“He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” John 8:7
My Summary & Reflection
Jesus says to those who were seeking to stone a woman for adultery, that the accuser who had not sinned, should be the first to cast a stone at her.
This interaction came when those who felt threatened by Jesus and his appeal, sought to try to set him up to say something contradictory to the religious law. By this time the crowd knew Jesus’ teachings about love, compassion, and forgiveness. Those who brought in this woman, were trying to get him to say that the principles that he was teaching superseded the religious law so that they could accuse him of heresy. This accused adulteress was brought before Jesus where he was asked, “Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?” John 8:5 Jesus at first appears to ignore the question. But when asked again, Jesus tells them that the accuser who had not sinned should cast the first stone.
The accusers all dispersed and went away because none of them could say that they, themselves were without sin. Jesus was left alone with the woman accused of adultery after all who were set to condemn her had fled. He tells her that, “…Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” John 8:11 Jesus notes that “Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. And yet if I judge my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and my Father that sent me.” John 8:15-16
This was not a parable that Jesus told, but was a situation that was brought to him, that he used to teach a lesson about man’s judgment versus God’s judgment. I think that Jesus is saying that God is his own judge and will punish or reward for compliance in his own time and in his own way. We may pass and enforce earthly laws for our own reasons, but we should realize that those reasons are “after the flesh” and not of God. Even the best intended legislators, judges, officers, or even voters do not stand in the place of God on earth to enforce his judgment. They can only enforce the judgment of man. We should not fool ourselves into believing that the laws and judgment of man are a substitute for God. Judgment for making or breaking his laws is up to God alone.
Your Reflection
- Have you found yourself standing in judgment of others as though you were God?
- How difficult is it to show compassion instead of judgment for others?
- What is it that you want for yourself – compassion or judgment?
- What do you think breaking the laws of men mean for someone’s place in eternity?