 'stories' over a time period spanning many generations.

I have spent over thirty years working with these verses, their given data points and digits.
I am not a 'Christian' and I am not 'Jewish', and hold no sympathies for either.
I do not 'believe the Bible', yet my knowledge of these things would not, and could not, exist without that information that is contained within the Bible.
My only 'religion' is the pursuit of, and the dissemination of truth, looking to the welfare of my fellow man.
In these matters, I know for fact, that men have long forgotten, have misunderstood, and yet misunderstand, far more than what they know.