John 8:7
“He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”
This is one of the most well known sayings of the Bible.
A woman was caught in the very act of adultery. I don’t know how they did that. I may know some that committed adultery but I’ve never caught anyone in the very act.
The Law did say the penalty for adultery was death. However, it specifically stated “the adulterer and the adulteress, shall surely be put to death. Lev 20:10
No man is brought forward before Jesus on these charges.
This isn’t about stoning the woman or the man – it’s about trapping Jesus.
Will He go against the Law of Moses and say “Yes, stone her”, which will set Him against the law of the Romans, who need to give permission for any capital punishment.
Jesus fooled them all and gave the Law of Love to forgive her.
It’s a difficult time to share the Gospel. The Good News is Jesus came to save sinners but sinners must be convicted in themselves they are sinners in order to desire salvation.
If you point out someone’s sin, they counter with you are judging them.
Let me point out that Jesus judged the woman, though He did not condemn her. (read the entire text of John 8:1-11)
Earlier in John’s gospel, you learned the Jesus did not come to condemn the world because we’re condemned already. He came so the world through Him might be saved.
His last words were “go and sin no more.”
He told her she was a sinner with that statement.
He let her know there was hope for her with that statement.
That hope is still around today – it’s a stones throw away!