Day 18: John 8:1-11, 26

You know what I’ve always wondered about this incident: Where is the man? The Pharisees said they caught the woman in the act of adultery. That means there must have been someone else present with her. What happened to him? Why wasn’t he dragged out of the house and publicly humiliated and threatened with death? Was it because he was one of their own?

Regardless, when they tried to get Jesus to condone their stoning of this woman he simply refused. He knew the Law, and he knew they were correct in their legal assessment of the situation. She should have been stoned to death(so should have the man she was with). Instead, Jesus issues them a challenge: “Let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!”

At that moment, each one of them were reminded of sins they had committed and not been punished for. Jesus called out the hypocrisy of their actions. There was no way that you could live perfectly according to the Law. “All have sinned and fallen short.” All except for One.

Jesus could have picked up a stone, but he didn’t. “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you? Neither do I.” Jesus had the right to condemn her. He, the Perfect One, had the moral high ground to say to everyone there, “You should all suffer punishment for your sins!” Instead, he took that punishment on himself. Even the punishment for the Pharisees.

Later on he says, “I have much to say about you and much to condemn, but I won’t.” He knew that his mission was one of love and forgiveness, not condemnation and punishment. Jesus showed love to the sinners, because that is what God the Father sent him to do. Paul says in Romans 8:1, “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” We no longer have to live under that condemnation. Jesus, the One who could levy the charges against us, has taken that punishment for us. For all of us, even those who would condemn others. Let’s strive to have the same attitude as Christ. Let’s not condemn, let’s show love. And in that love we can admonish others, and ourselves, to “go and sin no more.”