FEBRUARY 23, 2023
“So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” (John 8:7)
At the start of this chapter, Jesus had come to the Mount of Olives. The next morning, He came from there to Jerusalem and entered the Temple. In a vain attempt to catch Jesus doing wrong, the Pharisees present a young woman to Him. This woman was caught committing an adulterous act and according to the Law of Moses, she should be put to death.
Jesus’ critics were constantly trying to pit Christ against the Law of Moses, and somehow trick Him into making some kind of mistake. In response to this particular attempt, Jesus stoops down and begins writing in the sand. While doing this, the men continue to press the issue, repeatedly asking Jesus what He plans to do about this woman caught in sin.
The trap laid by the Pharisees seems to present Jesus with a dilemma. The law does call for death for adulterers. However, Roman law prohibits Jewish leaders from using the death penalty. He seems to be stuck between angering Rome, alienating His followers, and overtly defying the very Scriptures He has preached.
As always, though, Jesus’ response cuts through the trap. His writing in the dirt is mentioned twice in the chapter (8:6, 8). While we never find out what He was writing, the repeated mention suggests that whatever He wrote was a deliberate part of His response. Maybe He wrote relevant Old Testament verses, or the names and sins of some of those present. We cannot be sure, but we can be sure of how the crowd reacts. When He finally speaks, Jesus points out one of the areas where His critics are themselves falling short of the Law.
Jesus points out that the Scribes and Pharisees are not actually interested in following the law. If they were, they’d at least follow the entire law, and not merely use it as a cheap publicity stunt. A complete submission to God means recognizing that you are not perfect. Many use this verse as a way to excuse all sin in the world, because why be upset over sin if you do it too? That is wrong. Instead, it’s a call to work on yourself before judging others. It’s a reminder that you need to work on yourself first. Similar to being on a plane, you are instructed to put on your own mask first before helping others. Worry about yourself before worrying about others. We must live our lives in a Biblical manner; striving to be as holy as we can and leaving judgment to the One that is perfectly holy.
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