It was morning as Jesus was teaching in the temple that his enemies brought unto him a woman who had been committing adultery. Their concern was certainly not the woman. Nor was there concern that the law of Moses would be enforced. Instead, the reason they brought the woman to Jesus was to tempt him, to catch him in such a way that would disprove his messianic standing. Twice he kneeled down pretending that he was writing something in the soil. In the meantime, he responded that whoever was without sin let him cast the first stone so that she might be killed. Their silence and departure was a confession in itself that they knew they were not sinless.
When just the woman and Jesus were left alone, he asked where her accusers were. Note that at this point was when she first spoke. Her reply was not a confession but a simple observation that they were alone. Jesus took the opportunity to tell her she was not under condemnation by him, and she should go and sin no more. Undoubtedly, Jesus read the thoughts of her heart that told him she deeply regretted her life of sin. Down to the ages, she has a message for us today.
Just like her, we are guilty of the most basic of all sins in our lives which requires us to take a new direction so that we might follow him. In challenging her accusers to throw the first stone, Jesus highlighted the importance of compassion and forgiveness. Should we discover that someone else is living a life of sin, are we quick to pass judgment? What a challenge it is from Jesus today that we take an honest look at our own lives so that we must recognize the sinful nature that we harbor within. Sometimes we would rather point out sin of others to deflect from our own sin whereas our duty should be to help others and not to stand in judgment over them.
It is curious to me that these self-righteous men knew where to find this woman in the first place. They only brought the woman not the man who were both guilty of adultery which meant they both should have been stoned to death. Approaching Jesus, they called him master but the day before they called him a deceiver. Her accusers wanted to present themselves as loyal men with righteous indignation. Had she not been taken in the very act of adultery, she likely could’ve continued on with the direction of her sinful life. Sometimes it is best for God to allow our carnal nature to be exposed so that it could be addressed mercifully. For us, we must be careful not to allow ourselves to be entangled in secular affairs. The situation applied the simple narrative from Jesus that we should be sure to take away the log in our own eyes before we try to take the speck out of another’s. (Luke 6: 42) Instead of concentrating on the sin of someone else, it should be our duty out of meekness for us to seek ways of restoration which means we’re not favorable to the sin but favorable to the sinner. Their own guilty conscience was a judgment upon themselves and not the woman. The situation is a clash between natural conviction of morality versus the mercy of Christ from repentance . In effect, we all are actually standing before Christ ourselves alone to answer for ourselves. What a picture this situation happens to be as it reference to the coming judgment for all of us before God. If she were to seek forgiveness before the highest judge, she must first forgive her accusers. This is also a picture of the condemnation that Satan would bring before the Almighty while at the same time Jesus intercedes for each of us since we are all guilty in fact. The hardness of her accusers stands on the record of the impossibility to satisfy any form of law keeping. The depth of Christ’s sincerity should likewise motivate us to go and sin no more. His words were resounding particularly for us today that we claim to have forgiveness. She is to be going through life but sin no more. This is an example of today’s convert being forgiven but is not an excuse to sin or rationalize the occasion. This is a reminder of the passage that says he that is a believer will not sin. (1 John 3:9) When Jesus told her to go, (and sin no more) the word he used for “go” is taken that as she continues to live her life, not that she is going to a specific location. So, as we all take steps through life minute by minute and yard by yard, we must be careful like her not to allow sin to be active in our lives.
Christian Writer 