Anchor My Faith

Go and Sin No More

Scripture: John 8:9-11

We ended the previous lesson with the people in utter silence, holding stones to throw at the woman waiting for the one who is without sin to cast the first one. As they stand there, Jesus continues to write on the ground and they think again about what Jesus said: “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

^{Jn 8:9} “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.”

As I visualize the event, sense the presence of Jesus there and his complete control of the situation. Some holding stones may recall Jesus teaching on adultery, when he pointed that those who have lustful thoughts are just as guilty as those who commit the act being thought about. Each one holding a stone knows they are a sinner, like the woman, and one by one, beginning with the oldest, they drop their stone and leave. After a short while all were gone except Jesus and the woman standing before him. All realize their guilt and felt unworthy to cast their stone.

The term “eldest” probably does not refer to age but to their rank. The consciousness of their sin and their desire to leave Jesus, may indicate a state of low public morals and reflects what Jesus said in Matthew 16:4 (ESV): “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” In this case, those who brought the woman are the ones who leave Jesus and the woman.

^{Jn 8:10} “Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”’

When Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they?”, he was not implying that there were no others there, for surely there were because they were in the temple on a public occasion. The question “Woman, where are they?” would refer to her accusers. Those who came to condemn her were gone because they realized that Jesus knew of their sin and they felt condemned.

To the question Jesus asked her, ^{Jn 8:11} “She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”’

Those who brought the woman to Jesus were attempting to get Jesus to pass a sentence of death against this woman as a magistrate. They had arraigned her before Jesus for him to pass sentence, not to obtain his opinion about adultery. Jesus had no civil authority in this case and was not going to exercise it by condemning the woman to die. As we know from past lessons, Jesus had the authority to forgive sin but now he does not have the authority to judge a case like this one, and so he does not condemn her.

Conclusion

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:17 ESV). Jesus would not condemn the adulterous woman, but he desired that she be saved. This narrative was a good application of John 3:17.