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AN ADULTEROUS WOMAN SET FREE

John chapter 8, v. 1 to 11

This incident took place at daybreak after the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles.

The Lord returned to the temple, and the whole crowd came to Him and He taught them, taking His seat, as was customary for a teacher in the temple.

The scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman seized in adultery. It was unlawful for them to do so, because:

• they had a court for the trial of such a case, and

• the law required that both parties to adultery be stoned (Deuteronomy 22:23).

They placed her in the midst, where all could see her and what He did with such a case, for they knew His proneness to forgive sinners. They declared that she had been caught in the very act of adultery, and quoted the law of Moses, where stoning was specified for the case of a betrothed woman guilty of adultery (Deuteronomy 22:23-24), and for a priest's daughter if found guilty (she must have been either of these, as in other cases just death was commanded [Leviticus 20: 10; Deuteronomy 22:22], and the Talmud prescribes strangulation).

"But what do You say?" they asked, laying a trap for Him: if He said the woman should not be stoned, they would accuse him of violating Moses' law, and of being indulgent with immorality. If he urged them to execute her, they would censure him as inconsistent with Himself (he having received publicans and sinners) and with the character of the Messiah, who should be meek, and have salvation, and proclaim a year of release; they might also report him to the Romans, who did not permit the Jews to carry out their own executions (John 18.31). This laying of traps for the Lord Jesus was a common practice of his enemies (Luke 11:16, etc.).

He bowed His head, and wrote on the ground ( it was probably covered with dust or sand) with His fingers, as if He had not heard them. This is the only mention of writing by Jesus and it is uncertain, from the Greek verb used, whether he was writing words or drawing pictures or making signs. More books have been written about this One who wrote nothing that is preserved, than any other person or subject in human history. There is a tradition that He was writing down the names and sins of these accusers but that is not likely. They were written on their hearts. The Lord alone on this occasion showed embarrassment over this woman's sin.

They continued asking, because He seemed embarrassed, but they did not suspect that it might be as much by reason of their own hardness as at the shame of the deed. He then rose up, and declared the now famous phrase: "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first". The literal meaning of he who is without sin is either one who has not sinned as here (and Deuteronomy 29:19) or one who cannot sin; first means first before others, be the first to cast, not cast before he does something else. Jesus thus specifies who is to be the first executioner.

This is a significant statement about judging others. Because the Lord upheld the legal penalty for adultery, stoning, he could not be accused of being against the law. But by saying that only a sinless person could throw the first stone, he highlighted the importance of compassion and forgiveness. When others are caught in sin, are we quick to pass judgement? To do so is to act as though we have never sinned. It is God's role to judge, not ours. Our role is to show forgiveness and compassion.

Upon having thus been summoned to judge themselves rather than the woman, the leaders slipped quietly away, from the oldest to the youngest, after He had stooped down again and returned to writing on the ground. Evidently the older men were more aware of their sins, and probably had more sins of this sort that they recalled, than the younger; also youthful self-righteousness is often tempered by age and experience. But whatever our age, we should take an honest look at our life, recognise our sinful nature, and look for ways to help others rather than hurt them.

The Lord Jesus had kept on writing on the ground as the accusers slipped away one by one, and was eventually left alone by the scribes and Pharisees, as was also the woman standing in the midst, where they had placed her before they were conscience stricken and left.

He then rose up again and, for the first time, addressed the woman asking "Where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?" She replied "No one, Lord" (or Sir) - did she recognise Jesus as Lord? She made no excuse for her sin.

The Lord said He did not condemn her either (for He had not come into the world for judgement as in verse 15) and told her not to sin any more. He did not ignore or condone her sin, but he did give the poor woman another chance, as He did to the paralytic man (chapter 5: 14).

Sin no more actually means henceforth no longer go on sinning. One can only hope that the woman was really changed in heart and life. The Lord Jesus clearly felt that even a wicked woman could leave her life of sin. He still stands ready to forgive any sin in our life, but confession and repentance mean a change of heart. With God's help we can accept Christ's forgiveness and stop our wrongdoing.

 

R David Jones

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

2 Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.

3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst,

4 they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.

5 "Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?"

6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.

7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first."

8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?"

11 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."