(Jn 7:53; 8:1-12)

This event happened at the end of 7 days of the feast of Tabernacles. Jesus has just declared Himself to be the Messiah, the Fountain of Living Water (Jn 7:37,38). The feast for that year was now over. Everyone was tired. The people that came from all over Isreal, went away. “And everyone went to his own house. But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives”. As all the people in Jerusalem went to their homes to rest, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. The King of kings had no house of His own. He possibly went to the house of Martha and Mary, at Bethany, the village at the foot of Mount of Olives. Or He went to rest in the open air in the cool of the night, on Mount of Olives. This shows the wonderful humility of Jesus. The next morning Jesus was back to Jerusalem. He came quietly without any advertisement. He went back to the temple. People came to listen to Him. Why did He teach these people? He knew that they didn’t understand what He was saying. He knew that soon they would shout: Crucify Him! Why did He teach these sinners for hours? Because He loved them! What Humility! What Grace! What Love! Lesson: Love is the greatest teacher! Ministry has no vacation! Trust God for added Grace!

Suddenly, the open-air classroom is disturbed by loud noises. The Pharisees brought to Him a screaming woman. They accused her of being ‘caught in adultery; in the very act’, they claim. The truth is that these religious rulers are trying to trap Jesus in something He may say. If they can catch Him saying something wrong, His reputation among the people will be ruined. These men are religious hypocrites and faultfinders. The people do not know that. But Jesus always knows what is in man. There were two options: If Jesus agrees with their verdict, that the woman has committed adultery, according to the Law of Moses she must be stoned to death. Then Jesus is not as merciful and loving as He claims to be. If Jesus does not agree to stone her to death, it proves that He is not a true teacher of the Law because He does not obey the Law. Therefore, He is not the Messiah. Their evil minds planned that whatever Jesus says will be against Him. Even in the Old Testament, the death penalty was rare. Adultery, breaking the Sabath, continuous disobedience to the parents, and blasphemy, were crimes punishable by death. But if death was applied in each case, no Jew would be alive, because they were all guilty of breaking the law.

These Pharisees ignored the law too. If the woman is found guilty of adultery, and must be stoned to death, that act cannot be done immediately in the temple courts. There were conditions. The adulteress, her husband, and the man who committed adultery with her, must stand before the Religious tribunal. If her husband shows her mercy, and forgives her, she is free. If her husband does not forgive her, she is guilty. In that case, the unmerciful husband must be the first to throw a stone at her. The witnesses who saw the act of adultery must be at least two or three. They too have the option to show mercy and to forgive the woman. God is a merciful God. “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy” (Ps 103:8). But if the witnesses refused to forgive, they would be the first to stone her. They could not just stand by and watch. Even the people in the crowd must join them in the stoning. No passive spectators were allowed during judgment. If later, the witnesses proved to be liars, they could be stoned to death. In the Old Testament, mercy was almost always applied in the cases of death penalty. In this case, there is no mention of a husband, or the man involved in the act of adultery. They only bought the woman. But the accusation was not fair. These are the three options: the woman has committed adultery, the woman was raped, or the woman was innocent and falsely accused. Whatever the situation, this woman is not receiving a fair trial according to the Law. The Pharisees did not present all the facts. The people around did not know the truth. Only Jesus knew exactly what the truth was.

The response of Jesus teaches us a powerful lesson of Justice, Mercy and Love. As the accusers were shouting, Jesus stooped down and wrote something on the ground. Please observe that Jesus did not answer immediately. His silence was loud!!! Nobody knows what He wrote. But one thing is sure, the same finger that wrote the Ten Commandments was writing on the dust, on the stony courtyard in the Temple. He who wrote the Law is the Best Interpreter of the Law. We read that two times “Jesus stooped down” (Jn 8:6,8). In Greek, the words ‘stoop down’ mean to bend forward and bowing the head. This is a picture of the Cross. “So, when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit” (Jn 19:30). No Jew would bow down in the presence of a woman, especially a sinful woman. But Jesus did that. You see the extraordinary humility of Jesus and the display of His Love on the Cross. As Christ crucified, who died for this woman, He freely justified her. At the same time, the Cross condemns unrepentant sinners. The accusers are now condemned of sin. This is the power of the Cross! What an amazing love!

Please observe: Jesus does not accuse the woman. He does not even ask her questions or tell her to defend herself. The Pharisees pressed Jesus for an answer. They were sure of winning their wicked game of fault finding. Suddenly, Jesus stood and said these powerful words: “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first!” Jesus is exposing the wickedness and hypocrisy of the Pharisees. What He meant was this: ‘If you are witnesses of this sinful act, and you are sure that you are totally innocent, then be the first to cast the stone at her.’ Jesus exposed the evil minds of these religious men. They don’t care if the woman lives or dies. All they wanted is to trap Jesus in what He would say. But none was innocent. All were guilty of the sin. Shocked that Jesus knew their hearts, one by one, the men are leaving. No one is willing to cast a stone at the woman. The crowd leaves too. The confusion is over. The place is now quiet.

The woman is still trembling waiting for the judgment. She is alone with her Savior, who alone is without sin. Jesus is the only One who has the right to throw the stone at her because He is innocent of sin. But He does not throw the stone. He exercises mercy. This is Love! When we read the story, we assume that what the Pharisees said is true. We generally call this ‘the story of the woman caught in adultery’. But please observe that Jesus does not accuse the woman of adultery. He alone knows the truth about this woman. What if is she was raped?  He only says: “go and sin no more”. This is the moment when the woman was justified by Grace. She became born-again! She had faith that Jesus is her Savior and her Lord! “Go and sin no more!” But this command applies not only to the woman. Jesus could have said these words to any one of us. This is the Light of the World speaking love, shining mercy!

“And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” (Col 2:13-15). This story reveals clearly how Jesus took away the accusation against the woman and nailed it on His Cross. He disarmed and disgraced her wicked accusers. Praise the Lord!

Let us examine ourselves… Sometime, we are like the Pharisees, too quick to accuse people. Other times we are like the crowd, interested in free entertainment at the expense of another’s pain. Or we can be like the woman, lonely, afraid, unfairly accused and in desperate need of Love. Jesus is our best example. He who alone was without sin and had the right to stone the sinner, choose to show Mercy and Love. We should do the same. Listen to Our Lord: “Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. 37 “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven!” (Lk 6:36,37). Instead of gossiping, let us encourage others. Instead of slander, pray for one another. Instead of oppression, help another. These are fruits of Love none can deny! These same Pharisees continue to accuse Jesus. They finally succeeded in crucifying the Savior. The Father in heaven did not show mercy to His Son hanging on the Cross. Christ died on our behalf. Only “Love is as strong as death” (SS 8:6). Love always has the last word.

Why is so important to believe that God Loves you forever? God’s gracious love is the basis of our relationship with Him, in Christ. If you are not sure of God’s love for you, then you will have no peace, no joy, no assurance of going to heaven. You will always try to impress God by your good deeds. You cannot relax in His Love. True Christian life is a life of peace, joy, hope and strength. When you come to God, you will discover that He loves you always. He is not like a judge or like a police man who always looks for your trouble. God smiles on His children. You discover that God loves you, teaches you, disciplines you, embraces you, carries you on His shoulders until you go to heaven!

Finally, you may be rich or poor, educated or illiterate, you may be white, black or brown, a slave or a master, you may be young, old, or at the point of death, all this does not matter. Only one thing matters: you cannot save yourself! You cannot go to heaven by your own wisdom or power. Give your life to Christ! You must be born again! You must be born again! You must be born again! Worship the Lord!