Forgiven, Not Stoned

Narrator: Chris Genthree
Duration: 3min
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John 8:1-201Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. 2And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. 3And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 4They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 6This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. 7So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. 12Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 13The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true. 14Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. 15Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. 16And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. 17It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. 18I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me. 19Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. 20These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come. (John 8:1‑20)
You all know the word sin, and know perhaps that sin is the cause of all trouble in the world. When the Lord Jesus was on earth He spoke against all sin, for sin is to want our way instead of God’s way. Yet He always said words of pardon to arty who confessed their wrong ways.
One day while He was teaching the people in the temple, some men brought a woman to Him, who they said had so sinned that by the law she should be stoned, but they wanted to know what He would say to do. Those men hated Jesus because He had spoken against their dishonest acts, and they wanted to show He did not judge as God’s law said.
Jesus did not answer them right away; He stooped down and wrote on the ground, while they kept on asking Him. At last He said to them, “He that is without sin, let him first cast a stone at her.”
Then Jesus kept on writing on the ground, which gave time for the men and all who heard Him to think of their own sins and what sin deserved. His words showed He had authority to command what to do, as a judge; and that the woman deserved to be punished as the law said. Her sin was adultery, which meant she had given her affection to another, not her husband, disobeying God’s command (Ex. 20:1414Thou shalt not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14)).
The Lord Jesus had also plainly taught against that sin, as Luke 16:1818Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery. (Luke 16:18) but He did not then come to earth to punish for sin; if He acted as they directed, He must be just and punish not only that sin, but every sin. He knew that the men who brought the woman had sins: and they had spoken against Him, because He had told them God’s ways, which was the most serious sin of all.
After those men heard His words, “He that is without sin, let him first cast: a stone,” each one suddenly felt his own mind that he had sins. They should all have bowed down before the Lord and confessed they too were sinners, but they did not do that; each one silently walked away, as though He would not know it: the eldest that who should have known God’s way best, went out first, and the younger one last.
When Jesus raised up from writing on the ground, the woman stood before Him; she could have gone from Him also, but He told her He did not “condemn” (punish) her, and said for her to go, but “to sin no more.” The words He wrote on the ground are not told, but, since He always taught God’s ways, the words may have been about God’s holiness or mercy.
Jesus came to take the “bruising” as though of stones, the punishment for all sins from God Himself; that was why He could forgive the sinner. “He was bruised for our iniquities is 53:5.
ML 09/15/1946