Anchor My Faith

Should You Also Be Stoned for Your Sin?

Scripture: John 8:2-8

We ended the previous lesson and section with Pharisees upset with the officers for not arresting Jesus and with Nicodemus for claiming that they had prejudged Jesus without a fair hearing. Growing in their hatred and anger, they make plans to trap Jesus as he resumes teaching in the temple.

^{Jn 8:2} “Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. ³ The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and placing her in the midst ⁴ they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. ⁵ Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So, what do you say?” ⁶ This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him.”

Before we study this narrative about a woman caught in adultery, we need to point out that this story was not part of John’s original Gospel, as it is not found in all the oldest manuscripts. The story contains sound doctrine and is best seen as something that probably happened sometime during the ministry of Jesus. ESV considers John 7:53 – 8:11 to be part of Scripture and has inserted it here.

It is now early in the morning and we again find Jesus in the temple with many people gathered around him to learn from his teaching, and like in some previous teaching times, he was interrupted by the Pharisees. This time they brought to him a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery and reminded him about what the Law commanded be done to such a woman. Like setting up Jesus to heal on the Sabbath, they are now trying to get him to break the Law given by Moses by not allowing her to be stoned.

It is clear to us that the adultery was planned because only the woman was brought to Jesus and they knew the exact time that adultery was committed. It appears that the Pharisees arranged with some man to commit this act at a given location and at a given time so that she could be caught, and the man allowed a way to escape.

Their plan seemed to be working until ^{Jn 8:6} “Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. ⁷ 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.” ⁸ And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground.”

Being the Son of God, Jesus knew the sins of those before him. He bent down and wrote something with his finger on the ground. We can only speculate that he might have written something about them. As he writes they continue to ask him what should be done to the woman. Jesus stands up and with a single brief comment he brings them to a state of utter silence and guilt. Jesus says, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Conclusion

Based upon what Jesus said, would you be qualified to throw the first stone? The woman that was caught in the act was probably a prostitute and recognized as a sinner but are you not also a sinner. The Pharisees wanted her to die for her sin, but unless you by faith accept the death of Jesus in your place, you will die for your sin. Jesus has put those with stones in their hands in a very difficult convicting spot.