Our Scripture today is John 8:3-9
[3] The scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before them [4] and said, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. [5] In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. So what do You say?”
[6] They said this to test Him, in order to have a basis for accusing Him. But Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with His finger.
[7] When they continued to question Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.” [8] And again He bent down and wrote on the ground.
[9] When they heard this, they began to go away one by one, beginning with the older ones, until only Jesus was left, with the woman standing there.
May God bless the reading of his word.
In our reading, we find a powerful story that speaks to the very heart of the human condition. It begins with a woman caught in the act of adultery, brought before Jesus by a group of Pharisees and scribes. They were ready to condemn her, to stone her as the law demanded. But Jesus, in his infinite wisdom, offered a profound response.
“He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her,” Jesus declared.
With those words, he challenged the accusers to examine their own hearts and lives before daring to pass judgment on another. The impact of this statement was immediate and profound. As verse 9 tells us, “When they heard this, they began to go away one by one, beginning with the older ones, until only Jesus was left, with the woman standing there.”
We are all flawed, imperfect beings, and that true justice and righteousness can only be achieved when we approach one another with empathy, humility, and a willingness to forgive. Jesus did not condone the woman’s actions, but recognized that the real sin lay in the self-righteous condemnation of those who were quick to cast the first stone.
This story reminds us that we must look inward, acknowledge our own shortcomings, and extend the same compassion to others that we hope to receive ourselves. It is a call to break the cycle of judgment and retribution, and to embrace the power of forgiveness. In doing so, we not only find healing for ourselves, but we also create the possibility for true redemption and restoration in the lives of those around us.
Lonnie Davis