John 8:6-9

6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.

7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 

8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 

9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

“Which one of you is Perfect and Will Throw the First Stone?”

In verse 6 of this account, the writer reveals that the Pharisees and scribes are testing Jesus. We could infer that fact before ever reading this verse. They wanted something to accuse Jesus of. They wanted to be able to say something like this, “He is not following the law! He should be arrested! This woman is an adulteress, and the man who claims to be the Son of God is okay with that!” In verse two, we read that Jesus was sitting while teaching the people at the temple. The people were probably standing around Him. I read that this was a common way for people to teach in those days. Instead of looking up at the woman’s accusers, Jesus looked down at the ground, bent over, and wrote in the dirt as if He didn’t hear a word they said. I wonder…how did the Pharisees and scribes react to that response from Jesus? Did they continue to press Him on the issue? Probably, because they wanted an answer. 

Then, Jesus stood up and made what I like to call a “mic-drop” statement. He said, paraphrasing, “Anyone who hasn’t sinned in this group, you can throw the first stone at this woman.” Then Jesus bends back down to write in the dirt again. Is Jesus giving this woman a free pass? No, He most definitely is not, as we will see later in this account. Does Jesus mean that we have to be sinless, perfect people to correct/judge/rebuke others’ sinful behaviors? Not at all. If this were the case, then no one would ever be able to correct anyone else. Even elders in the Lord’s church would not be able to use church discipline to correct behavior, because no one is perfect. In Matthew 18:15-17, Jesus advised us on how to handle sin within the church. If a person sins against us, we are to go to that person and discuss it alone with her as sisters in Christ. I say “her” because, as a woman, I believe if a brother in Christ has sinned against us, then we shouldn’t go alone. We should take our husbands with us. If we are not married, we should take a trusted male member of the church, such as a family member, an elder, a deacon, or a close male friend. I don’t know how anyone else feels about this, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable going to a brother in Christ to point out sin alone. If she or he is willing to acknowledge the sin and repent, then it is settled, and everything is fine. If she won’t acknowledge the sin, we are to take two or three others with us to be witnesses of our efforts to help this person acknowledge the sin and repent. If the person still won’t acknowledge the sin and repent, then we are to take it before the church. If the person still won’t repent, then the elders/church is to withdraw fellowship with them. So, if Jesus meant that only perfect people could point out sin, then we couldn’t utilize the church discipline tactics that Jesus commands in Matthew 18:15-17. For that matter, the preacher couldn’t step on our toes either, because preachers aren’t sinless either. In 2 Timothy 4:2, Paul tells young Timothy to “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” Paul told Timothy to rebuke. That wouldn’t be possible if only sinless people could rebuke, because no one is sinless. 

When Jesus says that the one without sin should throw the first stone, He is referring to Deuteronomy 13:9 and 17:7, where the law of Moses says that those who actually witnessed the sin are to be the first to initiate the death penalty, aka throw the first stone. After that, everyone else is to join in. If these Pharisees and scribes were the witnesses of the woman’s sin, then they should be the ones to throw the first stone at her. In verse 9, we see that the accusers were “convicted by their conscience” and went away one by one until Jesus and the woman were alone. What were the accusers convicted of? What had they done wrong that convicted their conscience? It doesn’t say, but we have already determined that they had judged this woman unrighteously by not having pure motives for bringing her before Jesus. The only reason that they were doing this was to test Jesus. They wanted to see if Jesus would break the law of Moses, so they would have a reason to arrest Him. They also took the woman prisoner, but let the man who was involved go free, which is unfair and a double standard. And another question… to what lengths did these Pharisees and scribes go to catch this woman in the very act of adultery? Hmmmm… not sure about that either! Was the woman guilty? It appears that she was. She didn’t argue or fight back, plus Jesus later acknowledges her sin. However, the way that this was handled by the Pharisees and scribes was equally as sinful as the adultery of this woman. 

So… why do we judge others? There is a right reason and a wrong reason for judging another person. The wrong reason is selfish, and usually involves us trying to make ourselves feel better about our own sin, or we have ulterior motives like the scribes and Pharisees did. “At least I have never done what she did!” Oh no, that kind of thinking should never enter our minds, but I’ll be honest, I’ve had that thought in the past when I was trying to justify myself. “I may have _______, but at least I didn’t _________.” This type of thinking gives the impression that one sin is greater or worse than another. This is not true in God’s eyes. Now… the consequences of some sins are worse than others. But all sin separates us from God if we don’t acknowledge it and repent. The right reason for judging another person is unselfish and has nothing to do with us. The whole reason for the righteous judgment of a person is to help them get back into a right relationship with God. We are to go to the person in love because we care about that person and want her/him to go to heaven. Here are a couple of questions for myself. Can I help someone else get back into a right relationship with God, if I myself am not in a right relationship with God? Don’t I first have to get the beam out of my own eye so I can see clearly to help my sister in Christ get the speck out of her eye? (Matthew 7:3-5) Do I need to check my motives at the door?

God means for everyone to learn what the Bible teaches about being saved. It only takes an open heart for Jesus and a willingness to put away what we’ve been taught in the past, and truly read what God’s Word says for ourselves… and then accept what it says and obey it. If I can help you in any way, I would love to! Are you walking in the light? Are you in Christ? Are you saved? If you aren’t, or if you’re not sure if you are, I’d love to help you. Are you a member of the Lord’s church, but are struggling spiritually in your walk with Christ? If you are… believe me, I’ve been there many times, and I’d love to help you. If you have any questions, please reach out. 

I love God’s Word. It challenges me to be better… to do more in His service. It is interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next. It gives me confidence and builds me up, and it brings me to my knees when my soul needs convicting! Thank you, Father, for the wonderful gift of Your Word!

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan God has outlined in His Word for humankind to receive His grace, which leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)