It’s Time To Drop The Stones

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were constantly testing Jesus in order to bring some charge against Him. One day while Jesus was in the temple the religious leaders brought a woman who had been caught in adultery. The leaders said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” (John 8:4, 5). The next scene is unexpected, at least to the religious leaders:

Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 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.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground (John 8:6, 7-8).   

I’m sure you could have heard a pin drop. Jesus responded with great wisdom, and in so doing, left the religious leaders speechless. What was their reaction? 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 (John 8:9). Not one accuser who stood in the temple that day was without sin. Not one accuser remained. Not one stone was thrown.

I love what happened next:

Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more” (John 8:10-11).

Jesus, the only One who was without sin, did not stone her. Neither did He condemn her. Rather, He extended grace and a challenge: “Go, and from now on sin no more.”  We can only imagine how she must have felt. According to the Law, she deserved to be stoned, yet not one stone was thrown. She was guilty of adultery, yet not one word of condemnation was spoken. Only grace and a challenge. 

It’s time to drop the stones. It’s time to follow Jesus’ example, speaking words of grace rather than words of condemnation.