The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” - John 8:3-7
It is very important to notice that Jesus does uphold the Law. Many people take Jesus' words here and at the end of the story to mean that He views adultery as a minor offense, but nothing could be further from the truth. I read an account of a marriage quarrel recently where the man said to his wife, "All I did was have an affair. What's the big deal?" Today we have come to regard adultery as nothing. But Jesus does not say that. He upholds the Law. Adultery is sin. It violates marriage. It destroys society when it spreads and becomes commonplace. It wrecks homes; it injures innocent children; it attacks everything that God holds dear!
Those of us who engage in pastoral counseling in the church, all too frequently witness just how terribly destructive adultery is, how it destroys marriages, wrecks relationships, and injures far and wide. What a terribly hurtful, fragmenting, shattering sin it is! In the eyes of strict justice it is deserving of death, and Jesus upholds that fact, much to the surprise of the scribes and Pharisees. But that is not all Jesus does. He also sees the hearts of these men. What he says, in effect, is, "You are no better off than she is. Your hearts are filled with murder and hatred." Malice gleamed in their eyes as they sought to exploit this woman's unfortunate situation in order to get at Jesus. But he read their hearts, and what he saw was worse even than her sin.
While these scribes and Pharisees were standing there, stunned, Jesus stooped down and began to write. Again, we are not told what he wrote. When you realize that this is the only time recorded in the Scriptures that Jesus ever wrote anything, you cannot help but wish that someone had preserved what he wrote.
And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. - John 8:8-9
When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the oldest; what a tremendous disappearing act takes place here! The oldest one (the one with the longest record of sin) suddenly remembered that he had a previous appointment. The next one thought he heard his wife calling. Another had a sudden fit of coughing and had to leave. Another felt it was time for lunch. They disappeared one by one until no one was left but Jesus and the woman alone.
Jesus' answer to the accusers called on them to focus their attention on their own sins, not on the sins of the adulterous woman. Jesus called on the accusers to judge themselves instead of the woman. By Jesus' reply, the accusers were forced to admit that they too were guilty of sin (Rom. 3:23). To the credit of the accusers, each one silently dropped the case and walked away, Jesus' words apparently having pricked his conscience.
Jesus said sinlessness is the only qualification for judgment. I don't know about you, but that puts me out of the stone throwing business for good. They were convicted, and their conviction was good, it's a good thing to get convicted, but how they responded wasn’t so good. They were convicted by their own conscience and they...what?...they went out. What should they have done? They should have fallen at the feet of Jesus Christ in conviction and said, "Lord, forgive me, cleanse me." They walked away from the only source that could heal their proud and self-righteous souls. They walked right back into their sin. You know, conviction does two things, it drives a person to Jesus Christ or it drives them away. People come to church sometimes and they'll just squirm and itch and think, “I've got to get out of this place”, and once they get out they don't want to come back again. Conviction can either drive you closer to Jesus Christ or it can drive you further away. Where is your conviction driving you?
Oh Lord Jesus, convict our hearts and drive us to our knees before you. Humble us and bring us to your feet where we can receive your mercy. Do not allow us to turn away from you, but keep us close to your side - Amen.
Jeff Frazier
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