Early in the morning while Jesus was teaching
at the temple, the scribes and Pharisees presented a woman they claimed to have committed adultery. Attempting to trap the Savior, they ask what
should happen to the woman. The Master’s response teaches us a powerful
lesson of both justice and mercy. According to the Law of Moses, the act of
adultery was punishable by death by stoning. The death penalty was also prescribed for
several other types of sins including persistent disobedience to parents, breaking the Sabbath
day, and blasphemy, among others. Today, the severity of the punishment might
seem archaic and overly harsh. However, a better understanding of the law
reveals that it actually provided for both justice and mercy in a masterful way unmatched
by even our modern legal system. Before anyone was punished, the accused would
be tried before the Jewish leadership where at least two witnesses must testify of the
wrongdoing. If the verdict was guilty, the witnesses who
accused the person had two options. First, while still being guilty of the crime,
the person could be forgiven by the witnesses, thus receiving mercy. Their life is spared. If the witnesses refused to forgive, they
were required to cast the first stone. The punishment of death would be required
at the hands of the witnesses. They could not just stand by and watch. If the accusation was later discovered to
be false, the witnesses could also be stoned to death. In the Old Testament, mercy was the outcome
in almost all instances where the law required capital punishment. For example, King David’s son Absalom was
allowed to live even though he had tried to overthrow his own father’s kingdom and take
the throne. If stoning had been chosen every time a child
disobeyed a parent or an Israelite failed to keep the Sabbath day holy, very few, if
any, Israelites would have remained. The law, in essence, teaches the severity
of disobeying the Lord, while also teaching the importance of being merciful—fulfilling
both justice and mercy. Now let’s focus on the Pharisee’s accusation
of this woman. Typically, when adultery occurred, both parties
were tried before the Jewish leadership. The woman’s husband would then decide whether
to forgive the immoral act or cast the first stone. In this instance, no mention is made of either
the man the woman was supposedly with or of her husband. This means one of the following three scenarios
are possible: first the woman had committed adultery, second the woman had been raped,
or third the woman was actually innocent and thus falsely accused. Whatever the case may be, this woman is not
receiving a fair trial according to the law. In order to trap Jesus, the Pharisees say,
“Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?” Silently, Jesus bends down and uses his finger
to draw on the ground, the same finger who had written the law on the stone tablets on
Mt. Sinai. This serves as a powerful reminder that he
who wrote the law knows best how to interpret the law. In silence, the Master teaches a poignant
lesson. He does not accuse the woman nor even ask
her to defend herself. The Pharisees continue to press for an answer. Jesus finally stands up and says this powerful
statement, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” The Master is exposing the Pharisees’ attempt
to trick him. In essence, Jesus is saying, “If you think
she is guilty and you are innocent, then stand as her accusers and cast the first stone causing
her death.” Christ fully understands the true meaning
behind the law, and he sees that these wicked Pharisees only seek to use the law to entrap
him. In their minds, they could care less about
if this woman is guilty or not. Christ again bends down and writes on the
ground as the crowd contemplates their decision. One by one they leave. No one is willing to execute the punishment
and the woman is left there alone. Alone with her Savior who is without sin and
could justifiably cast the first stone. He who knows whether she is indeed guilty
of this crime. And yet, he does not condemn her. We often are quick to think of this story,
like the title, as the “woman caught in adultery” yet, notice Jesus never actually
accuses her of the crime. He simply states, “go, and sin no more”
which could be said to any of us. Though we don’t know if this woman has simply
been falsely accused in order to frame Jesus, perhaps the Pharisees, knowing the truth,
held an unfair trial to trick Jesus into accusing an innocent person. In the end, we don’t know if she is guilty
or not, but it would be wise to follow the example of the Savior and leave judgment to
him. As we read this story, it can be helpful to
look for ourselves in the text of these events. Sometimes we might be like the Pharisees—quick
to make an accusation or attempt to entrap others. Or maybe we might be like the members of the
crowd—embarrassed and withdrawn when we recognize our own sins. Or there may be times when we feel like the
woman—alone, unsupported, treated unfairly, and in desperate need of mercy. But among those who stood on the steps of
the temple that early morning, no one stands as a greater example than the Savior. If Christ, being without sin, is unwilling
to accuse the woman and cast the first stone, should not we, in our sinful state, do likewise? Should not we, like our Savior, lift each
other up and offer a hand of mercy? This will not be the last time these same
Pharisees will seek condemnation without a fair trial. Eventually, they will accuse the very One
they had previously sought to entrap, even Jesus Christ. Unlike the woman accused of adultery, he will
not receive mercy. The Pharisees will chant, “Crucify him!” Christ willingly submits and dies on the cross—innocent
of all crimes the Pharisees falsely testified he has committed. He does this so that we, who are sinners,
can receive the very same mercy he had deserved. And just like the woman who possibly had been
caught in adultery, we too can go free, thanks to the loving sacrifice of our Savior.
