John 8:3-11
3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say? 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 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. 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 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. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you? 11 She said, No one, Lord. And Jesus said, Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.
This is the story of Jesus' encounter with the adulterous woman. The religious leaders were demanding that she be killed, and she was undoubtedly afraid of what punishment would occur when she was brought before Jesus. Likewise, we are often afraid to come before Jesus, for we fear that he will condemn us like the religious leaders had. What is fascinating about this encounter is the way Jesus combined love and admonition. He did not condemn the woman, in fact after convincing the others to lay down their stones he says, "Neither do I condemn you" (verse 11). What a relief to know that Jesus does not condemn us, despite our sins! Yet Jesus does not leave the matter there, but further instructs the woman to "from now on sin no more" (verse 11). In other words, we have been given mercy, but also a command to change, to stop sinning and begin a new life.
Lord, thank you for your mercy, and help me to stop sinning.
3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say? 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 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. 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 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. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you? 11 She said, No one, Lord. And Jesus said, Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.
This is the story of Jesus' encounter with the adulterous woman. The religious leaders were demanding that she be killed, and she was undoubtedly afraid of what punishment would occur when she was brought before Jesus. Likewise, we are often afraid to come before Jesus, for we fear that he will condemn us like the religious leaders had. What is fascinating about this encounter is the way Jesus combined love and admonition. He did not condemn the woman, in fact after convincing the others to lay down their stones he says, "Neither do I condemn you" (verse 11). What a relief to know that Jesus does not condemn us, despite our sins! Yet Jesus does not leave the matter there, but further instructs the woman to "from now on sin no more" (verse 11). In other words, we have been given mercy, but also a command to change, to stop sinning and begin a new life.
Lord, thank you for your mercy, and help me to stop sinning.